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

First post time: 12:00 p.m.

Carryovers: 
Chesapeake Jackpot Pick 6 (races 5-10) — $639
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6) — $249
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5) — $0
Late Pick 5 (races 6-10) — $17,328

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

7-5-2-6

#7 Tuff Luck (9-2) ran a career-best brisnet figure of 91 in victory at this distance in late May, and tends to run much better around two turns than one turn. Stretching out from a mile should help him improve off of his flat last effort. #5 Mugatu (5-2) ran a solid third against better rivals going a one-turn mile last out in his first start for the Annette Eubanks stable. Both of his wins came at today’s distance, an encouraging point considering that many of these are unproven going this far. #2 Where’s My Chew (6-1) has finished second or third in his last six starts between Delaware Park and Penn National. He tends to stalk the pace and hang around for a share. While he’s unlikely to suddenly be able to hold off the likes of my top two, he should be able to best the rest.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $12,500 (N/W2L), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

1-5-3-2

#1 Ecumenical (8-5) ran an overly ambitious race against better last out. He zoomed to the front and opened up a long early lead, but completely ran out of gas by the time they hit the top of the stretch and finished up the track. Two starts back against softer rivals, he led all the way with an impressive 88. Taking a big drop in class from the starter optional claiming level should help his cause. #5 World On Fire (5-1) got a contested pace to close into last out, but couldn’t quite capitalize and finished second. If Ecumenical runs his race, World On Fire won’t be able to run him down, but he has the best late pace figures in the field and should be able to outkick the rest. #3 Blo By’em (5-2) rallied well from off the pace to get second last out behind runaway winner Artist Mark. He’s been very consistent as of late, running in the 70s five times in his last six starts.

RACE 3: CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

4-3-6-1

#4 Pichu (4-1) is one of two in here who has defeated winners, and is the only entrant coming off a win against winners. She battled the whole way with the other favorite, Hotmessness, in her last start, but ultimately won the duel and the war. There will be some speed from her outside, but she showed both last out and in her maiden win four starts back that she can withstand the heat. #3 Capos Sugar Kane (8-1) was well-beaten in her last two starts against better, but showed promise with an impressive maiden victory at Delaware in mid-August. She’s had some time off since that last, flat performance in late October, and the break plus some class relief should help. #6 Barbados Bulldog (5-2) lasted through a three-way duel to break her maiden at ninth asking last out, running a career-best 78. It represented a dramatic improvement following three consecutive double digit-length defeats, but she ran in the 70s earlier in her career, and may simply be trending in the right direction.

RACE 4: MAIDEN CLAIMING $12,500, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/16 MILES

1A-3-4-6

Both halves of the Tim Keefe-trained entry look dangerous. My preferred half is #1A Paid Vacation (6-5), who drops to this level for the first time and is the only one who has run in the 60s in each of his last two starts. He set the pace and was beaten three lengths in his lone try around two turns. #3 Gonna Make It (5-2) handled the stretchout from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles well last out. He chased gate-to-wire winner First Officer while racing wide throughout, but managed to hold second with a much-improved 57 in his second career start. #4 Plenty on Tap (6-1) also improved sharply in his second dirt start last out, running a 58 after showing a bit of speed.

RACE 5: MAIDEN CLAIMING $40,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 7 FURLONGS

10-8-11-6

For the first half-mile of his debut, #10 Close the Gate (6-1) looked completely uninterested in running. He fell far behind the others in the early stages and was hopelessly beaten by the time they hit the top of the stretch. However, he got the picture late and gobbled up ground in the stretch, finishing second behind runaway winner Rhodes. As solid as John Salzman Jr. is with first-time starters, he’s even better second time out, winning at a 25% rate. #8 Little Lino (4-1) finished fourth on debut in what proved to be a very salty maiden race. The winner, Code of Silence came back to win the Maryland Juvenile Stakes (and is in later today), while runner-up Skillian, won a Maryland-restricted maiden race as a heavy favorite next out. He hasn’t raced since that mid-November effort, but has worked very well in recent weeks and has the best early pace figures in a race without a lot of apparent speed. #11 Greyline Station (9-2) ran a career-best 73 last out. He won the battle but lost the war, as he wore down the longtime early leader but couldn’t hold off fellow closer Lino’s Fire. That race was at a mile, which gives him an edge over my top two picks, who have never gone this far or further before. 

RACE 6: CLAIMING $7,500 (CONDITIONED), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

10-4-1-3

#10 P J’s Song (6-1) finished second twice at this level and distance last fall. He overcame a wide trip to get fourth at this level going a mile last out, and ran his best figure in months with an 82. He’s the most consistent performer in this wide-open field, which earns him my nod. #4 Spotted Bull (9-2) broke from post 12, got hung out in the center of the track, and proved completely empty from there in his last start at Parx. He ran a game third in his prior outing at Penn National, a nice rebound to his form from the spring. #1 Quincannon (15-1) outfinished P J’s Song last out by a quarter of a length, getting second at 60-1. He just missed his season’s-best mark that day, also with an 82, and will be a threat at a decent price if he can run back to that race.

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

4-3-1-6

The aforementioned #4 Code of Silence (5-2) made a deft move between horses to win the Maryland Juvenile last out in a wide-open stretch battle for his second consecutive victory. He hasn’t run this far before, but he handled seven furlongs well in that last win, and his grinding closing style should be adaptable to the one-turn mile. #3 Hixon (7-2) won going away on debut last out, breaking his maiden at this distance after sitting a great trip off the pace. He’s getting a class test today after beating that fairly soft maiden field, but at least he’s proven he can go this far. #1 Lundi Loot (3-1) has run in the 80s four times in his last five starts, including an 83 when third at this level last out. That’s the best last-out figure in the race by four points. He has the best average early pace figures in a race without much speed, so he might be able to take early control from the rail.

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

5-7-6-8

#5 Noble Status (3-1) has not only beaten winners, she’s beaten winners at this distance. She rallied from well off the pace and gobbled up ground on the outside to beat a similar field two starts ago. She was outkicked by overwhelming favorite Prosecco Rita at six furlongs last out, but this field and distance looks more like her speed. #7 C’est Chouette (5-2) finished a winner-chasing second in the Shamrock Rose Stakes at Parx last out. She hasn’t run beyond six furlongs on dirt before, but two of her brothers, Gas Me Up and Give It a Whirl, were stakes winners over a route of ground. #6 Miss Fulton Gal (6-1) was second to Noble Status two starts ago. She tends to run better around one turn than two, and cuts back after a flat effort going 1 1/16 miles last out.

RACE 9: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W2X), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

7-4-2-1

Both Jerry Robb-trained runners look like they’re head and shoulders over this group. #7 Green Eyed Monster (8-5) led almost the whole way and finished second in the Maryland Million Distaff two starts back, then ran in the 90s again last out when she made a big move and got third in the Politely Stakes last out. Stablemate #4 Itsamonstamash (9-2) outkicked her for second that day, and won her prior two starts on the pace, but Green Eyed Monster gets my nod, considering her floor is a bit higher than that of Itsamonstamash. #2 Kilo Road (8-1) couldn’t recover from a poor start last out, but ran a game second at this level two starts back. She opened up a clear lead and ended up second behind I’m a Cutie Pie, who won again at this condition in her most recent start.

RACE 10: MAIDEN CLAIMING $12,500, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 1 MILE

1-5-2-6

#1 Fastfeld (9-2) has dealt with some traffic trouble in each of her two starts, but still ran in the mid-50s both times, including a solid-closing third last out against better. #5 I’m a Lil Wicked (6-1) showed speed and faded last out, but it was the first time she had shown that much early foot, an encouraging sign going forward. #2 Kittyup (8-5) went off as the odds-on favorite at this level last out, but faded after getting entangled in an early battle. She ran an impressive (for this level) 64 when fifth against better two starts back.

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