PARX PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: JULY 7

Notapradaprice
Notapradaprice won the 2019 G3 Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes at Parx. Photo by RJ Umberger /EQUI-PHOTO.
  • userFrank Vespe
  • dateJuly 7, 2021

Parx Racing has an 11-race card on tap for this afternoon. Post time for the opener is 12:55p.m., and we’ve got Parx picks. The day starts with a carryover of $126,196 in the jackpot pick-5.

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 84-2-1-6Tough to get past the favorite #4 Southern Cents (9-5) in this claiming contest. When last seen in claiming company, four back, this one won by 15 lengths. Trainer Jamie Ness and rider Frankie Pennington have won 13 of their last 27 starts together over the last 60 days… #2 Zecha (8-1) had a bit of a clunker last out but three back was second against similar… #1 Twirling Liz (5-2) may look to control this one up front after breaking from the inside and possessed of decent early zip. She’s been facing better… #6 Joycee’s Spirit (6-1) was third last out versus similar and makes her second start after a seven-week break.
Race 910-1-3-4Good group set to tangle in this open allowance, and we’ll take a bit of a swing with #10 Missin the Big Dog (10-1). The Tony Aguirre trainee scored a scored a 13-1 upset last out at Pimlico in two-other-than company and has the advantage over several logical contenders here of having a race under his belt this year… #1 Vanzzy (3-1) had a solid sophomore season, winning a couple of stakes including the grassy Jersey Derby but has not raced since November. He’s been training forwardly towards his return for Mike Pino, who wins at a 10% clip off 90+-day layoffs… Interesting to see trainer Jonathan Thomas ship in and move #3 Utmost (6-1) back up the class ladder after he finished third against $25,000 claimers last out. He was a Grade 2 winner back in 2018 but did not race between October of that year and April 2021. He owns the right to improve in here, and you have to think that Thomas, who’s winning at a 35% clip this year, likes what he’s seeing… #4 Hawkish (5-1) won the 2018 Grade 2 Penn Mile but has only one win in the 10 starts he’s made since, including an 0-for-6 ledger last year. Plus, he’ll make his first start of the season here. On the other hand, all of those recent starts have come versus stakes rivals, so perhaps the drop into allowance company will aid the cause…

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