• John Piassek
• February 25, 2024

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

Post time: 12:25 p.m.

Carryovers: 
Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 —$2,187
Jackpot Super High 5 — $2,094
Late Pick 5 — $0

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: CLAIMING $10,000 (N/W2L), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

2-4-7-5

#2 Always Forward (2-1) has held her own in her last few starts at this condition, including a solid-closing fourth, beaten less than three lengths, in her most recent outing. Her career-best brisnet figure of 72 came at this distance a few races ago; she stretches out from seven furlongs today. #4 Police Woman (9-2) was fifth behind Always Forward in her most recent race and also has decent late speed. She’s in slowly improving form at this level and should at least grab a slice. #7 Looking for Water (5-2) has struggled in her last two starts, but consistently ran in the 70s last fall.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $10,000 (N/W3L), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

7-6-4-3

#7 Devil Pays in Gold (3-1) makes her first start off nearly a two-month layoff. In her last start, she came up the inside and beat a non-winners of two field going away with a career-best 83. After a summer/early fall swoon, she’s started to round back into her best self, and will be a dangerous with a repeat of her last. #6 Sansa Ariel (5-1) has hit the board in her last five starts at this level. She likes to sit the trip, but seems unable to come up with a winning punch. That makes her a solid horse to key underneath in an exacta or a trifecta. #4 Baby Sox (8-5) ran a gigantic race last out, going gate-to-wire to win with an 89, a career-best figure by nine points, and her best mark in months. A repeat of that race crushes this field, but it doesn’t strike me as terribly likely, and you’re getting a bad price on it happening.

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $20,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

2-5-4-7

#2 Buckin’ Dreamer (7-5) drops after a few tries at the $30,000 level, including a near-miss two starts back where he led almost the whole way and got caught late. He’s run in the 70s three times in his last five starts; no one else in here has run that fast even once. #5 I Had Enough (4-1) ran a big race first off a 6 1/2-month layoff last out, closing well for second despite lacking running room until it was too late. #4 Baytown Admiral (8-5) led most of the way on debut at Charles Town but got caught late. He’ll try to sustain his speed for longer at second asking.

RACE 4: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $20,000, 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

6-3-4-2

#6 Joya Del Sur (9-5) has gone gate-to-wire in two her last three starts, and had a recent bullet workout to sharpen her speed first off the claim by Anthony Farrior. #3 Jess’s Gypsy Girl (10-1) may challenge Joya Del Sur for the lead from her inside. She opened up a long early lead and held on to win last out, and lasted through pace pressure to win her prior outing as well. Even if she can’t last, she’ll set it up for her stablemate, #4 Bound by Destiny (5-1), who just missed on the class drop in late December, and has been working exceptionally well for her first start since Dec. 15. She stretched out beyond six furlongs for the first time last out and handled it without too much trouble; we’ll see how she goes going two turns for the first time.

RACE 5: CLAIMING $20,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

3-6-5-7

#3 Wait for Tomorrow (7-2) makes her first start since Nov. 25. That afternoon, she got bumped around at the start, was rushed up for early position, and flattened out. She cruised to a gate-to-wire win two starts prior, albeit against a very soft field, and will try to recapture that form here. #6 True Sunshine (6-5), another recent Farrior claim, ran a career-best 77 in her first start at this level last out, though she wasn’t much of a threat to front-running winner Neolithica. She’ll try to build off that race. #5 Tina Tina Tina (6-1) rebounded off a dull race two starts back with a pace-chasing second in her most recent outing. She may find herself on the lead today in a race without a ton of speed.

RACE 6: CLAIMING $40,000 (N/W3L), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

1-4-7-9

#1 John Hall (8-1) cuts back from a mile and drops form first-level company. When last seen going this short, he was a hard-charging third behind Uncaptured Storm, recently voted National Claimer of the Year, and Maryland Million Starter Handicap champion Disputed Claim. These rivals are a bit easier to run down. #4 Heldish (5-2) battled on the lead last out and outfinished his dueling partner by 3 3/4 lengths, a solid effort of his first start off a two-month layoff. He was claimed out of that race by Kieron Magee. #7 Thataway (7-2) showed a lot of promise last spring, taking a first-level race on Tesio Day as much the best, but has not been seen since then. He’s been on th e worktab since mid-December and has worked well, but he still might need a race.

RACE 7: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 1 1/8 MILES

3-1-5-4

Perfectly Wicked ran in yesterday’s Wide Country Stakes, so she won’t go here. #3 I’m a Cutie Pie (7-5) was well-bet at this level last out, but was chased down late by Determined Driver, who returned to finish second in the Wide Country. She’s never been this far, but two of her best figures came going a mile, so there’s some hope that she’ll be able to go the extra eighth of a mile. #1 Battling Time (4-1) and #5 Go Sherry Go (5-1) have both won around two turns. Battling Time has improved by leaps and bounds with each start, most recently breaking her maiden at third asking going 1 1/16 miles with a strong gate-to-wire rally. She’ll hope the pace is honest enough in this five-horse contest. Go Sherry Go cruised on the lead to break her maiden two starts ago, and was a game third behind Battling Time after making a rush to the front in her prior start.

RACE 8: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W3X), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

2-1-5-8

Scratched from a potential 2024 debut on Jan. 27, #2 Shaft’s Bullet (5-2) has put in three good workouts since, and looks well-primed off the bench by Gary Capuano. He ran a huge second first off an eight-month layoff two starts ago, but was flat after a wide trip in his most recent on Dec. 8. #1 Magic Michael (7-5) beat Shaft’s Bullet twice last fall, but was dull in his 2024 debut at Parx last out, fading badly after a wide trip. Still, he’s run at least a 95 in his last three starts on this track; those kind of numbers win this race. #5 Outlier (4-1) led most of the way and held third last out. He should used for speed here. His most recent bad races have come on off tracks, but that’s not a concern today.