Laurel Park picks and ponderings January 5, 2020

Anna’s Bandit. Photo by Laurie Asseo.

In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…

Post time: 12:25 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 — $1,048; Super High 5 — None; Late Pick 5 — None

Notable: Happy New Year!

RACE 1

4-2-7-1
Top choice #4 Imagine Winning (5-1) gave an improved account of himself last time behind a repeat winner despite a troubled trip; with a couple of speedy types in here, he might sit the right trip under Carrasco…

RACE 2

3-5-1A-6
Just a couple of races removed from defeating $16,000 claimers, #3 Blame the Kids (2-1) drops to the bottom after a couple of middling tries versus much better; will need a pace to develop up front… Wondering if #1A Stolen Love (6-1) may be forging back to better efforts after an improved try in last…

RACE 3

8-1-9-3
Nothing but questions in this maiden claimer, so let’s give a look to first-timer #8 Lucky Ember (9-2); the Jamie Ness trainee appears to have been training in company with Mighty Molly, who ran third on debut against much better yesterday, and leading rider McCarthy has the mount… #1 My Lila (12-1) gets back to the level and six-furlong distance at which she delivered best effort four back; there was also some moisture in the track that day…

ANALYSIS

RACE 4

2-1-6-7
Ok, sure, it took #2 Iam a Dancer (5-1) 25 tries to graduate, but she did so in style, overcoming a challenging trip to win by a pole; let’s see if the lightbulb’s gone on now… Tepid morning line favorite #1 Youknowwhatitizzz (3-1) drops from better company after several failures, owns an off-track victory…

RACE 5

8-5-1-3
Likely favorite #8 Justin Front (2-1) trounced better last time out and makes first start in the Chris Englehart barn in this spot… If he doesn’t go favored, the Claudio Gonzalez-trained #1 D C Fireman (5-2) will, but the question for this runner is: why here? He beat maiden special weight foes at first asking before being well-beaten in the Maryland Million Nursery; you’d imagine he’d show back up in an allowance for his first start in three months…

RACE 6

6-4-5-3
The deserving favorite in this maiden event is the Gonzalez trainee #4 Hoss Kitten (8-5), who finished second last out in a race from which three of four to run back have won… We’re gonna try to beat her, though, with the Linda Rice shipper #6 Bow Maker (6-1); Rice has won with 8 of 14 maiden claimers she’s raced at Laurel, including 5 of 8 who, like this one, were not making their career debuts; go-to rider Karamanos is up… #5 Meet Michelle (10-1) ran poorly last out but is just a couple of races removed from good efforts against better and may offer value…

ANALYSIS

RACE 7

6-5-7-2
We keep thinking that #6 Bobby G (6-5) is going to go off form, but he keeps proving us wrong and looks to be a handful in here… #5 Cloud Chaser (4-1) may be rounding back into form, has efforts that would win here on the page, and brings rider Gonzalez along…

RACE 8

2-1-5-3
Not too enthralled with this contest: the most likely winners are #5 Lunar Rille (8-5), who probably gets the right trip to win (but what’s fun about that?) or #2 Esterina (9-5), who won an open allowance easily two back but figures to have pace company early from the stretching-out sprinter #3 Don’tbaggagecheck (5-1), who ran well against similar two back…