Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Aug. 17

Race One:

1st: #6 SNOW JOB – took him some time to get it together but after breaking his maiden in his 10th try, he ran great against better company. Last out, he beat similar by six easy lengths and since he wasn’t claimed, Ed Rojas runs him back.

2nd: #1 TEMPUS – was racing evenly in his most recent starts here then rallied wide from off the pace to miss by two lengths going two turns on the turf at Penn National. Son of Wicked Strong will be way back but might get the right set up against these.

3rd: #3 INCITATUS – ran well on the Tapeta at Turfway Park this winter, but his last two here were poor against better.

 

Race Two:

1st: #5 YO YO MON – beat similar company here going two turns then came back with a good second as the 7-5 favorite. Daughter of English Channel made a strong middle move before tiring last out for Matt Kintz, who wins 24% with his route mounts.

2nd: #3 TUDOX RUE MAJESTIC – beat similar going gate to wire in modest time, then she weakened when moved way up in class. Claimed that day, she was a good third against state-bred allowance foes then tired last out. Today looks like the right spot for her.

3rd: #1 KEYPIT – ran well against this level last year but did not come back strong this year. Last out she woke up on the dropdown.

 

Race Three:

1st: #5 CROSSTOWN GIRL – one-dimensional closer rallied for third going short then rallied for second going two turns in fast time. She raced evenly last out, and Tim Girten wins 33% of first starts after being beaten as the favorite.

2nd: #3 RAW HONEY – woke up when blinkers were added three starts back. She won her last start going six furlongs and now stretches out to two turns with Gaddiel Martinez, who wins 17% with his route mounts, and the last 71 of them show a flat-bet profit.

3rd: #2 RUNAWAY BREEZE – did her best running going two turns then was overmatched against much better sprinters.

 

Race Four:

1st: #1 UP IN ARMS – did nothing in her first two career starts but woke up when dropped down to maiden claimers, and she won by a head. She came back to beat claimers then showed good speed before weakening when stretched out to two turns.

2nd: #3 PINCH MINE – took her 21 tries before she finally broke her maiden. Her next two starts against winners going two turns were not much, but she dropped back down to a long sprint and got up by a neck despite traffic problems from post one.

3rd: #4 MATCHA – this one took 23 tries before she finally broke her maiden but came right back to beat winners next time out.

 

Race Five:

1st: #5 LOVELY EVER AFTER – broke her maiden going two turns three starts back then missed by a neck as the odds-on favorite. She beat allowance foes last out and takes a move up in class against open company allowance foes.

2nd: #4 VILLAGE QUEEN – beat decent claimers going a mile as the 3-5 favorite then held on for third against two next-out winners. She just missed against this allowance level last out for Ron Potts, who wins 21% with his synthetic-track starters.

3rd: #1 CASCADE PARK – was claimed for $20K two starts back and was an even third against this allowance level last out.

 

Race Six:

1st: #4 DARK N DANGEROUS – ran great in his belated career debut here when he took the lead in the deep stretch and was run down in blazing-fast time. Louis Ruberto wins 12% with his sprint mounts, and he gets Addiel Ayala back.

2nd: #5 CARRONADE – was an even fourth in his career debut after breaking poorly and getting into traffic problems. Son of Lord Nelson is out of a stakes-winning dam that has produced five other winners. Avery Whisman rides back for Matt Kintz.

3rd: #6 STRAIGHT TIME – has had many chances on turf and synthetic. Was a good third behind the top choice last out.

 

Race Seven:

1st: #8 FORGOTTEN PEACE – horse for the course has come back this year with a vengeance. She started out with three strong sprint races then stretched out to two turns and just missed going gate to wire as the odds-on favorite.

2nd: #7 BATTLE CHARGE – three-year-old filly went gate to wire two starts back here going this distance in fast time. She was outkicked late after being allowed to set a dawdling pace as the even-money favorite and gets Pablo Morales back aboard.

3rd: #6 CHRISTMAS DIAMOND – was a good second in her Tapeta debut then came back and got up by a head in fast time.

 

Race Eight:

1st: #4 INCLUSIVE – drops down in class off a pair of decent two-turn efforts. He rallied from way back last out, but that was a crazy pace scenario. Lance Stokes wins 27% with his route runners, and the last 51 show a flat-bet profit.

2nd: #9 CEDUNA – beat this claiming level the last time he faced them. Claimed that day, he moved up and beat allowance foes then raced evenly in his next three starts. Tim Girten wins 18% with his route runners and gets Pablo Morales back.

3rd: #2 ZERO GRAVITY – drops down in class looking for relief after being soundly beaten last out.