• John Piassek
• December 16, 2023

In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…

Post time: 12:25 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 —$2,790

Jackpot Super High 5 — $0

Late Pick 5 — $0

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: MAIDEN CLAIMING $45,000, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 6 FURLONGS

2-4-5-6

#2 K Kake Pop (6-5) had a very eventful debut. She broke terribly and was far behind early on, but gobbled up ground in the stretch despite racing greenly and lost by just two lengths. With a cleaner trip, she should mow them down at second asking. Country Life Farm dropped $155,000 for #4 Amie’s Symphony (9-2) at last fall’s Midlantic Yearling Sale at Timonium. She joined the worktab in late September for Mike Trombetta, and has shown some life in the mornings. I’m interested to see what she does here, with the caveat Trombetta isn’t great with firsters, and the ones he runs tend to be overbet. #5 My Sugar Boo (8-1) was far behind early on in her debut on grass, but closed well late, and turned in a bullet workout last Friday going five panels.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $10,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

2-4-8-1

#2 Please Marry Me (7-2) has faded on the lead in her last few starts, both on dirt and grass, but has a good draw and is in a spot without much other early speed. The only one who could seriously challenge her early is #8 Thencomemorning (12-1), who went gate-to-wire against non-winners of two types two starts back, and gets a rider switch to Jaime Rodriguez, who rides many front-end winners. If Please Marry Me can outrun Thencomemorning early on, she’ll be in good shape. On the other side of the coin, #4 Misquillo (30-1) has solid late pace figures, in a race where no one has much late energy. She held on for fourth on a speed-favoring track last out, and could make some late noise here at a good price.

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $45,000, 2-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/16 MILES

4-1-3-5

#4 Brysons Option (3-1) got caught up in a speed duel last out and faded. However, no one else has shown much speed in their careers, so it’s not unreasonable to think he can happily skip around the track on the lead. #1 Glass of Courage (7-2) closed for third off of Brysons Option’s duel last out, and lost by a length on debut in a bumpy stretch run. If Brysons Option gets challenged a bit on the lead (Starlifter, who got caught in a speed duel three starts back on grass, is the one most likely to do so), it could set up well for Glass of Courage. #3 Get Like Mike (6-1) made his debut going six furlongs last out. He broke slowly but made decent ground late, and will try to improve with the addition of blinkers.

RACE 4: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $30,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES

3-2-4-6

#3 Bob Marco (9-5) opened up a long early lead at this level two starts back, and held on to win with a 100. He followed that up with a gate-to-wire win at six furlongs, and finds himself in similar circumstances to the one he’s previously won at. #2 Speargun (5-2) was a hard-trying second last out against slightly softer, and has plenty of early speed of his own, but I don’t think he’s fast enough to keep up with Bob Marco early on. He might be better off hoping that rival comes back to them. #4 Loose Goose (12-1) ran some big races against slightly weaker at Delaware Park and Parx earlier this year, running a brisnet figure of at least 85 five times in a row on a fast track. He was flat last out, and now looks for a rebound first off the claim by Hugh McMahon.

RACE 5: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 7 FURLONGS

3-1A-6-5

#3 Western Lane (2-1) didn’t do much on grass for most of the year, but did fight on and win in her last dirt start, an off-the-grass effort at Saratoga. She has great late pace figures, and is likely to roll from well out of it. #1A Rowsie Express (5-2) turned in a much-improved effort last out, running a career-best 85 where she converted the trip to win against Maryland-bred allowance foes. She generally runs her best when she gets that kind of trip, and will try to work out one of them here. #6 Emirates Affair (5-1) held on for third after getting involved in a four-way speed duel last out, and was second after battling with eventual winner Shero two races back. She’s been uber-consistent all year, hitting the board in her last seven starts.

RACE 6: CLAIMING $16,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

4-1-9-8

#4 Vail of Honor (8-1) has great late speed, but will almost certainly be last early on, and will try to take advantage of the long one-mile stretch run. He made up sixteen lengths in his last try on this track, and made decent late ground at Mahoning Valley last out. By contrast, #1 No Easy Days (2-1) has lots of early speed from the rail, and drops from the $40,000 level. He ran a big race on the lead to win going a mile over the summer, and will try to duplicate that effort. #9 Runyonesque (6-1) rated off the pace and ran a strong second first off a long layoff two starts back, but got stuck behind a slow pace last out and showed little. He’ll hope for more honest fractions here.

RACE 7: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W2X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

4-8-1A-2

Maryland Million Turf Sprint winner #4 Witty (7-5) makes his first dirt start since late May, when he was second to sharp gate-to-wire winner Borracho. He’s run in the 90s in his last four dirt starts, something no one else can do with consistency. No one will make much money betting him, but he should prove tough to beat if he runs his usual race. #8 North Highland (3-1) has run a career-best figure in three straight races, including an open-length win two starts back over Super Accelerate, a stakes winner who returned to finish third in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial Stakes next out. #1A Perfect Day (5-1) lasted through pace pressure and won going away last out, and now goes first off the claim by Jamie Ness.

RACE 8: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W2X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

8-3-4-6

#8 Super Renee (8-5) has won three straight races. Her figure declined to a 79 last out, but that race cam at Charles Town, and horses generally don’t run as big of figures there as they do on the bigger tracks. In her last two Maryland starts, she ran a 88 and a 91. #3 Anonymously (5-1) has also won three races in a row, and five straight going 6 1/2 furlongs or shorter. She’s faced easier rivals in her last few starts, and now gets her class test. If you think she’ll pass it, you’ll get a pretty good price. #4 Sweet Shugs (6-1) led most of the way last out, but got nailed by Anonymously on the wire. She once again has the best early pace figures in the race, so she should open up another big early lead and try to hang on.