LAUREL PARK PICKS AND PONDERINGS: october 21, 2023
Frank Vespe- October 21, 2023
In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…
Post time: 12:25 p.m.
Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 — $0
Jackpot Super High 5 — $0
Late Pick 5 — $0
Check out our other handicapping here!
RACE 1
8-9-10-6
| 1 | 8. Kobe Tough (15/1) | Jockey Toledo gets off fave, lands here on runner with plenty of efforts good enough to win this making needed class drop | |
| 2 | 9. Pico d’Oro (5/2) | Good tries keep landing in same spot: second | |
| 3 | 10. Storm Trappe (15/1) | Last better than it looks, and runner-up came back to win |
RACE 2
2-7-3-5
| 1 | 2. Cloudy Night (8/1) | Inclined to draw a line through last on slop; reunites with rider who nearly won on her two back, and repeat of that could be enough | |
| 2 | 7. G’s Fireball (2/1) | Improved speed in last, clear of rest while no match for winner | |
| 3 | 3. Harmonizing (3/1) | Blinkers on, cutback in distance, drop in class all may aid the cause |
- Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: May 13Your five-minute read to catch up on all the Mid-Atlantic racing action you may have missed over the weekend…
RACE 3
8-5-9-3
| 1 | 8. Meow Meow Hiss (5/2) | Drops a notch after rugged trip early and late in latest while rank; for all that beaten less than three lengths | |
| 2 | 5. Origami Girl (7/2) | Step slow and bumped leaving the gate left this one in last before grinding late run; Delgado 27% first off the claim | |
| 3 | 9. Magic in the Park (3/1) | Snug hold early in latest, willing finish to miss by less than a length; with just two starts, plenty of upside still |
RACE 4
8-6-3-7
| 1 | 8. Joya Del Sur (7/5) | Guess the 76 Beyer two back was illusory, drops now to possible winning spot and drawn well outside; trainer Russell 50% on the big drop in price and 40% second after the claim; winner of last won an N1X allowance in follow-up | |
| 2 | 6. Cocktail Dreaming (5/2) | Don’t ignore a 5-time winner in N3L company; was in similar spot to winner in last but had to go wide while that one took rail route | |
| 3 | 3. Mysisternancy (20/1) | Half-sis to ’22 Maryland Million Classic winner Ournationonparade alternating good races and bad; time for a good one? |
RACE 5
6-4-11-7
| 1 | 6. Roundtop (2/1) | Half-brother to ill-fated G1 winner Mongolian Groom ran a big one on debut, winner Fulmineo returning to be second in G2 next; trainer Motion 25% with maiden special runners in their second starts after finishing in the money on debut | |
| 2 | 4. Legendary Phantom (5/1) | Runner bred top and bottom for a route of ground gets it in fourth start; sprinting efforts just fine, and winner of last was third a neck in $250k Keeneland stake next out | |
| 3 | 11. Neat (10/1) | Bombs away? Inclined to toss last after getting thumped leaving gate; if you liked him into that – he’s a half to a stakes winner who’s graded-placed – may as well give him another shot here on the ship |
RACE 6
3-2-10-5
| 1 | 3. I Run (10/1) | Upset special? Deeply troubled trips in last two cloud the form of a runner with a little talent; owns a one-turn mile win on debut at CD, and trainer-jockey combo of Gonzalez-Barbosa deadly | |
| 2 | 2. Alottacents (8/5) | Not sure last was quite as good as it looks, as top seven all finished within 2 1/2 lengths of 19-1 winner; don’t sweat two back effort, as that looks to have been a paid workout | |
| 3 | 10. Mineola Mike (10/1) | Consistent sort should be engaged early |
- Big Big Star, the win, the layoff, and the race that wasn’tBig Big Star broke his maiden Sunday at Laurel Park for trainer Keri Brion off officially a 27-month layoff, though it’s actually a bit more complicated.
RACE 7
6-2-5-9
| 1 | 6. Bassanio (3/1) | Spirited duel through solid fractions in last left nothing in the tank for the stretch, though he did edge pace rival; winner came back to be third in $75k stake at GP | |
| 2 | 2. Opposites Attract (4/1) | Last was a mess as he lightly bumped a rival early, then was rank; draw a line through it and he fits with these | |
| 3 | 5. Wicked Secret (10/1) | Astute ride helped this one get up two back, closing nicely to erase yawning late gap; race produced two next out winners |
RACE 8
4-9-6-3
| 1 | 4. Charge to Victory (7/2) | Razor-sharp form despite ill-advised foray into N2X company; all dressed up with no place to go behind a wall of horses in last until too late; has never tried the one-turn mile but recent 7f tries say he’ll handle it | |
| 2 | 9. Paradise Pride (6/5) | Saw five-race win streak snapped in latest but still held second; kinda feel like he wants two turns, though, as he’s winless in last five one-turn affairs since Aug. ’22; still, on best he’s a handful | |
| 3 | 6. Oxide (15/1) | Gaudet barn gave this one time off, brought him back in starter company and now protects him again despite modest return effort; must like what they’re seeing in the morning from veteran who’s beaten better not so long ago |
RACE 9
10-7-2-4
| 1 | 10. Patria (7/2) | Never worse than third in three turf tries, all versus NY-bred allowance foes; 6-month vacation gives you pause, but short sprint distance helps allay concerns | |
| 2 | 7. Gift of Gab (10/1) | Second off a bit of a break and has better efforts to run back to; owns N1X win over Maryland-breds | |
| 3 | 2. Morgs World (4/1) | Terrific turf form and recent 80-plus Beyer figs may entice betting public; likes to finish second, which he’s done four times in five winless tries at 5 and 5 1/2 furlongs |
RACE 10
7-3-9-6
| 1 | 7. R B Took the Odds (6/1) | Debut runner by Honor Code is out of a dam who made $225k; trainer Dilodovico is 14% with positive ROI with debut maiden claimers, and this group seems manageable enough | |
| 2 | 3. Minimo (7/2) | Blinkers on for a runner who ran on willingly despite a somewhat troubled trip; runners from last have performed well since | |
| 3 | 9. One Way Farrior (2/1) | Closed but couldn’t get there going 4 1/2, had speed and faded going 6; 5 1/2 just right? Emerges from same race as Minimo, finishing a nose behind that one |
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