PARX PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: FEB. 17
Parx Racing has an 11-race card on tap for this afternoon. Post time for the opener is 12:25 p.m., and we’ve got Parx picks.
How’d we do last time at Parx?
| RACE NUMBER | CONTENDERS | COMMENTS |
| Race 9 | 1-7-5-6 | Top choice #1 Royal Urn (7-2) has a couple of factors in his favor in this second-level allowance. Last time out he may well have been best despite being beaten a neck. He broke slowly and then was steadied on a couple of different occasions rounding the turn before finally getting some room to run in the lane. Second, there looks to be a number of speedy sorts in here, which could set it up for his best late kick… If one of the speed horses survives, it’ll likely be #7 Knockout Kick (2-1). The Shackleford gelding was off over a year between his first and second starts; since returning, he’s won three straight by a combined 17 lengths while ticking off his conditions. This represents his sternest test yet, but he has so far passed everything with flying colors… #5 Mount Travers (3-1) ran some awfully good races in NY last summer and would be tough to deny were he to return to that form. His last couple are OK, but just OK, and certainly our top choice ran a better race last out than did this one… #6 Final Shot (5-1) probably isn’t quite good enough here but easily could find his way into the triple or super… |
| Race 10 | 7-2-4-1 | In his first local try, #7 La Waun (7-2) broke well, grabbed the lead, and and won easily in starter company. In three subsequent tries in allowance company, he hasn’t managed to get to the lead at all, though in two of them, he ran well enough. In this group, though, he should have every chance to make the front and could be tough to reel in. Note that in his November win, he thrashed a couple of likely contenders in here, including the chalk… The good news is that #2 Dig Charlie Dig (5-2) ran a good one last out when closing behind the ultra-speedy Knockout Kick. The bad: he’s a veteran of 42 races still trying to knock down this first allowance condition, and the pace scenario doesn’t seem likely to give him his best shot… #4 Call Me Daddy (6-1) finished behind a couple of these last time out but looks to be moving in the right direction, and with just 15 starts under his belt, has some upside… #1 Ark in the Dark (5-1) presents a similar profile to Dig Charlie Dig but finished behind him last time out… |
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