Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis by Dick Powell Wednesday May 22, 2024

Dick Powell's views of all eight races at Presque Isle Downs on Wednesday.  

Race One:

1st: (6) BUNDABURG – improved some as the season went along. He raced evenly going two turns here in his last two starts and now drops down to maiden claimers, removes blinkers and turns back to 5 1/2 furlongs. 

2nd: (1) IMPOSTER SYNDROME – still a maiden after 11 tries but he has four seconds and was a solid second here last out against better maidens. Matt Kintz wins 22% with his overall maiden claimers and 20% off long rest. 

3rd: (2) MR. YASUDA – one-dimensional closer begins his season going short with Huber Villa-Gomez. 

Race Two:

1st: (2) FLOAT AWAY – horse for the course has spent his entire career at PID for John Bourke, who wins 21% with his claimers and synthetic-track starters. He has some decent early speed if called up and won his seasonal debut last year.    

2nd: (3) DOMINANT STRANGER – always runs well here even though he doesn’t win enough. He has one win to go along with nine seconds and five thirds so it’s hard to trust here but always seems to run well. 

3rd: (6) ELSA’S ROCKET – returns off a 343-day layoff while dropping way down in class. 

Race Three:

1st: (3) GENERAL WINSTON – beat first-level allowance foes off the long layoff to begin last year. He’s been knocking around this class level all last year for Matt Kintz, who wins 20% off long layoff and 17% with his synthetic-track starters.  

2nd: (4) DOWAGIAC CHIEF – was a good second in a turf sprint at the Fair Grounds against much better company, then lost all chance when he broke poorly. Tom Amoss wins 22% with his claiming starters and gets Pablo Morales.   

3rd: (1) WOODCHUCK – horse for the course was a good third two starts back, then chased the pace from post one. 

Race Four:

1st: (2) AWARD TOUR – just missed from off the pace going two turns on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs in her well-bet career debut. Ron Potts wins 15% first time off the claim, 14% with his second-time starters, and is 3 for 9 going long.  

2nd: (1) SUSANOO – showed little in her well-bet career debut on the dirt at Penn National. She drops down in class for Brandon Kulp, who wins 29% with this move and 18% with his second-time starters.   

3rd: (4) BELLA SKYE – still a maiden after nine tries but is working well for this. 

Race Five:

1st: (5) SCRATCHOFF – was claimed for $5K two starts back and came back with a good third against allowance foes at Mahoning Valley on a sloppy track. Chelsey Keiser wins 24% with her sprint rides and draws well for a stalking trip. 

2nd: (1) MEANT TO BE LUCKY – won two times in two starts here in his PID debut as the odds-on favorite. He showed a ton of gate speed each time and Angel Stanley will probably send him from post one. 

3rd: (2) JOSH’S HONOR – just missed going gate to wire two starts back, then raced evenly in his last start of the season.

Race Six:

1st: (2) CHEROKEE CHATTER – horse for the course was a good third here two starts back at long odds, then came back with an even fourth at even longer odds. She drops down in class and gets a 10-pound apprentice rider.    

2nd: (1) MISS GETTY UP – ran well on the Tapeta at Turfway Park this winter and moves up a notch in class for Tim Girten, who wins 19% with his overall synthetic-track starters and gets Pablo Morales. 

3rd: (7) LET’S BE HONEST – went gate to wire two starts back on a muddy track at Mahoning Valley, then won there again last out. 

Race Seven:

1st: (7) SCHNITTKER – broke his maiden first time out as the 9-5 favorite on the Tapeta at Turfway Park even from post nine. Wesley Ward wins 27% off medium rest and his workouts at Keeneland say he’s ready.  

2nd: (2) GOING UP – won two of his first two career starts, then finished up with a good second here in a state-bred stakes race. He broke his maiden first time out so he can run well fresh. Ron Potts wins 31% first start after being beaten as the favorite.  

3rd: (3) REELED IN – broke his maiden by 10 lengths in his PID debut last year, then ran well against this allowance level. 

Race Eight:

1st: (3) PITTSBURGH – comes in off the long layoff without being exposed to the claim so he gets a free swing against a group that he only raced against once. Bill Martin wins 18% first start after being beaten as the favorite and picks up Pablo Morales. 

2nd: (7) TAPINTOYOURBEER – only 1 for 24 lifetime and tries Tapeta for the first time. He was overmatched last out but at least gets some conditioning out of it. Jose Leon rides back – 18% with his route rides. 

3rd: (6) YARDMAN – ran well here last year on the Tapeta, then did nothing in his last three starts on dirt.