Pimlico picks and ponderings August 15, 2021

Horses round the first turn at Pimlico. Photo: Dottie Miller

In which we pick the races from Pimlico each day…

Post time: 12:40 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 -$3,156 Super High 5 — $992 Late Pick 5 — $7,551

ANALYSIS

RACE 1: CLAIMING $5,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

• 5-3-4-2
• Looks like a pretty wide-open bunch in this race. #5 Sacred Lady (5/2) had been knocking on the door against better, but she was flat last out without much of an apparent excuse. Her brisnet figures from her prior recent races would make her a serious contender in here. Can she rebound? #3 Congress Hall (3/1) has improved her figure in her last six races, peaking at a 74 last out. She’s hit the board in her last two tries at this level, but keeps Victor Rosales, who has been on a cold streak at the meet. #4 Sublimity (5/1) is also coming off a bad race, but at least she had a valid excuse in that one. Hung wide throughout, she stopped badly as they turned for home.  She has won two in a row prior to that, and was claimed out of her last race by Anthony Farrior. 
• RACE 2: CLAIMING $16,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 FURLONGS (GRASS)
• 3-8-2-6 (DIRT: 8-5-2-4)

• #3 Dominating Buyer (5/2) broke her maiden gate-to-wire three starts back on debut, but she hasn’t been able to get to the lead in her last few. She has an advantageous draw here, so she could be able to control the pace. #8 Green Eyes (2/1) will be her biggest threat on the lead. This one’s hit the board in her two grass tries, showing speed last out and coming from behind two back. Jerry Robb and Xavier Perez have been in a slump lately when they team up, and will try to shake out of their funk here. #2 Keepyourskateson (3/1) has woken up since getting on the grass, and will be rolling late. 

RACE 3: CLAIMING $16,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

• 3-7-1-5
• #3 Spotted Bull (2/1) won two in a row off the claim by Jamie Ness, but raced wide throughout at Delaware Park last out and stopped badly. Will be a serious threat with a better trip. #7 Royal Thunder (5/1) has shown flahes of brilliance in his career, including his last start, where he earned a career-best figure of 84 in a gate-to-wire win. This will be his first start at this level. Worth a shot if he stays near his morning line. #1 Self Awareness (5/2) goes first off the claim for Kieron Magee and will show speed from the inside. He was the big favorite at the level last out, and almost wired them before getting caught late. You’ll get better odds here if you still believe. 

ANALYSIS

RACE 4: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 FURLONGS (GRASS)

• 6-9-3-2 (DIRT: 1-2-9-6)
• I’ll try to beat heavy favorite Completed Pass here, as I have no idea what a stakes winner this year is doing in for a $25,000 tag. #6 Fort Fortitude (9/2) was second against better two races back for Ness, then won against cheaper on dirt last out. He’s run figures as high as 97 on grass and has hit the board five times from nine starts, but has not yet found the winner’s circle. He’ll try to change that here. #9 Oldies But Goodies (10/1) made his first grass start in more than a year last out at Colonial Downs, and almost wired them before fading in the last eighth. The draw isn’t ideal, but he’s still a serious threat on the lead at what should be a decent price. #3 Gins and Tins (12/1) won over this track three back and should’ve won two races ago. Looks to brush off a sub-par race at Colonial Downs six days ago. 
• RACE 5: MAIDEN CLAIMING $16,000, 3, 4, AND 5-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS
• 1-4-7-5
• #1 Miracle Bobbie (9/2) set the pace at Colonial last out and held on to finish second, narrowly missing his career-best mark with a 72. It’s going to be interesting to see if he shows early speed again; he had been rating in his prior few. #4 Cranston’s Network (2/1) is lightly-raced, having started just three times prior to today, and gets back to the dirt after a dull grass try. He’ll likely be on the pace. #7 Rippolino (7/2) goes third off the layoff and takes a much-needed drop in class. 
• RACE 6: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 FURLONGS (GRASS)

• 1-5-8-12 (DIRT: 5-12-9-8)
• #1 Fast Lani (9/5) almost wired them last time, but got caught in the last few strides. She still earned an 84, a career- best mark on grass, and is a serious threat to go gate-to-wire again. #5 Behind the Couch (7/2) was a strong-closing second in her lone grass start so far, over this track in May. She ships back down from Saratoga, which is probably for the best, as she’s done her best running at the Maryland tracks. #8 Miss Majorette (4/1) was impressive in victory last out at Penn National, breaking her maiden going away despite some traffic trouble. Trainer Ann Merryman is 20% third off the layoff. 

ANALYSIS

RACE 7 – ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS, 6 FURLONGS

• 2-1-4-5
• #2 Everett’s Song (9/5) looked like much the best on paper last out, and ran like it, breaking his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths with an impressive figure of 82. He’s the only one in the field who has not yet lost against winners. His late pace figures are far and away the best in the field, and will be very dangerous if he gets his trip. #1 Sibelius (5/2) ran figures of 89 and 91 to begin his career in the spring, then faced much tougher in his next two and struggled. Gets a much-needed drop in class here and adds blinkers. Can he regain his best form? #4 Sue Loves Barbados (5/1) gets back to the dirt, a surface where he steadily runs figures in the 80s. Trainer Dale Capuano excels with horses going grass-to-dirt. 
• RACE 8: MAIDEN CLAIMING $25,000, 3, 4, AND 5-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE (GRASS)

• 1-8-3-4 (DIRT: 7-2-1-3)
• #1 Happylife (5/2) earned a 71 in her lone grass start, against New York-breds at Belmont Park. She adds lasix and blinkers and should enjoy the drop in class. #8 Ghost Maiden (3/1) has run a 70 in both of her starts, and drops to the $40,000 level. She’s raced wide in both her starts, and will hope to save ground here. #3 Leia Organa (4/1) goes third off the layoff here. Last out, she rated off a very slow pace and faded. Things should be a bit more honest here. 

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