Charles Town picks and horses to watch: May 26, 2023

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, $22,045

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE

Race 4

CONTENDERS

2-7-6-4

ANALYSIS

Top choice #2 Company Clown (2-1) is a single head away from arriving in this starter contest on a six-race heater. He has won his last three, though, and here makes his third start of the season. He’s a specialist in this 4 1/2-furlong distance, too, which gives him the nod over the morning line favorite… No trainer’s had more success at CT with one-turn sprinters than Kevin Patterson, who has won at a 41% clip in 4 1/2-furlong races the last five years – that’s not a typo. He claimed #7 Kukulkan (9-2) out of his last, a win versus lesser, and while he’ll need to step it up, he does have some efforts that would compete with these on the resume and can move forward in the new barn… You gotta love #6 Beverly Park (1-1), who won 15 times (!) in 2022, from 30 starts. He’s continued his winning ways, albeit running less frequently, thus far in ’23. The only negative: he seems to want more ground than this. In a five-furlong try at Delta, he was a bit outfooted and just ran evenly when sixth as the 2-1 favorite…

Race 7

1-9-2-6

Likely speed of the speed #1 Mygidgetmarie (5-1) has become a different horse of late. It took her 16 tries to graduate, but she’s now won three of four. This will be her third straight race breaking from the one-hole, which has served her well in her last two, so look for her on the front and taking ’em as far as she can… #9 Grace’s Secret (9-5) runs pretty consistenly good races and should be a factor here. Note that pilot Bocachica jumps ship, to the favorite… Solid debut for #2 Gladriel (6-1), who powered to a four-length triumph after a wide journey. His breeding — he’s by Florida Derby winner Dialed In — suggests more ground than the 4 1/2 furlongs of her debut should be fine. We’d like to have seen her race back, though, since it’s now more than two months since her bow, so a bit of a wait-and-see approach to this one… Speaking of wait-and-see: #6 Miss Fussy Pants (3-1) has the talent to win at this level, no question, but she’s a sophomore taking on her elders for the first time and arrives off successively worse efforts, admittedly against better. She wouldn’t be a surprise, but with high-end connections, she’s likely to get bet pretty strongly, so it’s unlikely there’ll be value…

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