Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Wednesday May 29, 2024

Dick Powell's shares his top picks for all eight races at Presque Isle Downs on Wednesday.

Race One

1st: (3) HAZARD PAY – first-time starter from Tim Hamm, who wins 14% with his debut runners and 21% against this maiden level. Daughter of Maximus Mischief (17% debut winners) is out of a dam that has produced two winners from two foals to race.

2nd: (1) DON’T CROSS ALEXIS – first-time starter from Kelsey Danner, who wins 10% with her debut runners, and the last 94 of them show a flat-bet profit. Daughter of Twirling Candy (18% debut winners) is out of a stakes winner.

3rd: (5) LITHICA – bred to come out running and shows a 45 and 4/5-second breeze here last week.

Race Two

1st: (1) LEFT ON BOYLSTON – drops way down to maiden claimers after racing against better maidens last out. He removes blinkers and draws the rail with David Delgado back aboard.

2nd: (5) BLUE SOLDIER – still winless after 20 tries, but has four placings against better maiden company. He stretches out to two turns for new trainer Marisa Monserrate and seems to have enough pedigree to handle the distance.

3rd: (6) ELEVATED CAUSEWAY – was an even fourth on the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park two starts back.

Race Three

1st: (4) HALF BIRTHDAY – was a good winner in fast time two starts back here, then finished up the year with a third. She ran well off the layoff last year and tries it again for Matt Kintz, who wins 18% in this spot.

2nd: (5) FORGOTTEN PEACE – horse for this course has nine wins and nine seconds over the years against good company. She beat the top choice two starts back, then tired at Turfway Park. Tim Girten wins 19% with his synthetic-track starters.

3rd: (1) KRISPY RICE – one-dimensional closer won three in a row on the Tapeta at Turfway, then raced evenly in fast time.

Race Four

1st: (2) TUDOR PEAK – won going seven furlongs on the dirt at Parx and came back off the layoff with an even fourth. Pavel Matejka wins 17% second start off the layoff and 14% with his overall claimers.

2nd: (4) KATESALUCKYGIRL – ran well here last year in three starts over the Tapeta. She comes back against the same company for Kim DePasquale, who wins 13% off a long layoff while showing a flat-bet profit.

3rd: (3) LAWN DART – has won 11 times here over the years and has strong early speed if Martina Rojas chooses to use it.

Race Five

1st: (1) APPLECROSS – returns off a 423-day layoff for Kim DePasquale. Irish mare draws the rail, drops way down in class, and gets in light with Brooke Bays. In her lone start on Tapeta at Gulfstream Park two years ago, she did not run bad.

2nd: (6) PATH TO VICTORY – took her 17 tries to break her maiden and has run in the money each start since then. Daughter of Tonalist returns off the layoff and gets Erin Walker.

3rd: (5) GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME – gradually improved to where she broke her maiden last time out on the turf at Tampa Bay.

Race Six

1st: (4) DIANTHUS – ran well on the Tapeta at Turfway Park when Lasix was added, then was overmatched on the turf at Churchill Downs against top maidens. She draws better today with blinkers and Willie Martinez added.

2nd: (1) CARINA NEBULA– had a couple of decent turf starts going two turns then tired badly in her turf debut. Daughter of Into Mischief shows a couple of workouts on the Tapeta at Fair Hill for Graham Motion, who wins 21% when he adds Lasix.

3rd: (6) LITTLE MISS MUNNY – prepped for this with a good third on the turf at Gulfstream Park last month.

Race Seven

1st: (6) STARSHIP EMPIRE – horse for the course goes for win No. 10 here off the long layoff. He has a couple of strong workouts for Scooter Davis, who wins 20% off long layoffs and with his overall claimers.

2nd: (2) GET EVEN – ran well here last year against allowance foes. He comes in off three starts on the dirt at Tampa Bay and drops down in class. Fitness should not be an issue with his recent activity, and Walber Alencar picks up the mount.

3rd: (4) HE’S A GOOD DANCER – won easily the last time he faced this level for Kevin Rice, who wins 16% with his claimers.

Race Eight

1st: (7) R CHELLO – first-time starter from Ed Rojas has little data with this group. He shows six straight bullet workouts and gets Martina Rojas — two wins and six placings in nine starts this year.

2nd: (2) CHASTE ONE – rallied for third in his career debut going short on the turf at the Fair Grounds and came back to run a similar race. He has the best late punch of this group and gets in light with Brooke Bays.

3rd: (6) ATROCIOUS – raced evenly in two starts on the dirt at Tampa Bay and now tries Tapeta for Kevin Rice.