Parx Racing was the only mid-Atlantic track to run on Monday, but the good news was: no cancellations.  That may change later this week, as a snow storm is predicted to come through the region…

It was a good day for rider Frankie Pennington, who scored three times, for three different trainers.  The veteran rider now has 13 wins from 57 starts in Bensalem and is second in the local jockey colony by both wins and purse earnings ($343,320) on the year.  Jorge Vargas, Jr. leads in both categories, with 19 wins and $358,845 in purse earnings…

The odds must be crazy!  It was a strange day for bettors.  In the first five races, not a single favorite won; winners included 23.90-1 Candy’s Luck, 31-1 Tyeste, 16.40-1 Chicanery, and 26.80-1 Sweet Emster.  The early double, with Candy’s Luck and Tyeste, paid over $1,200.  The day’s first three Pick-3s, ending after the third, fourth, and fifth races, all paid more than $1,900 on a one-dollar bet.  Then everything changed: the last four races were all won by favorites, with none longer than 1.30-1…

Two tracks on tap today, and this evening Charles Town offers the $30,000 Mountain Starter Handicap, 1 1/16 miles for horses that have started for a claiming price of $5,000 or less in 2013-14.  Go Maire Tu (6-1) is in terrific form right now, with four straight wins, including the Winter Starter Handicap against similar last month.  He owns two wins at the distance and figures to be a handful here.  Count on Lou‘s (2-1) lone try over the bullring strip was a disappointing third at odds-on, but trainer Ronney Brown, sending the Marquetry gelding out for the first time after claiming him for $12,500, has a hard hitter here who’s won 16 times in his 66-race career.  On best, Singing My Way (5-1) fits with the likes of these, and in his last, he throttled a group of nickel claimers by a dozen lengths, which may suggest he’s cycling back to good form.  Hard to figure what to do with Jade Prince, whose in-and-out form often leaves bettors scratching their heads.  He fell over a rival who broke down in his last start, the Winter Starter Handicap, but walked off; but two prior efforts were nothing to write home about.  He could win, but you can’t recommend him at 3-1…