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

Post time: 12:10 p.m.

Carryovers: 
Chesapeake Jackpot Pick 6 (races 7-12) — $0
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6) — $237
Late Pick 5 (races 8-12) — $0

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RACE 1: CLAIMING $40,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

1-5-4-2

Happy Tesio day to all! #1 Sharmin (5-2) broke her maiden in sharp style last fall on the grass, coming from just off the pace to win at 27-1 with a career-best brisnet figure of 83. Runner-up Ariel Moon, a chronic maiden, returned to finally win at next asking. This one hasn’t raced since early December, but she’s been on the worktab since mid-March, so she should hit her stride at exactly the right time. #5 J Z’s Last Shance (15-1), a 3-year-old, is trying her elders for the first time. She showed promise on grass last fall at Hawthorne and Keeneland, and is lightly-raced enough to give me reason to believe. While she didn’t pack a lot of punch on the synthetic at Gulfstream Park over the winter, she showed more on this surface, so I think she’ll improve here. Katy Voss has probably been counting down to this day with #4 Big Wanda (5-1). This one closed like a train to break her maiden on grass on debut last August, then went to the sidelines for months. After a flat effort first off the bench, she ran a game second next out, giving a scare to odds-on favorite Cluck Cluck. She’s now returning to grass, keeps Jevian Toledo aboard, and looks primed for a peak performance.

RACE 2: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $20,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE

4-1-3-7

Jamie Ness has them surrounded in here, in my opinion. He trains my top two picks. #4 She’sarollingstone (2-1) won at this level and distance three starts back, then ran into some classier rivals going longer in her next two. This looks like an easier bunch. #1 Patty Cakes (5-2) has won her last four starts for the Ness barn, including a gate-to-wire win at Parx last out. The draw isn’t ideal for a speedy mare like her, but she has enough natural speed that Jaime Rodriguez should be able to work out a good setup. #3 Always Laughing (4-1) stole the race on the lead at Penn National last out. She’s gotten away with somewhat easy fractions in her recent races, and while Patty Cakes may provide a challenge from her inside, this one will have a pace advantage if her main rival doesn’t fire.

RACE 3: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3-6-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

10-9-2-1

#10 Enzo (3-1), whose brother, Witty, is running later today, has consistently run in the mid-70s on grass in his career. That hasn’t been enough to break through, of course, but he’s facing a pretty easy field where almost no one else has even run on this surface, let alone proven anything over it. It’s possible he needs a race first off the bench (he lost under similar circumstances last year with a similar work pattern), but he doesn’t have to run a hole in the wind to beat these. #9 Karma’s Inthehouse (6-1) has wanted to sprint on grass for a long time. He’s shown blazing speed going long on grass and short on dirt, and has been in improving from in the past few months. He’s fast enough to clear to the rail and the lead even from post 10, and from there, it’s a matter of how long he can last. #2 Built by Khozan (5-1) has shown speed on dirt in his last few starts, in a series of improved efforts. He’s never raced on grass before, but he’s out of a winner on this surface, and his half-sister, Fulminate, is stakes-placed going short on grass.

RACE 4: CLAIMING $20,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 6 FURLONGS,

6-4-2-3

#6 Field of Roses (3-1) is the only three-time winner on the field, most recently winning in gate-to-wire style at Mahoning Valley. Her only defeats in her five-start career came when she was outclassed in the Wide Country Stakes and when she was checked out of contention going 4 1/2 furlongs at Charles Town. This is an easy field, and she’ll beat them without much hassle if she can steer clear of trouble. #4 On a Proud Note (15-1) ran a career-best 64 first off a 5 1.2-month break two starts ago, then crushed a maiden field last out, improving further to a 74. She’s getting a class test here after beating bottom-level maiden claimers, she’s trending in the right direction and will sit in midpack off a potentially contested pace. #2 Vieux Carre (12-1) lasted through pace pressure to break her maiden on debut at Penn National, and adds Lasix for her first try against winners.

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

3-4-7-10

#3 Golden Rocket (6-1) has raced straight through the winter, but hasn’t been seen on grass since October, when she rallied to beat a New York-bred allowance bunch at Aqueduct with a 91. She hasn’t done much in three dirt starts since joining Jamie Ness’s barn a few months back, but he’s probably been waiting for a spot like this with her, considering her aptitude on this surface. #4 Visby (3-1) closed well and lost by less than a length to stakes winner Alla Breve in her last start here, then got a race under her belt when she was fourth despite a wide trip in the Lightning City Stakes. She has the best late pace figures in the field and should charge on late. #7 Pretty Liam (5-2) ran well in two starts on the synthetic at Turfway Park over the winter, in her first start off a 10-month break. She’s adding blinkers for her local debut, and looks well-primed for this spot.

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

2-3-9-1

#2 Cuz Ur Pretty (8-1) was flat last out at Colonial, when she was forced to check on the far turn and had no punch from there. She ran well in her previous two starts, including a victory at this level two races ago, and should get back to her winning ways with a return to this track. That last race might serve as a bit of a decoy and drive up her odds. The key might be to rate off the pace; she runs her best races when she stalks, rather than engages the leaders. #3 My Flicker (6-1) has finished second four times in a row, most recently closing well behind Mendys Honey, who won the Original Gold Stakes last night at Charles Town. This one looks poised to round back to her best self in her third start off a nine-month layoff. #9 Stickwiththecolors (7-2) dug in to win the Conniver Stakes in gate-to-wire fashion last out, for her third consecutive gate-to-wire victory. She was scratched sick out of this condition on March 30, but worked five furlongs a week later, so she should be in good shape to gun it from the outside post.

RACE 7: DAHLIA STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE (GRASS)

7-2-3-4

#7 Tufani (7-2) closed well off mild paces in her last two starts against grass company at Fair Grounds, and comes in here with a gigantic figure edge. She’s run at least an 89 in each of her last three starts, and no one else has run better than an 88 at any point within their last three races. She’ll be very tough to beat if she runs her race, and will be an especially good bet if #2 Sparkle Blue (6-5) gets as well-bet as her morning line would indicate. She’s kept very good company for the over a year, including some grade 1 tries in her lines, but tailed off towards the end of last year. She ran an 84 first off a six-month layoff in the Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs last out, and she could certainly improve off that effort. However, she’d have to improve quite a bit to catch up to any of Tufani’s recent races, and you’d have to take a low price on that proposition. #3 Cut From Class (5-1) looks like the main speed of the field, and almost held off Sparkle Blue in the Big Dreyfus Stakes on this track last July.

RACE 8: KING LEATHERBURY STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

10-4-3-6

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#10 Determined Kingdom (2-1) showed his typically great form plenty of times last year, capturing a pair of stakes races at Colonial and a race here first off the layoff over the classy Outlaw Kid. He’s shown he can win off the bench, and in a race where nine of the 13 haven’t raced this year, not having raced in so long isn’t so much of a disadvantage. He looks very live first time for Mike Trombetta. #4 Witty (7-2) won this race last year off a very similar layoff to the one he’s coming off of now. The classy veteran was completely flat in his last grass try, the Maryland Million Turf Sprint, but capped his season with a trio of decent efforts on dirt. He always has to be respected. Overrun with top dirt sprinters, Brittany Russell has put #3 Prince of Jericho (5-1) in here for his grass debut, after racing Worcester and New King in last Saturday’s Frank Whiteley Stakes and Rominski on Tuesday at Parx. While this one is unfamiliar with the surface, he has at least raced this year, taking the Fire Plug Stakes and finishing second to Quint’s Brew in the General George Stakes. His second dam, Pleasant Review, was stakes-placed on grass, and one of his aunts, Sparkling Review, was a two-time graded stakes winner on the lawn.

RACE 9: WEBER CITY MISS STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 1/16 MILES

6-4-3-1

The winner of this race is guaranteed a spot in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. #6 Safe Trust (7-2) has never gone two turns before, but if she can handle the extra distance, she’ll win. She would’ve won the one-mile Beyond the Wire Stakes clean if Moon Cache didn’t drift out, and followed up that effort with a very sharp score at six furlongs last Saturday in a stakes-quality group. She has some distance breeding in her pedigree, and has a big figure edge over the others. Most of the attention will go to Brittany Russell’s recent maiden winner, Reply, but I’ll take a shot with the other Russell, #4 Complexity Jane (3-1). She gobbled up ground to break her maiden in impressive style two races back, and led most of the way and crossed the wire second next out, elevated to victory via disqualification. She’s shown multiple dimensions in her two-race career, and the extra distance shouldn’t be much of an impediment. #3 Late Nite Call (15-1) was scratched out of the Gazelle Stakes two weeks ago, and resurfaces here. She went gate-to-wire at 1 1/16 miles last out, and will have every chance to lead all the way if Complexity Jane isn’t used aggressively.

RACE 10: HENRY CLARK STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE (GRASS)

1-2-6-4

#1 Ocean City (12-1) only pulled off one wire job last year, taking them all the way at Delaware Park last August. Still, there’s *so* little speed in here, and he’ll be a *very* good price, especially by the standards of Brittany Russell trainees, so how can I resist? #2 Card Trick (6-1) has been doing good work on the Tampa Bay grass over the winter, including an impressive win against second-level rivals last out, and now makes his first start for the Ned Allard barn. He has good tactical speed and will get first jump on Ocean City if that rival gives way. #6 Signator (4-1) ran a big race first off a 7 1/2-month layoff at Tampa Bay last out, slicing his way through traffic to beat a third-level field with a sharp 90. Sammy Marin, who rode him to victory last out, keeps the mount. Shug McGaughey horses on grass in Maryland have to be respected; he went 3-for-12 with his Laurel grass runners last year.

RACE 11: FEDERICO TESIO STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/8 MILES

9-7-5-10

The winner is guaranteed a spot in the Preakness Stakes starting gate, as long as they’re Triple Crown nominated (and half of them are). #9 Pay Billy (5-2) overcame an overland trip to win the Private Terms Stakes going away last out, running in the 90s for the third race in a row (the only horse in the field to do so). He’s run big in every start at the meet, and should get a great stalk-and-pounce trip. #7 Sacred Thunder (5-1) has danced every dance on the Maryland 3-year-old stakes schedule, hitting the board in all of them without winning. He got a similar trip to Pay Billy in the Private Terms and finished a clear-cut second, though he was never that close to the winner. I imagine a similar scenario will unfold here. #5 Kentucky Outlaw (8-1) gets his class test here after two impressive wins at Parx. He won going two turns against first-level rivals last out. He couldn’t get settled in the early stages while setting blazing fast fractions, then relaxed himself during a dawdling second panel. He’ll certainly set the early pace, and it’s possible he’ll last a long way, but it’s also possible he fades on the turn and loses by 30 lengths.

RACE 12: CLAIMING $7,500 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES

1A-7-6-4

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