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) — $1,325
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6)— $647
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5) — $0
Late Pick 5 (races 6-10) — $0

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RACE 1: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $20,000, 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 6 FURLONGS

7-2-1-4

#7 Minister (8-1) saved ground most of the way, angled into the center of the track in the stretch, and beat a softer field going away last out in his first start off a six-week break. He’s lightly-raced and trending in the right direction, with ascending brisnet figures in his last four starts. #2 Wiffleball (2-1) makes his first start since a fifth-place effort on grass on Thanksgiving. He lasted through pace pressure to win his last dirt start two races ago, and was second to impressive next-out winner Outdoor Cat three races ago. He should make the lead on the rail in this spot. #1 Summer Vibes (9-2) was squeezed at the start and dropped far behind the rest of the back last out. He made good ground in the stretch to get fourth with a career-best dirt mark of 80. He has by far the least early speed of anyone in this race, so he might once again fall too far behind to contend for a win spot. However, he’s good to use underneath in vertical bets.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $16,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/16 MILES

3-1-6-4

Three of the six horses in here have won around two turns; they’re my top three picks. #3 Secret Oaks (7-2) broke her maiden going a mile and 70 yards at Parx last out, wearing down a very loose early leader who got away with slow fractions and had a four-length lead in the stretch. The grinding closing style she’s shown in her two career starts should play well against these. #1 Elusive Sionna (3-1) makes her first start since her maiden-breaking win on debut at Delaware Park in late September. She races for the trainer/jockey dream team of Gary Capuano and Yedsit Hazlewood, who are especially dreamy with young horses. #6 Astrid (3-1) led all the way to break her maiden two races ago. She drops in class from first-level company and looks like the main speed in this contest.

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 6 FURLONGS

8-7-2-3

#8 Princess Azara (2-1) ran a big race on the lead last out at Finger Lakes. Sent off as the slight favorite, she engaged in an early duel with one of the other favorites. That rival lost by 20 ½ lengths, but Princess Azara opened up a clear lead in the stretch and ended up second to a well-bet firster who sat a great trip safely off the duel. She joined Jamie Ness’s barn not long after that race and was a vet scratch at Parx on December 9, but has worked well since then and should be ready to run her best race. #7 Shoulda Known (30-1) closed well and lost a show photo in a blanket finish at first asking at Penn National. She wanted no part of a route last out and was, in fact, routed, but cutting back to a sprint should help. The price should also be fantastic. #2 Stroll Trippin (5-1) raced off the pace and finished third against similar last out, in her first start off a 13-week layoff. The winner, Barbados Bulldog, returned to win a $25,000 claimer next out as the favorite.

RACE 4: CLAIMING $12,500 (N/W3L), 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE

1-6-5-2

For the third consecutive race, I’ll pick a Jamie Ness-trained horse on top. #1 Cocktail Humor (3-2) has won two of her last four starts in gate-to-wire style at Parx, and led at the eighth pole in each of those races. She has by far the most early speed in a race where no one has a particularly strong closing kick, so she’ll have every opportunity to take them gate-to-wire. If anyone will run her down, it’ll most likely be #6 Vanilla Sundae (8-5). She went off favored in a non-winners of two claiming contest last out, and overcame some light traffic trouble on the turn, rallying strongly in the stretch once she was clear under vigorous urging from Yedsit Hazlewood. He keeps the mount on this filly in this spot and will try to stay within striking distance of Cocktail Humor. #5 A Cozy Thing (4-1) drops in class after facing better for most of last year, and has a grinding closing style that should be good enough for a slice.

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

6-9-8-5

Many of these are coming off of dismal last starts, prior to which they were in great form. A primary example is #6 Mo Missile (5-1). He went gate-to-wire in his first two starts of the fall meet. Last out against first-level rivals, he broke slowly, couldn’t make the front, and finished up the track. He’s worked well since that November 21 outing and drops back to a level at which he’s already won. #9 Fowl Mouth (6-1) was second with a career-best 76 two starts ago at this condition. The horse he finished second to that day, Sculos Folly, finished second in a first-level race here last Saturday, outfinishing Maryland Juvenile Stakes winner Code of Silence. This one did nothing going a mile last out, but now gets to cut back to a more ideal distance. #8 Heat Check (9-2) makes his first start since June 28, when he broke his maiden on debut as the favorite. All five of the horses he beat that day have won since. He’s worked steadily since late November, and if he improves off of the 70 that he earned 6 ½ months ago, he’ll be tough to beat. 

RACE 6: MAIDEN CLAIMING $12,500, 4-6-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/16 MILES

1-7-10-8

#1 Albert Finnigan (10-1) ran a career-best 77 last out in an almost gate-to-wire performance. It was the first time he had shown speed; previously, he made grinding rallies from well off the pace and tried to get up for shares. He’s been in quickly improving form since coming back from a 17 ½-month layoff in September, and as long as he doesn’t regress, he’ll be tough to beat. #7 Christmas Spirit (7-2) is the only entrant to run in the 70s in each of his last two races. He’s finished second twice at this level recently, including a respectable effort behind runaway winner Nogradi in his last race. #10 Oxford Union (8-1) switches back to dirt after spending most of last year on grass. He’s well-proven going two turns on the lawn, hitting the board numerous times against similar types. In his last dirt start at Delaware in July, which was his first race in nine months, he closed for third behind Night Time Nap and Electioneering, both of whom have won twice since then.

RACE 7: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

1-4-6-3

#1 Ballinacash (8-5) improved to a 78 at second asking last out. He made what looked like a winning move at the top of the stretch, but drifted out and finished second to Awesome Andy, who won a first-level sprint last Friday. This one has the best early pace figures in the field and gets Yedsit Hazlewood in the saddle for the first time. #4 Matthew’s Ticket (3-1) made decent late ground for third behind Awesome Andy and Ballinacash last out. He’s put in two great workouts since for a Phil Capuano barn which tends to do better with second-time starters than with debuters. #6 Make It Quick (9-2) went off as one of the favorites in what ended up as a salty maiden race last out. However, he stopped badly after chasing the pace, losing by 33 lengths. He’s worked well since that November 16 race, including a five-furlong drill in 1:02 ⅗ on January 4. That was the same time six-figure earner Hittheroadjak worked the same distance that day.

RACE 8: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $12,500, 4-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES

3-10-8-5

#3 Alvy (7-2) wore down loose leader Backinthewoods and won going away against softer last out. He was claimed out of that race by Robby Bailes, who quietly hits at an impressive 43% first off the claim in recent times. #10 Rob the Rich (4-1) has won three races in a row between Parx and Penn National, running in the 80s every time. He doesn’t have great early pace figures nor a good draw, so he might not be able to show his usual early speed. However, he’s proven he can run well from off the pace, such as his last start, where he came from last and got up in the last sixteenth. #8 Masakado (9-2) is more likely to end up as the early leader. He won in gate-to-wire style two races ago, and set the pace and finished third first off the Rick Sillaman claim last out.

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