• John Piassek
• March 10, 2024

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

Post time: 12:25 p.m.

Carryovers: 
Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 —$1,266
Jackpot Super High 5 — $0
Late Pick 5 —$11,658

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: MAIDEN CLAIMING $30,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 6 FURLONGS

5-1-6-2

Hopefully, the tote system works smoother today than it did yesterday. #5 Summerstateofmind (2-1) has started to find his best self after a promising start to his career, followed by a swoon. He ran a career-best brisnet figure of 74 in his last start, rallying well to strike the front in the stretch, only to get run down by favored firster Raika. #1 Restless (3-1) was third in that same race after flattening out in the lane. He also ran a career-best mark that day (in his case, a 72), is fairly lightly-raced, and should improve second off a two-month break. #6 Super Needy (7-2) has shown speed and faded in his first two starts, but could prove more sturdy with experience.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $12,500 (N/W3L), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES

3-7-1-4

It’s not a drop in class on paper, but this is an easier field than #3 Gambling Tzar (7-5) has faced in a while. He was little factor against better rivals in his last two starts, but he ran in the 70s in both of those races, making him the only one in the field who has done so. #7 Succeed (5-2) has won just once in his career, so he’s racing a bit above his level in theory, but again, it’s not a great bunch. He’s slowly improved in his last few starts, peaking at a 72 last out, and should be heard from late. #1 Major Cam (9-2) has run decent figures in his recent races despite wide trips, and should save more ground from the inside post.

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $45,000, 4 AND 5-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/16 MILES

3-4-6-7

Brittany Russell has them surrounded here with a pair of Baffert expats. I’ll give the edge to #3 Cavendish (7-5), who improved sharply at second asking at Aqueduct last out, showing speed and holding on for second. It was his first start going as far as a mile, and he handled it well. Of his three winning siblings, one of them was a two-turn winner. #4 Castle Island (6-5) has been consistently solid, running no worse than a 77 in his four-race career. He was a bit flat late at Parx last out after racing off the pace, and will need to show a bit more late interest to beat his stablemate. However, it’s encouraging that Sheldon Russell has the mount on this one; Jevian Toledo rides the other. #6 Silent Mode (12-1) ran an encouraging 78 in his 3-year-old finale at Delaware Park last year, and should rebound getting back to dirt second time out this season.

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

2-1-4-8

#2 One Ten (6-1) shipped to Mahoning Valley for Anthony Farrior last out, and closed from off a slow pace to win. Unless there’s extremely dawdling fractions in front of him, he’ll come from pretty far off the pace. #1 Uncle Irish (5-2), despite back-to-back dull efforts, is my preferred half of the Jamie Ness-trained entry. He gets class relief after facing second-level rivals in his last few starts. The last time he faced a field like this one, he converted the trip and won going away with an impressive 91. #4 Brother Brad (8-1) faded after racing off the pace and held third last out first off a ten-week break. He’s strung together races in the 80s on a somewhat consistent basis, and should be ready to run his best second off the layoff.

RACE 5: CLAIMING $12,500, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

5-4-1-6

#5 Cali Heat (4-1) faded after making a menacing move at Penn National last out, but still ran a strong 70. He cuts back from six furlongs today; his lone win came at today’s distance of 5 1/2 furlongs. Mark Salvaggio is a sharp 3-for-10 with his Penn National shippers since last September; it’s also encouraging to see Angel Rodriguez come in for the mount. #4 Gabriel Seven (8-5) put it all together with a sharp gate-to-wire win last out. It was the first time he led at the first call, so we’ll see if Alex Crispin puts him on the front end again. #1 Chica Chuck (8-1) cuts back around one turn and goes first off the claim by Joel Maldonado. He faded after an overland trip last out, and has room for improvement.

RACE 6: CLAIMING $40,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 6 FURLONGS

4-5-3-8

#4 Ree Nee Six (4-1) has run a career-best figure in each of her four starts, but really stepped it up last time in her maiden-breaking score, converting the trip to win going away with an 80. While it was a big outlier compared to the rest of her races, the situation is ideal for a repeat. There’s lots of speed in here, so if she sits back and waits for the leaders to melt down, lightning could strike twice. #5 True Sunshine (6-1) was claimed out of her last-out win for $20,000 by Mike Trombetta and now jumps in class. She also has good tactical speed and is the only one in here to run at least a 75 in each of her last two starts. #3 Mucho Tigger (2-1) drops for a career-low tag and gets plenty of class relief from her last start, where she was fourth behind next-out stakes winner Kissedbyanangel and I’m a Cutie Pie, who has since won twice and finished second two more times.

RACE 7: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $30,000, 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

2-6-3-4

The gigantic #2 Sumo (3-1) rallied well from off the pace to nab second behind odds-on choice No Easy Days in his last start, running at least an 85 for the third straight race. He’s starting to round back into form after two subpar efforts to cap his 2023 campaign. #6 Backnthewoods (9-5) ran his best race in a while last out, beating several of these going away with a stalk-and-pounce move. He got a fast pace to close into that day (including a first quarter of 22.17 and a first half of 45.44, both very quick on this track), but there is some speed in here in Take Charge Too and Privet Moon, so history could repeat itself. #3 Chief Ron (7-2) came from further off the pace than Backnthewoods did that day, and mustered up third. He had put in better rallies in his previous races, so he’ll try to find that peak form again.

RACE 8: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

4-6-8-3

#4 Northern Glow (2-1) ran a career-best 90 despite a pace-compromised trip two starts ago, then just missed in a driving blanket finish in the Geisha Stakes last out. She gets to face a fairly soft group by first-level standards; any of her recent races likely beat these. #6 She’sarollingstone (5-2) improved to a 79 second off a three-month layoff last out when she finished a sharp-closing second to Western Lane. Her peak form is dangerous, and she might be able to find it here, as she’s put three races together for the first time in more than a year. #8 Midsummers Eve (5-1) came from last to win on debut in her most recent, not an easy thing to do for a Tim Keefe runner. We’ll see how she handles stretching out from seven furlongs.