RACE 1: CLAIMING $10,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

7-4-2-8

Today’s 9-race card includes a pair of stakes races for Maryland-bred/sired 2-year-olds. Rain is forecasted for the morning but it should clear out by first post. #7 Meraviglioso (2-1) comes in off a sharp n/w2L win last out, where she tracked the pace and powered away to win impressively. At about this time last year, she broke her maiden impressively at Aqueduct for Claudio Gonzalez, but left his barn after that race. Since returning to him in August after bouncing around between a few conditioners, she’s been slowly improving. #4 Divine Fashion (9-2) looked like much the best on paper at Charles Town last out and ran like it, tracking the pace and drawing off. She’s another one with good tactical speed. #2 If Then (6-1) was no match for Caged Pixie last out, who crushed the field and came back to win at Gulfstream Park next out. However, she made a solid, wide move and won a photo for second. She’s cutting back around one turn here, which is probably for the better.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $40,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

3-2-6-5

#3 Vodkatini (3-1) finished second in a merry-go-round race at Delaware Park last out where no one changed positions at any point in the race. In her prior dirt start, which came here in June, she rallied wide and got up to win, defeating, among others, future three-time winner and stakes-placed filly Hollywood Walk. This one will have a shot today as long as the pace is honest. #2 Oh Mrs. Maisel (5-1) took a little while to round into form after shipping from New York, but she made it happen last out, when she battled on the lead and drew off to break her maiden impressively. She’s the only one in the field without a loss against winners. #6 Anileate (7-2) stopped badly after a wide trip in her most recent start, which was on grass. In her lone dirt start, which came at Belmont Park last September, she set the pace and faded to third behind eventual multiple grade 1 winner Nest. This will be her third start off a year-plus layoff and her first start at this condition.

RACE 3: STARTER ALLOWANCE $5,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

3-7-5-6

All the favorites in here have early speed. #3 Targe (2-1) isn’t a pure need-the-lead type, having come from off the pace to win on this track in October. Last Friday, she set the pace in the Politely Stakes but was no match for Fille d’Esprit and Juror Number Four and stopped badly. I don’t know if she’ll want to engage with the other front-runners in here, but she can sit off them and make a move late. Take out the line three back for #7 Flava’s Dream (15-1), and suddenly her form looks a lot better. That day at Delaware, she was rushed up to the lead in a two-turn race and stopped badly. She just missed third in her last start, while two horses who are much better than these ran well clear of the rest. She could shake up the exotics. #5 Devilish Affair (10-1) races first off the claim for Norman Cash and has great late pace figures. She’ll be especially dangerous if the pace is fast.

RACE 4: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $20,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 7 FURLONGS

1-2-6-7

Although both halves of the Jamie Ness entry look potent, I’ll lean towards #1 Boss Logic (2-1). He won against slightly lesser two races ago, with an impressive brisnet figure of 88, then repeated that mark in his next start when fourth at this condition. He’s done his best recent work around two turns, but he has a win at seven furlongs in the past. #2 Rad Paisley (5-2), by contrast, is perfectly suited for sprints. He has abundant early speed and gets a class switch from Maryland-bred allowance company. His chances will be dependent on how much pace pressure he gets, and he should receive some. However, as long as the fractions aren’t too fast, he should at least hang around for a slice.

RACE 5: MAIDEN CLAIMING $12,500, 2-YEAR-OLDS, 6 FURLONGS

5-1-9-7

The late pick 5, with the carryover, begins here. #5 Duke of Dooly (5-2) stopped badly in his last two starts, but he’s run his best figures at six furlongs. Cutting back to this distance should help the cause. #1 El Tolu (3-1) debuted in a maiden special weight race last Saturday and trailed throughout, although he did run a 55, which is respectable for this class. We’ll see if the class plunge helps. #9 Danny’s Winkster (15-1) has shown speed and faded in his first two career tries against better. He’s facing a very soft field, and if he shows his usual early foot, he could hang on for a slice at a good price.

RACE 6: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W2X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 7 FURLONGS

10-9-4-7

A fun field of sprinters lines up here. #10 John the Bear (4-1) won twice here over the winter meet, then went to the sidelines over the spring and summer. He made his return in a first-level allowance race on Breeders’ Cup Saturday and crushed the field in an impressive gate-to-wire win. His figure of 92 was not far off from his peak mark of 97, earned in one of his winter wins. He’s got a tough draw, but he overcame a wide post last time and should be tough second off the bench. #9 Treasure Tradition (9-2) also comes in here off an impressive front-running win in a first-level allowance contest. Outside of a disappointing venture in the Maryland Million Sprint, he’s run in the 90s in five of his last six starts, and looks to have rounded back into peak form since coming back to the races in early October. He’s owned by Ellen Charles’s Hillwood Stables, who will send out Post Time later today. #4 Dixie Drawl (9-2) has held his own at this level all year, with three in-the-money finishes in his last five starts at this condition. He’s run no worse than an 87 in his last four races, but hasn’t won in a while. Will a shorter distance and a possible fast pace scenario help?

RACE 7: MARYLAND JUVENILE FILLY STAKES, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, MD-BRED/SIRED, 7 FURLONGS

1-7-3-4

The first stakes race of the day spotlights the lasses. I was excited to see #1 Malibu Moonshine (7-2) in the Maryland Million Lassie, following an impressive maiden win at Pimlico in September. Charlie Baker shipped this daughter of Bourbon Courage from New York for the race, and she drew off impressively for a six-length win. However, she was scratched that day, and now resurfaces here. She’s had some sharp recent workouts, including a five-furlong drill at Belmont Park on November 28, and should be in fine form for this race. The expected rain should help, as her first win came over a very wet track. #7 Fast Tracked (10-1), a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning Maryland-bred Malibu Beauty, earned her maiden win the hard way. She got engaged in an early speed duel, then dispatched her dueling partner and held off the late challenge of Cynergy’s Electra to win by a neck. She’s making her second carer start here for Arnaud Delacour, who generally goes better second-time out, and while this is a class test, she’s already shown plenty of heat. #3 Gormley’s Gabriela (8-1) closed well and lost a photo for second in the Smart Halo Stakes last out. She’s run in the 80s in her last two starts and should make some noise late.

RACE 8: MARYLAND JUVENILE STAKES, 2-YEAR-OLDS, MD-BRED/SIRED, 7 FURLONGS

1-4-7-6

#1 Post Time (1-1) is not just the best 2-year-old in Maryland, he could be one of the best 2-year-olds in the country. He was extremely green in the stretch in both of his races so far, but each time, he made a powerful move on the turn and won easily. Last out, he ran a 95 on the brisnet scale, a 92 Equibase figure, and an 86 Beyer. Those marks are not far off from the ones earned by Havnameltdown in the Bob Hope Stakes (95, 95, 89) and better than the ones run by Instant Coffee in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (84, 79, 81). He’s worked well since his last start, and has apparently matured quite a bit since then as well. His biggest competition will come from Maryland Million Nursery winner #4 Johnyz From Albany (8-5) who impressively won that day in a gate-to-wire performance. In the race prior, he was second in a first-level allowance optional claiming race behind Recruiter, who came back to win the James Lewis Stakes. This one’s never beaten anyone as good as Post Time, but even if that rival blows past him, this one looks more than good enough to outkick the rest. #7 Feeling Woozy (6-1) set the pace and drew off to break his maiden handily last out. Two starts back, he was a well-beaten second behind Prince of Jericho, who came back to win a first-level allowance optional claiming race on November 19. This one could challenge Johnyz From Albany on the early lead.

RACE 9: CLAIMING $10,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

3-6-9-5

#3 Senson (6-5) won easily at this level two starts back and drops back down after facing better last out and missing the board. She should have her way with these. #6 Dial Emma Reilly (6-1) has run in the low 70s in her last two starts, right around her figure ceiling. She closed for second behind Senson two starts back at this level and it would not be a surprise to see a repeat of that exacta. #9 Illusion of Hope (9-2) dealt with some traffic while racing wide last out, but won a n/w2L race two starts back with clearer sailing.