PARX PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: JAN. 6

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 62-4-3-2xThere looks to be plenty of early zip in this starter allowance contest, which might set it up for an off-the pace runner. Not quite sure if he’s fast enough, but #2 Mr. Roundtree (4-1, part of entry) fits the bill. The Phil Aristone trainee was second last out against similar in a race in which Mucho Macho Eddie got away with easy fractions and didn’t stop. It’s unlikely any runner will get away easy this time… A horse who might be poised for a big effort today is #4 Bodeflex (6-1). The Juan Vazquez trainee showed a ton of promise early in his career, winning three of his first four, but then was away for nine months. His return wasn’t much, but his follow-up was improved, and he can move forward again in his third off the bench. He’ll probably be part of the early vanguard… Right there with him may be #3 Ziggy Mon (9-2), who hung on to win nicely last out in his first try in the Gonzalez barn… #2X Methodical (4-1, POE) frequently has words like “belatedly” and “too late” in his comment lines but could get the right setup here…
Race 73-1-4-7Top choice #3 Beren (5-2) looked like the winner at the head of the lane in the PA Nursery last out but emptied out. He’s had excuses in his prior tries vs maidens and still run competitively. If he can put it together here, he can graduate… The good news is #1 Jimmy the Kid (3-1, part of entry) has ample early speed. The bad: he’s consistently tired going six furlongs and beyond, so perhaps this 5 1/2-furlong contest will be more to his liking… Trainer Marya Montoya is 0-for-the-last-five-years with first-timers, but the well-bred #4 Three Two Zone (8-1) sure has been working fast… Curious to see how #7 Private Union (9-2) runs. It’ll be his first time locally and first time in the St. Lewis barn. He’d been running competitively with maidens at Indiana Grand…

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