PARX PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: DEC. 8

Street Band
Street Band upset the 2019 Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing . Photo by Allison Janezic.

Parx Racing has a 10-race card on tap for this afternoon. Post time for the opener is 12:25 p.m., and we’ve got Parx picks.

How’d we do last time at Parx?

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 81-2-5-9Looks like #1 Still Alive (part of entry, 7-2) is coming back around, finally. The Lupe Preciado trainee won a couple times early in her career, including winning a first allowance contest, and then ran in five consecutive stakes, tried the turf, and generally went off form. She finally got back on track last time out, cruising to a seven-length win in claiming company in a race that’s produced a next-out winner and perhaps is ready to move back to better company… #2 Charly’s Charm (8-1) gave an improved account of herself when second in claiming company, though do note that the winner that day, Freedom Passage, had finished seven lengths behind Still Alive in her prior start… Major vote of confidence for #5 Customerexperience (9-5) by trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who claimed her for $25,000, then lost her for $20,000 — and claimed her back for $35,000. Her speed figs stack up nicely in here, and she’s been in the triple four straight, but her resume’s a little light for a horse that’s less than 2-1… Well, you can’t leave Claudio Gonzalez out altogether, which means you probably want to have #9 Steady Love (9-2). She’ll need one of her better efforts, but her best contends here…
Race 93-2-8-10Top choice #3 Irish Cork (9-2) had to work for it last time at 3-5 against state-breds but did prevail in a race that’s produced a next-out winners. With some speed signed on, he might sit the right trip and get first run at ’em. He’s never been worse than third in 10 starts… #2 Ruby Bleu (12-1) ran a sneaky good race last time, surviving a lengthy tussle with Forest Fire to emerge the leader only to get swamped by the late runners on a day where closing was the preferred style. Let’s see if he can survive a likely duel with #4 Rock On Luke (5-2)… The lightly raced #8 Bird King (4-1) rallied to the lead but couldn’t contain #10 Flat Out Beautiful (3-1) last time out. The Pino trainee makes his third start after a couple-month break here and still has plenty of upside… The veteran Flat Out Beautiful has won at this level in two of his last four starts and will hope for a quick pace up ahead…

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