Video edited on Kapwing

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

Post time: 12:10 p.m.

Carryovers (mandatory payout in all wagers): 
Chesapeake Jackpot Pick 6 (races 5-10) — $0
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6) — $8,104
Late Pick 5 (races 6-10) — $0

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: MAIDEN CLAIMING $25,000, 3-6-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

3-16-15-13 (DIRT: 4-6-16-1)

#3 Lady Lemoncello (8-5) turned in a big effort in her last grass start. She led most of the way and finished third in a blanket finish. She’s put in two tries on dirt since then, neither of which were that great, but she’s probably been waiting for a spot like this for a while, and now gets it. #16 Melancia (3-1) makes her first start on grass in this spot, and should also showcase blazing speed from the outside. She’s by World of Trouble, who has good numbers with horses making their grass debuts, and one of her half-siblings is a grass winner. #15 Bad Girl Betty Lou (20-1) got bet on debut at Parx and led a long way before fading. She gets Jorge Ruiz in the saddle for her first start on grass.

RACE 2: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $30,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

2-3-1-7

#2 Everett’s Song (7-2) has been flawless since returning to the races, winning four in a row with improving and impressive figures every time. He peaked at a 92 with a stalk-and-pounce victory last out. He’s facing the best field of his comeback tour, but his figures are still more than good enough to win. #3 Tops the Chart (5-2) won at this level last out, albeit while riding the most favorable part of an outside-favoring strip. As such, he’s probably not as good as the 94 he ran that day, but he consistently ran in the 80s in his prior races, which makes him a contender. #1 Amity Road (9-5) is my preferred half of the Jamie Ness-trained entry. He’s run well every time out since getting claimed by Ness a few races back, including a dominant win over next-out winner Fan Club in his last try on this track in mid-February.

RACE 3: CLAIMING $12,500 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

7-6-1A-4

#7 Defined Boundaries (3-1), after losing at low odds a few times, finally broke through for an impressive maiden win last out. He easily defeated Docsgotallthecandy, who returned to annihilate a maiden claiming field at 1-10 on Sunday. Jevian Toledo rode this Brittany Russell trainee to victory that day, and with Sheldon out of town to ride Worcester in the Westchester Stakes at Aqueduct, he keeps the mount. #6 Not So Holy (8-1) had a disastrous break at Charles Town last out. He was knocked sideways coming out of the gate and was dead last early, a terrible situation for a horse with a need for speed. Even-money chalk Two Bronze Stars was, as such, able to set an easier pace and kick away to victory, but Not So Holy made up tons of ground and got up for second. It was a huge effort considering how much he was out of his element. Under normal circumstances, he has blazing early speed, and may prove tough to catch. My preferred half of the Hugh McMahon-trained entry, #1A Scrappy T Lee (2-1), is lightly-raced and drops to a career-low claiming level.

RACE 4: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $30,000, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE

4-7-5-3

#4 Society Lady (7-2) made a strong move off a slow pace and just missed in her last start against similar. She ran an 84 in that spot, the best last-out figure in the race by five points. The last start of #7 I’m a Cutie Pie (5-2) is a total toss. She was in way over her head in the Barbara Fritchie Stakes, and, without the advantage of Lasix, bled. Take that effort out, and she’s run in the 80s in three of her last four races. She’s worked bullets for Annette Eubanks in recent weeks, and should be ready to thrive on the class drop. #5 Peyton Elizabeth (5-1) turned in a total dud in her first start off an eight-month layoff, but capped last season with back-to-back open-length wins at Delaware Park. Her ceiling is clearly very high, and she should get closer to it with a race under her belt.

RACE 5: CLAIMING $7,500 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

4-8-1-2

#4 Bad Temper (5-2) has been in improving form for a while, having run her best figure in months last out, a 78, when a pace-chasing third. She’s going first off the Antonio Machado claim and gets a key rider switch to Jaime Rodriguez. #8 Beach Island (3-1) also ran her best race in some time last out. She rated off the speedy Speak Your Mind, and while she was able to wear that one down, she couldn’t hold off the classy Tam Char and finished second by a nose. The other serious speed horses in here are pretty cheap, so she can sit off of them in the clear and pounce when the time is right. #1 Utterly Enchanting (5-1) was a solid-closing third behind Beach Island in her last start. This 10-year-old mare didn’t have a great winter, but she’s improved in each of her last few, and should also get a nice trip.

RACE 6: CLAIMING $12,500 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

2-7-1-9

#2 Freedom Stance (5-1) drops in to a non-winners of two claiming race for the first time, and just missed his career-best mark last out with a 73 first off a three-month layoff. #7 Long Astride (4-1) broke his maiden impressively two starts back, and may well have won last out if Shirlie Yancapallo didn’t drop the whip in the stretch. As it was, he was a hard-charging second by less than three-quarters of a length, and has some of the best late pace figures in a race with lots of unreliable speed. #1 Silent Roar (8-1) faded after a wide trip last out, but he was in good form prior to that effort, and has had three good workouts since then.

RACE 7: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 1 MILE

3-6-4-2

Diane Morici won the filly equivalent of this race on Friday, and she’ll try to strike again with #3 Frosted Bull (2-1). He managed to find some traffic in a four-horse field in his last start, but still ran on well and got second behind an older rival who looked vastly superior on paper. Now, he’s the one with the impressive figures. He ran a career-best 73 in that outing, the best last-out mark by five points. #6 Lionel (7-5) is the only first-time starter in the field, but he looks quite formidable. He cost $875,000 as a yearling, and was in Bob Baffert’s barn as recently as mid-April. The SF/Starlight team recently decided to send him to Brittany Russell, and he’s put in one local workout. He doesn’t have to be a world-beater to win this race, but he won’t offer any value at all. #4 Breezing Up (20-1) closed well from last on debut at 41-1, and has a chance to round out the exotics at a similarly good price.