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

First post time: 12:10 p.m.

Carryovers: 
Chesapeake Jackpot Pick 6 (races 4-9) — $5,704
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6)— $9,018
Late Pick 5 (races 5-9) — $0

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE (GRASS)

2-1-4-7

#2 Lazlo (2-1) will make his sixth career start at his sixth different track. He’s been entered and scratched four times since his last start at Santa Anita Park in mid-January, including getting washed off twice at Delaware Park, so he’s been ready to go for a while. He has good tactical speed and raced well against more precocious rivals last year, so this looks like a spot where he can pick up an easy win without blowing an allowance condition. #1 Roja Redemption (3-1) won a jumps race by ten lengths two races back, finished third over hurdles last out, and consistently ran brisnet figures in the 80s on the flat last year. He looks like the main speed for the Jack Fisher/Forest Boyce trainer/jockey combo. #4 Stellar Lute (6-1) makes his first start since November 3. He ran well off a similar break last year, and has great closing speed that makes him a threat with any kind of early pace.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $10,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE

4-6-3-5

#4 Teca (5-2) was a sharp winner two starts back with a career-best 82, and drops to this level for the first time after a dull try on grass last out. #6 Magically Vanished (6-5) also returns to dirt after two efforts on the lawn. Her only bad race this year came when she tried first-level company and was overmatched. She’ll likely be right at home against these. #3 My Sugar Boo (9-2) was a game-chasing second to 1-5 favorite Mucho Tigger in her last shot at this level, and now faces easier while in improving form.

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $40,000, 3-6-YEAR-OLDS, 1 MILE (GRASS)

4-1-9-8

#4 Koru (8-5) made a solid rally from off of moderate fractions in his last start and struck the front, but was soon overwhelmed by his main rival, Chevy Man, and managed to hold second in a photo finish. Although it was his first start of the year on the past performances, trainer Laird George gave him two point-to-point starts as preps before trying his luck at the pari-mutuels. He finished eighth in his first try and second in the other. He’s not facing anyone as tough as Chevy Man in here, and should have a much easier time of things. #1 Regency Tale (9-2) showed speed last out and got involved in an early duel before tiring. He’s taking a slight drop in class here, and is lightly-raced with room for improvement. #9 Tate’s War Cry (3-1) was fifth behind Koru last out, making up moderate late ground and improving slightly to a 71 second time out. He gets Mychel Sanchez in the saddle for the first time.

RACE 4: CLAIMING $16,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

4-7-8-6

#4 Thunder in Paris (4-1) ran a career-top 79 last out in a dominant effort, making a bold last-to-first sweep to win going away. She’s stepping up from the non-winners of two level here, but it isn’t as big a jump as it looks on paper; she’s the only one in the race to run in the 70s in each of her last three races. #7 Antonacci Girl (5-1) hasn’t missed the board in five races and lures Arnaldo Bocachica in for the mount. She’ll get a test over a fast track this afternoon; by far her best three figures have come in the mud. That said, she is lightly-raced, so it’s more than reasonable that her general form has improved, and she’ll be just as adept over a dry track as a wet one. #8 Dissolute (5-2) was carried out at the start last out at Delaware, and was completely disinterested from there. Any of her races just prior to that performance contend with these, so if she can bounce back (and it’s hard to gauge, considering she hasn’t worked since then), she’s a contender.

RACE 5: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

8-1-3-4

Two of the eight here have experience, and I’ll make them my top two picks. #8 Doc’s Miracle (7-2) got some action on debut, but jumped a bit coming out of the gate, then was sandwiched in between rivals. She made some ground on the turn and in the stretch, but proved no match for her impressive stablemate, Just Philtored. The outside draw minimizes her chances at more gate trouble, but she should improve with experience. #1 Last Gift (10-1) debuted in the same race, and showed speed before fading. She’s worked well twice since then for Jose Corrales, whose runners tend to do much better second time out than first. The other Capuano trainee, #4 Dreaming of Alys (9-2), has worked well at Delaware Park and is a half-sister to a pair of 2-year-old winners. It’s nice that this race begins the late pick 5, as it will enable bettors to watch the board before deciding what to do with her.

RACE 6: MAIDEN CLAIMING $25,000, 3-6-YEAR-OLDS, 1 MILE (GRASS)

9-4-6-12

This is a very wide-open race; you can make a case for any of the ten runners. #9 Super Chunk (10-1) is already a winner, albeit over jumps. He captured a 2 ⅛-mile stakes affair at Middleburg last October, and faded after pressing the pace in his last start over the fences earlier this year. He ran a respectable 74 in his lone flat start on this track last year, and should be kept close to the pace. #4 Come Rain or Shine (9-5) burned a lot of money last year, losing five times, including four runner-up finishes, at increasingly low odds. Still, he’s dropping to a career-low level, where his figures last year are competitive with these, and we saw horses coming off long rests do well on grass last weekend. However, his morning line would be an unacceptably low price in a race like this. #6 On Secret Service (15-1) went gate-to-wire last out at Pimlico, but the race was declared a no contest due to a gate malfunction. He may get a comfy front-end trip in a race without much speed.

RACE 7: CLAIMING $16,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

8-6-4-2

#8 Instparty (7-2) ran the best grass race of anyone in here last out. She came from well off the pace to get third at 30-1 against a slightly better field than this one. She’s shown a good late kick in her one-turn starts, but often falls too far behind the pace to win. Yedsit Hazlewood would be well-advised to keep her closer to the lead. #6 Air One (9-2) has raced just twice since September 2023. She showed speed first off a year-long layoff last out at Presque Isle Downs, but the fact that she was that enthusiastic early after such a long break is encouraging. She ran in the 70s consistently in 2023, and a return to that form second off the bench would win this race. #4 Reassess (3-1) ran well in both of her career grass tries, and has lots of speed in a race without much of it to her inside. 

RACE 8: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W2X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

5-1-2-4

#5 Arrow Speed (6-5) has rounded into career-best form in his last few starts. Last out, he battled with Harp’s Hot Corner, who has been in very sharp form at Parx, and finished second with a career-best 97. Third-place finisher Big Boys Answer came back to win at this level by 1 ¾ lengths next out. Fellow Jamie Ness trainee #1 Stronsino (5-2) has gone off favored five times in a row, but has won only once in that stretch. He had a valid excuse last out when he got shuffled around at the break and lost early position. He ran in the 90s in his prior four starts, and should run a similar race and work out a good trip. With regular rider Jaime Rodriguez at Delaware, Carlos Lopez picks up the mount. #2 Sagrada Ray (8-1) chased a hot pace and faded last out, but he’s gone gate-to-wire on this track twice, and should have an easier time on the lead today.

RACE 9: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

4-8-9-5

#4 J Z’s Last Schance (10-1) took advantage of a hot pace and finished fourth last out. There’s enough speed in here that she should get another tempo to rally into. #8 Conceptualize (7-2) helped set that hot pace that J Z’s Last Schance closed into two races back, then rated last out and finished a respectable third. Jorge Ruiz keeps the mount, and should give her another good trip. #9 Happy Hour Joker (12-1) is lightly-raced, tries winners for the second time, and has shown the ability to run well on or off the pace. 

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