CHARLES TOWN PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: AUGUST 20

Sleepy Eyes Todd
Sleepy Eyes Todd won the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. Photo by Coady Photography.

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: Pick 5, $25,272

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 37-2-5-3In the first of three maiden special weight races on the card, we’ll give the nod to a first-timer, #7 Hello Carlo (4-1). It’s not every day you see a first-timer at CT who cost $180,000 as a weanling, as did this gelded son of Hard Spun from a productive female family. After initially showing up on the work tab late last year, this one got a few months off before resuming and is showing five works, including a pair of bullets, for trainer Stacey Viands… Morning line favorite #2 Fiftyfifty (9-5) has finished second twice against similar and should appreciate returning to one turn here, but he’s already lost four times at the trip, which steers us away from endorsing on top… Another first-timer, #5 Running Roy (5-1), has a couple of good works on his tab, including a bullet half-mile July 15… Curious to see #3 Sun of Silver (7-2). The five-year-old by Tale of the Cat is just now making his career debut…
Race 82-5-9-6Top choice #2 Doc Jordan (3-1) had a decent debut, finishing fourth and just missing third by a neck. He should be fitter today, and if he improves from that debut — as would be expected — he has every right to contend for top honors… Morning line fave #5 Thunderinreadyrick (8-5) has finished second in all three of his career starts and has encountered traffic issues in all three. The half-furlong cutback here probably works to his advantage, and a cleaner trip could make him a graduate… The betting public loves #9 Tyry Tyrannosaurus (9-5) — he’s been favored in four of his last five starts — but we’re certainly not inclined to take short odds on a runner who’s lost eight straight… #6 Weavintheblocks (20-1) was third last out against similar despite a troubled trip…

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