Pimlico picks and ponderings June 27, 2021

Horses round the first turn at Pimlico. Photo: Dottie Miller

In which we pick the races from Pimlico each day…

Post time: 12:40 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 — $1,311,881 Super High 5 — $0 Late Pick 5 — $10,087

ANALYSIS

RACE 1: MAIDEN CLAIMING $25,000, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 5 FURLONGS

• 4-2-3-5
• A field of six 2-year-olds begins the Sunday septet. Five of the six here already have experience. #4 Cabra Chica (1/2) has earned back-to-back brisnet figures in the 60s to begin her career. While neither race was visually impressive, if she runs back to those figures, the others will be up against it. Her stiffest competition will come from a pair of Tim Salzman firsters, the #2 Insane Sister (5/1) and the #3 Civil Unrest (8/1). The former got bet on debut last out against better and ended up fifth; now adds Charlie Marquez. The latter showed speed in her first race, and looks for a rebound off a disappointing try last out. 

RACE 2: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $32,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

1-3-4-5

The rainbow pick 6 begins here. Yesterday, we were a nose away from having one winning ticket take the pool down for more than $1 million. The jackpot lives to fight another day, setting up for a large pool for the stakes-filled card next Sunday if no one takes it down before then. #1 Champagne Toast (3/1) went gate-to-wire on dirt two races back at Keeneland, and has an ideal draw from which to flaunt her speed. #3 Bethabara (2/1) had been competing well in dirt sprints, but handled the stretchout to two turns on grass last out, finishing second with a strong closing bid. She has some of the best late pace figures in the field. #4 Car Lady (3/1) just missed at this level three race back, making a six-wide move at Laurel Park and ending up third, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths. She’s earned figures in the 70s or 80s in each of her last five races. 

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $40,000, 3, 4, AND 5-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/16 MILES

• 1-5-4-3
• #1 Ink (6/5) has improved in each of his three starts. He earned his career-best mark of 75 last out, in his first start around two turns. He raced wide throughout and hung in there to lose by less than a length. Looks to keep moving forward here. #5 Let Us Make Gold (9/2) goes third off the layoff, and also enters off a big two-turn effort. He ran a 78 when finishing second against weaker last out. There was no one in that race as good as Ink, but if he can repeat that number, he’ll still be tough. #4 Irishman (9/5) closed well two races back, but was a non-factor on a wet track last out. Now, he catches a fast track. 

ANALYSIS

RACE 4: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3, 4, AND 5-YEAR-OLDS, 6 FURLONGS

• 5-2-1-6
• #5 Dialing Dixie (7/2) recovered from a bad break to finish second in his debut last out. He was rushed up to the lead, got in a battle with a rival whom he defeated by 8 3/4 lengths, and was game against a rival in the stretch who sat a perfect trip. #2 Dashing Circles (3/1) also battled on the pace in his debut, and wilted in the last eighth. He’ll have the advantage here, with speed from the inside. #1 Voltamour (5/2) earned a very respectable 75 in his first start off a long layoff last out. He’ll do his best running towards the end. 
• RACE 5 – STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $32,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 FURLONGS

• 2-1-3-4
• #2 Zen Pi (5/2) won at this level in his last dirt start, rating off a blazing pace and drawing off late to earn a big figure of 90. He goes back to his preferred surface after a grass try, and adds leading jockey Charlie Marquez. #1 Successful Cure (5/1) makes his first start since November 21. He ended last year in career-best form, with wins in two of his last four and some figures in the 90s. Might need a race first off the bench, but even if declines by a few points, he’ll be in the mix. #3 Justwaveandsmile (3/1) is a stablemate of Zen Pi, and comes in off a huge win against Maryland-bred allowance horses. 

RACE 6:  ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W3X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILS

• 1-2-4-5
• Look who’s back! After a brief jaunt in the Roberto Diodoro barn, #1 Harpers First Ride (1/1) returns to the barn of Claudio Gonzalez, for whom he did his best work last year. He was eased in the Pegasus World Cup earlier this year, and was a non-factor in three races for Diodoro, but was a four-time stakes winner last summer and fall. Faces a fairly soft field here, and should use this race as a nice confidence booster. #2 Zoomer (5/2) just missed in a long duel against similar last out at Parx, losing by a head to Dixie Drawl. That one has won five of his last nine, and was third in the Harrison Johnson Stakes earlier this year. Zoomer will be tough on the lead here. #4 Tybalt (9/2) has gotten checks at longish odds against similar in his last two, and has a great chance at doing the same thing in this spot.

 ANALYSIS

RACE 7 – CLAIMING $10,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

• 6-1-2-5
• #6 Sam and Sy (1/1) was claimed out of his last race by Donald Barr, a race where he narrowly missed after a strong stretch rally. He’s lightly-raced, and adds Marquez in the saddle. #1 Just Enough (4/1) has earned big recent figures, running between a 73 and a 75 in his last four starts. However, he’s been knocking on the door without much success against these, and now finds himself against a very tough rival, in Sam and Sy. A good bet to round out the exacta. #2 Lifespan (9/2) drops back to the $10,000 level, after falling flat against better last out. He was a solid third at this level two races back. 

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