Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023

 Dick Powell offers his picks and analysis for the Tuesday racing card at Presque Isle Downs.

Race One:

1st: (6) DARK DAHLIA – just missed here two starts back as the 11-10 favorite when her late rally just fell short. She raced evenly in a turf sprint at Colonial Downs against males and now returns to the right level here for Keith Dickey.

2nd: (1) LEMON CURRY – woke up with a good second her second time out at 19-1 then came back and led to the deep stretch. John Fennessy wins 12% with his synthetic-track starters. Mike Allen returns — 15% riding for Fennessy.

3rd: (4) QUIERO DINERO – was a distant second in her career debut and adds Lasix for the first time.

Race Two:

1st: (1) DOMINANT STRANGER – went gate to wire two starts back against similar then she pressed the pace wide last out. She has gate speed if Kris Fox wants to utilize it. She’s only won once here but has eight seconds and five thirds.

2nd: (4) LADY YELLEN – ran well in her first two career starts here but then threw in a clinker. She bounced back with a close second and now drops down in class for John Fennessy, who wins 23% with this move.

3rd: (6) JULIETTE FALLS – after being beaten 27 lengths in two starts, she bounced back to beat these with blinkers added.

Race Three:

1st: (3) RED PIXIE – horse for the course has won five of six starts. After beginning the year with four straight wins, she did nothing in a dirt stakes race in Maryland. Gerry Brooks wins 15% with this surface switch and 18% on synthetic tracks.

2nd: (2) LUNAR ICE – returned off a six-month layoff and won going away as the 11-10 favorite. She came back and did it again but failed last out when moved up to open allowance company. Tim Girten wins 20% with his synthetic-track starters.

3rd: (1) STARSHIP MACYS – speedball breaking from the inside drops way down in class with Huber Villa-Gomez.

Race Four:

1st: (4) ALEMAN – was a good second in his career debut going two turns here and should take this with any improvement. Adam Rice wins 20% with his maiden special weight starters, and the last 41 of them show a flat-bet profit. Jose Ortiz in to ride.

2nd: (3) BUNDABURG – raced evenly in his first two career starts going six furlongs then stretched out to this distance and was a good third behind the top choice. John Bourke wins 19% with his synthetic-track starters.

3rd: (1) BEE WELL – goes from turf to synthetic for Jack Sisterson, who has been shipping in nothing but live horses.

Race Five:

1st: (3) VALIANT VICTORIA – speedball was caught in her first three career starts then dropped down in class last out and won by seven lengths in fast time. She meets conditioned winners for John Fennessy, who wins 21% first start after a maiden win.

2nd: (4) SHANNON – was crushed by eight lengths when she finished last in a turf sprint at Ellis Park but came back here with a good second against open allowance foes. John Bourke wins 21% with his claiming starters and 22% with Angel Stanley.

3rd: (5) FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD – was racing okay on the dirt but shipped here and just missed against this claiming level.

Race Six:

1st: (4) HENRY’S WORLD – speedball just missed going gate to wire, and it was so good that he was moved up to $10K claimers, where he was second again. Back down to this level, he missed by a length for Maria Bowersock, who wins 21% after a win.

2nd: (1) LORD OF LEGENDS – went gate to wire two starts back in his first start off the claim by Gerry Brooks. Taken that day by Jamie Buhrow, he was a close third last out and returns against the same group from post one.

3rd: (7) MARGARITA SUNRISE – just missed in his Tapeta debut at the age of 9 then came back and won from the rail.

Race Seven:

1st: (9) UNCLE JOCK – has had a good season with three seconds and three thirds. He was a good second two starts back and drops way down in class for Ron Potts, who wins 20% with his synthetic-track starters.  

2nd: (4) JOSH’S HONOR – woke up two starts back when he held on for second in his first start against claiming company. He drops down even more in class for Mike Rogers, who wins 16% with his claimers and 13% going short.

3rd: (6) JOYFUL GHOST – was beaten 24 lengths in his first two career starts on dirt but woke up on Tapeta.

Race Eight:

1st: (5) CHANGE THE HOUR – still a maiden after 10 starts and most of them came against bottom maiden claimers. Still, this is such a weak group that any kind of recent form trumps class, so his second here in good time should be enough.

2nd: (6) JUANSEN – showed high speed for six furlongs in his career debut going two turns and now turns back to a sprint. He comes back on 15 days rest and gets Erin Walker back aboard — 14% with her sprint rides.

3rd: (1) WARRIOR’S WAY OUT – did little in his first two career starts but showed signs of life here on the Tapeta.