Maiden America 5.19.21
Hooptie Handicapper
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It was a great time at the Preakness. We had Rombauer tied up in different variations, yet none of them cashed.
Today, we have two races at Parx and one at Louisiana Downs.
Parx 7th - $10K Maiden Claimer
3yo↑ fillies and mares going six furlongs
The only noteworthy thing to say about this race is one of these will win. #1a Mystical Change (7/2) looks to have the best shot, yet you cannot trust a maiden who has had 15 other chances at it. The two horses I do like, #15 Easy On The Sugar (8/5) and #14 Miss Constitution (15/1) are on the also eligible list, so it’ll be worth keeping an eye on whether they’ll get in. If the field stays intact, I am going to be looking for two to make noise. #10 Visiting Angel (6/1). After two mis-starts, she finally got a clean break last out, garnered the lead into the stretch, and tired, to get up for second. #7 Almost Evil (10/1) got a bad bump at the start last out and was absolutely no factor. Prior to that, she has gone off at low odds and has shown bursts of speed – unlike many in this bunch.
Parx 9 - $42K Maiden Special Weight
3yo↑ going seven furlongs
Ridin With Biden (3/1) looks like the best choice. I saw his second race at Gulfstream on Pegasus Cup day. My buddy, a staunch Republican, refused to bet on him. He was all the better off, as this Constitution Colt finished 8th. Two months later, in his next race, Paco Lopez put him on the lead and he faded off to 6th. He has since shipped to Parx and has put in two outstanding :47 workouts. He has tried coming from off the pace and on the lead, so it'll be interesting today to see which way they go with him. Based on his works and his previous performances, I really don't see anybody in this field challenging him. Sometimes you must bite the bullet and take the chalk.
Louisiana Downs 5th - $19K Maiden Special Weight
3yo↑ fillies and mares going six furlongs
#3 Watrugonnadokaren (1/1) has taken well to Louisiana Downs after shipping from The Fair Grounds, posting an 80 Equibase score in her last. However, topping out with that big of a number and that big of a jump, may not necessarily be a good thing. We could see a bounce. That is why I am going to go with #1 Tap Out Fast (5/1). Sired by black-type winner Race Day, She put in a series of progressively increasing performance workouts prior to her debut on May 3. In that race, she broke just ok, then went to the bit badly on the backstretch fighting her jockey. When he settled her, they were caught in traffic around the turn, and he had to steady her almost thru the entire turn. By the time they hit the stretch, she was gassed and had nothing left. Today, she gets a little break in weights 2nd Lasix, and being accustomed to getting over the jitters of 1st Lasix. She raced against the #3 horse last time and the only way I see her besting that one is to get to the lead and pour it on.
That’s it for today.
Happy Hunting 😊