Thoroughbreds Saturday -- McMudder on Belmont, Laurel, Parx, Delaware, Monmouth and a lot of Penn National
Another in between Saturday where most of America waits for next week’s Belmont Stakes and enjoys today’s top racing from . . . Penn National!. Yes, America, today’s best card of racing happens to be at Penn National where there are eight stakes races headed by the Penn Mile-G2. There are some PA bred races and four MATCH Series races which are the second installment in this year’s series. So celebrate summer with a trip to Grantville for the best racing in America . . . for a day.
Picks for June 1, 2019:
Mostly sunny and glorious. No excuse to not go to the track . . . except cleaning up the yard following the storms.
Belmont Race 8 (5:18) - Pennine Ridge Stakes G3
9f for 3 year old boys on turf means most of this field has never traveled this far in a race. The exceptions are 6-Magnificent McCool and 7-Seismic Wave who both broke their maidens at the distance. The difference in each horse’s efforts since their maiden breakers is sizable. 7-Seismic Wave has been progressive and is well positioned to continue moving up after passing most of the field in the lane last out in a G2. 5-Clint Maroon has done everything right in his last three, each a victory, but his victory last time on a very slow surface was especially impressive. It’s turf, so Chad Brown has two in here with 1-Value Proposition being, well, the better value proposition. One race and one victory means he is undefeated but then again, 3-Demarchelier is two for two so he is twice as good? Speed figures say otherwise.
Belmont Race 8
$10 W/P/S 7-Seismic Wave
$2 Exacta [6/7]-[5/6/7]
$1 Trifecta [6/7]-[5/6/7]-[1/5/6/7]
$0.10 Superfecta box 1,5,6,7
Laurel Race 8 (4:40)
A high quality upper level allowance on the turf brings out all of the runners that would be in a MATCH Series race IF there was one for long, turf boys (hint, hint MATCH Series organizers). 4-Pizmo Time is on a two-race win streak with one on dirt to end last season and one on turf to open this campaign. Conditioner Edward Graham does well with these kinds and jockey Alex Cintron looks to step in for Jorge Vargas who is busy at Penn National. 3-Surprise Twist took a step up in his local seasonal debut and barely missed after making up double digit lengths. A closer trip could be the difference. Danny Centeno riding for Arnaud Delacour is always a positive. 7-Utmost makes his seasonal bow here and draws the services of Feargal Lynch. Trainer Graham Motion gets them ready off the shelf but this guy was not the same after his trip to Canada last year.
Laurel Race 8
$10 W/P/S 3-Pizmo Time
$2 Exacta box 3,4
$1 Trifecta box 3,4,7
Parx Race 6 (3:10)
This race would be exciting if trainer Butch Reid had either half of his entry in here but having both haves makes it even more fun since they are highly complementary. 1-Strega Nonna is cutting back in distance (too much pasta?) while 1A-Secret Zar is stretching out to today’s 7f. Will the 1A set the table for the 1? Maybe but both have a shot in here. 9-Monaco Princess arrives from Maryland in the care of trainer Claudio Gonzalez who wins everywhere he races. This one just missed last time at a slighty lower level. 10-Neva’s Gal likes hitting the board at this level so look for it again.
Parx Race 6
$10 W/P/S 1/1A-Entry
$2 Exacta box 1,9
$1 Trifecta box 1,9,10
Delaware Park Race 2 (1:42)
3-Thesweetesttaboo is another road warrior for trainer Claudio Gonzalez and looks to continue her good form after success last out at Parx. This filly seems best at 6f, her distance today. The Jamie Ness entry of 1-Pinkout and 1A-Party Rock both have recent victories and one of them gets Carol Cedeno, the leading rider at the meet. 6-Jazzy Juder gets back on a fast track after a less than successful slop effort last out. She may be back on turf soon but this is a check getting spot for her.
Delaware Park Race 2
$10 W/P/S 3-Thesweetesttaboo
$2 Exacta box 1,3
$1 Trifecta box 1,3,6
Monmouth Race 4 (2:14)
7-Crown of Joy steps up off of several good efforts at Tampa. She needs the right pace scenario to be successful but that appears to fit here. 4-Dangerous Woman gets dropped in here after two good efforts at a higher level. 3-Miss Aja Brown tries this strip gain for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Last time was less than successful but this trainer seldom ships to do anything other than win.
Monmouth Race 4
$10 W/P/S 4-Dangerous Woman
$2 Exacta box 4,7
$1 Trifecta box 3,4,7
MICK’S QUICKIES
Penn National Race 4 (4:06) - New Start Stakes:
5-I’m the Talent appears to be very fast off her one start and follow up workout. This will be a class check but she may be special and this will be the first step to proving just that.
Penn National Race 5 (4:34) - Danzig Stakes:
10-Call Paul towers over this field and connections now seem to be OK with this one being a sprinter.
Penn National Race 6 (5:02) - Penn Ladies Dash:
2-Cairenn picks up the pieces after 4-Crabcakes and 5-Ms Locust Point run each other into the ground.
Penn National Race 7 (5:30) - Chocolate Town Sprint:
4-Laki may need to run an even bigger race than he did last time to defeat the entry. Hope he likes the surface at Penn, it’s his first trip across it.
Penn National Race 8 (6:05) - Susquehanna Stakes:
7-Enchanted Ghost continues on the MATCH path after running on for a good fourth last out. No one that beat her is back.
Penn National Race 9 (6:40) - PA Governor’s Cup:
1-Pure Sensation is really fast and this turf track should play to his strengths.
Penn National Race 10 (7:15) - Penn Oaks:
7-Regal Glory in a walkover. She is that good.
Penn National Race 11 (7:50) - Penn Mile G2:
8-Conative is here to upset this field and pay huge. Ignore a 24% trainer at your own peril.