Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Aug. 8

Race One:

1st: #4 AEGONTHECONQUEROR – showed high speed before weakening in his career debut last October and is training well for his return. He draws in the middle of the field and gets Gaddiel Martinez.

2nd: #6 SLENDER BETSY – has had 8 chances to graduate and some of them came against males. She was used hard from post one last out and came out of that with a bullet half-mile work. Erin Walker rides back for Kevin Rice.

3rd: #2 RAINAS ROLLIN – showed good speed last out in her career debut and now adds Lasix.

 

Race Two:

1st: #5 MERINO WOOL – won here two starts back against this claiming level for Ed Rojas then she tired badly in her first start off the claim by Nelson Figueroa. Rojas reached back in and took her back and meets the same group with Pablo Morales.

2nd: #1 DANCE OR STROLL – horse for the course beat these two starts back from off the pace then was a game second when chasing from post one. Shelly Radosevich wins 21% of first starts after being beaten as the favorite.

3rd: #4 DON’T MAKE ME BEG – every once in a while she runs a race that puts her in the mix here.

 

Race Three:

1st: #8 ARTUME – missed by a length going two turns on the turf at Mountaineer Park in good time then came here and beat low-level maiden claimers going away. Aaron West wins 36% of third starts off the layoff and 18% of first starts after a maiden win.

2nd: #7 PRAIRIE CITIZEN – is winless here in 15 tries, but she missed by a head two starts back at 40-1 odds. Daughter of Proud Citizen stretches back out to two turns for Debbie Schaber and could get into the money at long odds.

3rd: #9 BAROLA – broke her maiden here then came back against this class level with a second and a third.

 

Race Four:

1st: #5 I LOVE MAGEL (scratch) – ran well on the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park early this year then shipped to Finger Lakes and broke her maiden. She came back there against winners and romped by over eight lengths.

2nd: #7 FAST FASHION (scratch) – broke her maiden easily here when stretched out to two turns then came back to beat similar claimers last out. She turns back to a sprint for Mark Hoffman, who wins 19% with this move.

3rd: #11 DOWN TO EARTH– has yet to win here but has yet to run a poor race with all four starts in the money, and two were close.

 

Race Five:

1st: #6 SHE’S REDNECKER – showed brief speed on the dirt going six furlongs in fast time at Churchill Downs. She shipped here and was a good second in very fast time for Matt Kintz, who wins 24% with his maiden special weight starters.

2nd: #1 WILD IRISH – has been in the money in four of her five starts on the Tapeta here. She held well to be second here two starts back then raced evenly here last out while chasing the top choice in a wide trip.

3rd: #5 MAEVE THE BRAVE – daughter of Invincible Spirit ran well in a turf sprint at Monmouth Park for Mike Trombetta.

 

Race Six:

1st: #5 TWIRLING MAMBA – beat similar optional claimers in his Presque Isle debut then came back to miss by a nose. He came back to win going away in 1:09 flat for Bill Martin, who wins 21% of first starts after a win and 20% when he rides Huber Villa-Gomez.

2nd: #2 FRANZ JOSEF – ran well here when he tried two turns, but he came back and tired badly. Back to sprinting last out, he beat first-level allowance foes last out for Glenn Wismer, who wins 18% of first starts after a win.

3rd: #7 DISCO DEANO – showed talent here last autumn. He won the dirt at Finger Lakes then tired at Saratoga in a turf sprint.

 

Race Seven:

1st: #3 LOYALTY – won her first three starts on the Tapeta at Woodbine going short. She tired there last out in a long sprint on the turf and now returns to Tapeta for Josie Carroll, who wins 22% of first starts after being beaten as the favorite.

2nd: #7 MAJESTIC D’ORO – beat decent allowance foes on the Tapeta at Turfway Park. Daughter of Speightster won a stakes there on the turf ahead of the top choice for Brendan Walsh, who wins 23% going turf to synthetic.

3rd: #1 CHASING FIREFLIES – won her first two career starts on the dirt and now tries Tapeta and stakes foes.

 

Race Eight:

1st: #3 ST. PADDY’S DADDY – was claimed for $8,500 three starts back and came back with a good second. He raced evenly last out and now drops down to the bottom for Tim Girten, who wins 17% going long and 20% on synthetic tracks.

2nd: #8 SIDE TRACKED – after not racing at all last year, he has come back with four firsts or seconds. He missed by a head last out when stuck behind a slow pace for Ron Potts, who wins 22% of first starts after being beaten as the favorite.

3rd: #7 KING OF THE RING – woke up last out when he just missed against better and drops in class here.