Parx picks and horses to watch: August 30

Parx Racing has a 13-race card on tap for this afternoon. Post time for the opener is 12:55 p.m, and we’ve got Parx picks.

Carryovers: Jackpot Pick 5, $7,910

Main track fast, turf firm

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 62-5-7-1How the pace will shake out in this starter allowance contest is an interesting question. Runners like My Train, Jacohare, and even Exit Right generally do their best work from the front. That might work to the advantage of #2 Secret Path (5-1), who will sit a few lengths back of the speed and look to make a run. Though he’s only won four of 32 career outings, he has won three of his last nine and gets reunited with jockey Luis Ocasio, who guided him to his most recent win May 10… You have to figure #5 Jacohare (9-2) will be part of the early vanguard after consecutive front-running scores, and he seems the most likely of the early sorts to be around late. Last out he thrashed morning line favorite #7 Exit Right (6-5) when taking that runner out of his customary front-running style… Since switching into the Ness barn, Exit Right has won six of eight, and several starts back, he won by closing, so you certainly can’t ignore him. But last out, at 3-10 odds, he had no answers for Jacohare and could find a similar scenario today… #1 My Train (8-1) also does his best work on the engine and will be tested for class here…
Race 89-1-7-8Recent trips to Belmont and Saratoga weren’t all that successful, but #9 Instinctive (6-5) is 2-for-2 on the Parx turf and should appreciate the class relief today against starter types. Rider Paco Lopez has won on her a couple of times, and the last time she ran at this level, she won nicely… #1 Driven by Speed (5-1) arrives in good form, having finished in the triple three straight including a last-out win. She’s moving up the ladder here but is doing so at the right time and catches a manageable field… The last time she raced at this leve, #7 Fed Policy (8-1) came running late but had to settle for fourth, beaten less than two lengths. That was going 7 1/2 furlongs, though, and today she’ll have another eighth of a mile to play with, which might give her the real estate she needs. Her subsequent turf tries have been against tougher, including a quixotic tilt in the G3 Dr. James Penny Memorial when seventh of eight at 141-1, so the drop back to this level is a positive… #8 Current Situation (9-2) is 2-for-4 over the Parx turf…

LATEST NEWS