Laurel Park Stakes Plays for Saturday

A pair of sprint stakes events for sophomores will be hosted by Laurel Park on Saturday. 

Race 8 – Xtra Heat S. 

A cast of eight three-year-old fillies will dash six furlongs in the first black-type test of the afternoon. Brittany Russell’s #3 My Charm has been first or second in each of her five lifetime appearances to date and will be moving best of all in the stretch in this spot. This Bernardini filly was runner-up in the Selima S. and Gin Talking S. as a juvenile and seems poised to break through at this level second time out off the short layoff. Sheldon Russell will be in the stirrups. 

I’ll also include #2 Onyx Ten from the barn of Gary Capuano. The consistent daughter of Street Magician cuts back in distance following a runner-up effort in a route allowance race on the oval most recently, and the dual stakes-placed lass will benefit from that affair from a conditioning standpoint. Torrealba has the assignment. 

Wagers:

• $20 exacta 3 with 2 ($20)
• $1 trifecta 2,3 with 2,3 with all ($12)

Race 9 – Spectacular Bid S. 

The seven-furlong heat for the boys boasts a nice field of nine. Russell’s #7 Tony Eclipse looks like the class of the group and gets top billing. This recent stakes victor had placed in the Rocky Run S. and Nashua S. in his prior two attempts before breaking through last time out, and his early speed is a big weapon in a cast with just one other pace player signed on. The Maryland-bred son of Not This Time will have Sheldon Russell on board. 

I’ll use a pair of runners underneath the leading selection, led by the obvious #1 Sacred Thunder. Trained by Gary Capuano, the Holy Boss three-year-old has run well in each of his four previous attempts on this strip and will benefit from saving ground throughout with his cozy rail draw. Jevian Toledo will pilot the dark bay colt. 

#6 Right Wing Runner is much better than he showed in the Future Stars S. at Parx over a sloppy, sealed surface most recently. The Scott Lake pupil captured his first pair of races in solid fashion in advance of his stakes debut, and I envision him showing major improvement on Saturday with Frankie Pennington in the irons. 

Wagers:

• $15 exacta 7 with 1 ($15)
• $3 exacta 7 with 6 ($6)
• $3 trifecta key 7 with 1,6 ($6)