CHARLES TOWN PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: JUNE 18
Frank Vespe- June 18, 2021
Charles Town Races has an eight-race card on tap for this evening. Post time for the opener is 7:00 p.m., and we’ve got Charles Town picks.
Carryovers: Jackpot Pick 6, $52,382
- Copper Tax will try overland route in Federico TesioCopper Tax will leave from the far outside in Saturday’s Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park, and a Preakness berth awaits the winner.
| RACE NUMBER | CONTENDERS | COMMENTS |
| Race 5 | 5-7-6-2 | Our top choice in this state-bred allowance dash is #5 The Illusionist (6-1). The Ronney Brown trainee won nicely at first asking back in March, and his last two aren’t much to look at. But a closer look provides excuses: the first of those two was at 6 1/2 furlongs, and he emptied out in the latter portion of the race, and in the second he was bumped leaving the gate and then hung out in the parking lot rounding the turn. A cleaner trip puts him in the mix here… #7 Black Candy (6-5) has been in the exacta five straight and runs for the Kevin Patterson barn, which thrives with short sprinters… #6 Whale of a Ride (8-1) showed promise in his first two but hasn’t raced since February 2020. Trainer Javier Contreras can get them ready to win off the bench… #2 Morgan County (3-1) figures to be somewhere in the exotics — he’s hit the board in eight of 10 against similar — but his repeated losses at the level make him tough to endorse in the top spot. |
| Race 8 | 3-5-1-7 | We’ll try for a bit of an upset in this maiden contest with #3 Lil Sassy Girl (6-1). The Tim Collins trainee flattened out late in her debut, finishing fifth after running close to the pace early. She’ll be fitter here in her second start and gets Lasix added, as well. Also notable is that the first three finishers to run back from that contest all won their next starts… Morning line fave #5 Walk a Fine Line (5-2) was a good second on debut but threw in a clunker last out after breaking awkwardly. She can get back to her better form here… #1 Just Ask Me (7-2) has been gradually improving and makes her second start off a three-month break here after finishing a credible fourth behind a next-out winner… #7 Got Any (3-1) is 0-for-20, which makes her unplayable on top at those odds. But she’s been second or third in three of her last four, which makes her a reasonable underneath play… |
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5th.”The Illusionist”may be seen in
the Winner’s Circle but Fredy will hafta
give her a Whale of a Ride to turn the tide.
8th.I’m looking for a sleeper in here
and Mr Weeks may be ready to get over
his bad case of Seconditis.