Maryland racing analyst Gabby Gaudet has thoughts on a Jackpot Pick 5 on this afternoon’s card at Laurel Park!
JACKPOT PICK FIVE
Laurel Park has a 50-cent Jackpot Pick 5 beginning with race 5. The wager has a carryover of $10,049. Post time for the fifth is 2:28 p.m.
MJC analyst Gabby Gaudet will share her longshot and exotic plays with The Racing Biz each Saturday. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Jockey Club.
Gabby’s Selections
- Race 5 – 2, 3, 4, 6, 8
- Race 6 – 2
- Race 7 – 3, 6, 8
- Race 8 – 3, 4, 6, 8
- Race 9 – 3, 4
- Wager cost: $60 ($0.50 unit)
Gabby says….
“If you have five horses in a race, it means you think almost anyone could win, and that’s the case here in the fifth, the first leg of the Pick 5, which is a $5,000 conditioned claimer going 5 1/2 furlongs. I like Julian Pimentel on a horse that has a little early speed, and in this race, he’s on one, #2 Cherokee Empire. This horse backed up late in his last race going 7 furlongs and might appreciate shortening back to 5 1/2. #3 Peaceadaaction’s numbers are good enough and he’s got enough class to win here; the one thing that concerns me is that he’s dropping more than in half, from $12,000 to $5,000, and I’m not quite sure how to interpret that. #4 Pot of Gold is my top pick in here; he’s a consistent sort of horse, and he’ll need a little bit of a pace to run at, but I think he may well get it. #6 Pelican Cove figures to be the speed of the speed here, and if he can shake loose, he might be hard to reel in. Like #3, Don’s Honour (#8) is a class dropper here, dropping out of much better company. His drop doesn’t concern me as much, though, because trainer Scott Lake claimed him for just $7,500 three back and so this feels like a pretty logical spot.
“From a race where we spread, I’m shifting gears and singling #2 More Than a Cruise in the sixth, which is the Conniver for Maryland-breds. #1 Tell a Great Story is the favorite, and that’s fair, but she’s been off since last July, probably wants more ground than this 7 furlongs, and I think this is a tough distance to ask a horse to do first off the layoff. On the other hand, I think More Than a Cruise really likes this trip, comes off a pretty good effort against Do Something, who won her follow-up, and I like the way she and Julian Pimentel got along in their last race. I think she’s ready to fire tomorrow.
“The seventh, also at 7 furlongs, is a $5,000 lifetime claimer, and I’ve got three in here. I think #3 Polonez tries hard but is pretty one-paced. I think she’ll appreciate the added ground today because it will allow her to be closer to the pace, where maybe she can grind out a win rather than trying to close so far. You have to use #6 Glimpse in this spot; she’s the favorite for good reason and could be the main speed in here. The question with her is that her one try at this distance was terrible; there’s reason to believe it had more to do with the class than the distance, but I don’t see her as the kind of horse you could single with confidence. It’s pretty much feast or famine with #8 Exhilarate. She figured best — and lone speed — in her last but had a bad start, never made the lead and stopped. This time she’s outside the other speed and ought to be able to work out a good trip; she could be tough.
“The eighth race is an interesting version of the Harrison Johnson Memorial Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. I keep touting #3 Indian Jones, and he keeps running just well enough to keep me in his corner but without winning. He’s run well in better company and just might get the speed he wants in front of him. #4 Bandbox ran a spectacular race last time in the Grade 3 General George. I love him, and my only question is how he’ll handle the distance, stepping up from seven furlongs to nine. I’m not sure how good the company that #6 Mr Palmer has been keeping really is, and I think 5-2 is much too short as a win proposition. But at the same time, I think you have to include him in a multi-race wager like this. I don’t know if #8 Swift Warrior is going to run. He’s really more of a turf horse, but he has plenty of class to compete here. If he doesn’t, I would also take a look at #2 Ground Transport, who’s run some pretty good races, including his last.
“Finally, in the ninth, #3 Doubleblackdiamond is the horse that should win and she’s the favorite. But I feel like she’s the type of horse that likes to get beat, and she’s lost three times now as the favorite. Because of that, I also included #4 Latasense, making her second start off a layoff and dropping in class.
“Good luck!”
(Featured image, of Ben’s Cat, by Laurie Asseo.)
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