PARX PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: DEC. 15

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 83-6-4-5The eighth is a second-level PA-bred allowance that’s attracted a pretty hard-hitting group… We’ll give the nod here to the formful #3 I’m the Talent (7-2). The Scott Lake trainee took a three-other-than at Laurel last time out for her second win in three starts; the only runner to beat her in her last three is Malibu Mischief, who’s won six straight. This one loves Parx and loves this distance and gets Lake’s go-to local rider in the irons… Can’t argue with what #6 Madam Meena (5-2) has done of late, including running away from her rivals in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff at DEL in September, and we can’t fault her too much for third-place finish on the synth at PID. She gets back on dirt here and has never been worse than third in eight tries on a fast track… Not too worried about the blowout defeat last time for #4 Dreamer’s Moon (9-2): winner Wicked Awesome had won the Twixt Stakes at LRL for fun two starts prior. Of more pressing concern how a horse who’s done her best work on the engine will handle cutting back from two turns to six furlongs… Big one last out for #5 Promised Storm (5-1), who crushed PA-bred rivals, but do note that Madam Meena crushed her three back…
Race 91-6-2-3The improving #1 Garban (2-1) gives trainer Scott Lake a chance to take the double. This one won nicely last out and in his prior start just missed against Fire’s Finale, who returned to win the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes… We’re inclined to think that on best #6 Claw (6-1) rates a serious look here. His last was poor, but it came over yielding turf at BEL, and his prior couple at PID were just fine, including a maiden score and a close-up fourth in a minor stake. His best main-track effort came in his second start when fourth at Santa Anita; two of the top three are now graded stakes winners… #2 Palatial Times (5-1) ran evenly last out in a pretty good LRL allowance and is certainly moving in the right direction; note that he raced with Lasix his first three starts and then without because it’s prohibited in 2yo races in Maryland; he gets it back today… Interesting to see trainer Greg Viands send #3 Alpha Chi Rho (6-1) up from Charles Town for this contest. Three of six to run back from his maiden score won their follow-ups. Last out this one was an ok sixth in NY-bred stakes company at the Spa, and two of his rivals from that race came back to win stakes next out. He’s been away a while but has been working solidly for this spot…

LATEST HANDICAPPING