• John Piassek
• December 29, 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 — $2,717
Late Pick 5 — $0

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: CLAIMING $16,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 7 FURLONGS

2-8-6-7

We’ll kick off the final week of racing in 2023 with an 11-horse field. #2 Great Days Ahead (5-1) ran well first off a five-month layoff at Charles Town last out. He showed speed and held in well until late, losing by less than three lengths. He ran brisnet figures in the 80s consistently earlier this year, something no one else in the race can do consistently. If he improves at all second off the bench, he’ll be tough to beat. #8 Twice Gold (4-1) races third off the layoff and drops further in class from the $25,000 level. He’s made mild ground against better this year, and will try to complete the deal against easier rivals. #6 Great Call (6-1) broke his maiden at tenth asking last out with a sharp gate-to-wire win, running at least a 76 for the second time in three races. He’ll likely be sent to the lead once again, and looks fast enough to work out a similar trip as last time.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $16,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

9-5-7-3

#9 Lovely Liza (9-2) fought hard in the stretch after stalking the pace, but finished second by a half-length to her stretch dueling partner who saved a bit more ground. She loves this track, having hit the exacta eight times in nine starts here, with brisnet figures in the 80s in her last three starts on this surface. #5 Jackson’s Dixie (7-2) drops in price off a win, having won against $25,000 rivals last out, including odds-on choice Goldieness. She cuts back from a mile, but has run well in sprints earlier in her career. #7 O Shaughesey (10-1) broke awkwardly last out and showed little from there. In her prior start at Mahoning Valley, she sat the trip and won going away. With a clean start, the latter version of her is more likely to show up.

RACE 3: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 6 FURLONGS

3-6-4-2

#3 Destination (3-1) makes her career debut for Miguel Vera, who is 4-for-10 with firsters since the start of 2021, and has hit the board with three of his four first-time starters this year. She’s had bullet workouts in two of her last three drills at Pimlico, and as such looks well-prepped for this spot. Brittany Russell has a pair of firsters in here, in #6 Heart (8-5) and #4 Maddie Ten (6-1). Heart gets the edge in my book, as Sheldon Russell gets the call on her, and her recent workouts have been a bit better, but the board might tell the story on who to bet.

RACE 4: CLAIMING $8,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

7-2-1-8

After a dull race two starts back, #7 Remembering Wilbur (8-1) bounced back in a big way last out with a dominant gate-to-wire win, running a career-best 86 in the process. It’s the fourth time in five starts in which he’s run in the 80s. #2 Free Square (2-1) goes first off the claim by Anthony Farrior, and finished an even third against better last out after rating off the pace. He’ll likely rate another nice trip near the leaders, and will hope to have enough late to punch by. #1 Crownedcountcristo (12-1) recovered from a bad start to get third behind loose-leading favorite Wild Behavior in his last start. His two best figures of the year have come in his last two starts, and he looks as if he’ll be a threat late as long as he steers clear of traffic.

RACE 5: MAIDEN CLAIMING $30,000, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 6 FURLONGS

7-8-9-10

#7 Champagne Dance (5-1) makes her first start since a solid third-place finish on debut at Timonium in September, in which she chased the pace and finished well clear of the rest. The winner of that race, Chublin, came back to win against claiming foes at Delaware Park next out and then finished third in the Shamrock Rose Stakes at Penn National. #8 Lisa’s Palace (6-1) turned in a career-best effort in her grass effort last out, where she stalked the pace, led late, and flattened out in the stretch of the one-mile contest. She’s dropping back in class from straight maidens here; we’ll see if the wake-up was due to a surface switch or just a general improvement in form. She had run ascending figures in dirt prior to that race. #9 Ree Nee’s Six (4-1) showed much-improved form at second asking, getting second while beaten only by a gate-to-wire odds-on winner. That was a direct contrast from her debut, where she was slow early on and made decent ground late.

RACE 6: CLAIMING $5,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

8-2-15-5

#8 Oxide (2-1) has the big edge over the rest of this overflow field, having run an 84 and an 85 in his last two starts. He chased impressive winner Remembering Wilbur last out and held second; it would certainly validate Oxide’s form if Remembering Wilbur came back to win earlier in the day. #2 Assembly Point (5-2) made his first start off an eight-month break last out, and came from off the pace and made a promising move in the stretch, ultimately flattening out to get third. He has a high ceiling and should improve second off the layoff. #15 Closer Look (20-1) has plenty of early foot in a race without a lot of it. He’ll have to be hard-used from his outside post position if he draws in, but it’s not like he’ll have a ton of competition early on.

RACE 7: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

11-6-1-4

#11 Rominski (2-1) ran a big race second off the layoff last out, lasting through pace pressure and drawing off to win against Maryland-bred allowance foes. He’s not a need-the-lead type; he’s also run big races coming from just off the lead. #6 Heads Or Tails (5-1) closed well to finish third in a controversial first-level event last out, where Arden’sluckytobe drifted out late and was disqualified behind Tenebris. This one timed this move right to win two starts ago, and will try to stay close to the early pace here. #1 Mr. Antonelli (12-1) gets his class test here after a sharp maiden win at Delaware Park in late September. He ran a very strong 90 that day, and has worked well since, but it may be a tall ask to beat this field first time against winners. Still, he’s shown a lot of promise and will be prominent early.

RACE 8: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W3X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

5-6-7-2

#5 Brother Conway (6-1) rides a three-race win streak into today’s contest. He made noise in early October with an explosive victory in a first-level sprint, running a huge 101, and followed that up with two solid performances both here and at Delaware. Last out, he battled through very fast early fractions, but had plenty left to give late and drew off under a drive. #6 Divine Armor (4-1), one of two David Jacobson shippers in the field, timed his move just right to win at Aqueduct two starts back with a strong 95. He has the best late pace figures int he field by a mile; the only caveat is that 5 1/2 furlongs might be a bit too short for him. #7 Johnyz From Albany (9-2) led most of the way last out, but got caught late by Dave’s Friend winner Greeley and Ben. He’s almost certain to set the early pace once again.