Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Monday, Aug. 21, 2023

Dick Powell gives his selections and analysis for Presque Isle Downs for Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. 

Race One:

1st: (7) MAGIC LIFE – broke her maiden easily when she dropped to maiden claimers and added Lasix. She came back against this group with a good second as the 11-10 favorite. Gaddiel Martinez is 5-for-10 riding for Adam Rice.
2nd: (6) COSMOLOGICAL – makes her Tapeta debut following a decent effort on turf. Throw out her last dirt race, but the turf sprint she comes out of before that was excellent. If she handles the ground, she will be tough with Pablo Morales.
3rd: (2) REVEILLE SONG – raced evenly against this group two starts back here, then weakened late in fast time.

Race Two:

1st: (8) MAIDEN LANE – lost all chance when she hopped at the start in her career debut going five furlongs here. She should improve with a race under her belt and gets Morales for the first time.
2nd: (3) Z INDY LINDY – showed high speed for a half-mile before tiring in her career debut. Her dam was a stakes winner, and she has produced two winners from three other foals to race. Ron Allen Jr. rides back.
3rd: (1) CUPID MISSED – first-time starter from Ron Potts is a half-sister to a stakes winner.

Race Three:

1st: (7) WARRIOR’S PAYOFF – has been showing good speed on the dirt against state-bred maidens and now tries open company in his Tapeta debut. A repeat of his last race at Penn National lays over this field.
2nd: (1) MR. COMMANDER – has had many chances, but his last two starts were improvements. He just missed going 4 1/2 furlongs on a sloppy track at Charles Town, then came back with a good second at Ellis Park.
3rd: (3) HAPPYISASHAPPYDOES – first-time starter is training bullets and gets Morales in a vote of confidence.

Race Four:

1st: (7) DAD’S LIL SPARK – was soundly beaten two starts back when moved up to top maidens, but then dropped down to this level and was a good second despite traffic problems. Kevin Rice wins 12% going long.
2nd: (10) YARDMAN – was an even fourth in his two-turn debut, then was second in his next two starts going six furlongs. Maria Bowersock wins 20% going long off two sprints and 22% first start after being beaten as the favorite.
3rd: (6) FLAT BUSTED – still winless after 18 starts, but his last two starts against these place him in the money.

Race Five:

1st: (1) EVERY LITTLE BIT – finished up last season with a gate-to-wire victory here going six furlongs in fast time. She tired in her first start in nine months, then just missed when dropped down in class. She’ll be the one to catch from the rail.
2nd: (4) BATH AND TENNIS – raced evenly two starts back and was claimed by Joan Amaya. She came back and went gate to wire against this group and faces them again. Amaya has had a great year training.
3rd: (3) GOLDEN ISLE – loved the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park and tries it for the first time here off some solid efforts.

Race Six:

1st: (2) LOVELY EVER AFTER – her late rally fell just short two starts back here against this allowance level. She ran poorly against stakes company without Lasix, but drops back to the right level for Tim Girten who wins 19% going long.
2nd: (4) MOLISE – horse for the course just missed in a long sprint here, then stretched out to a mile and won by four lengths. Bill Martin wins 19% first start after a win and 15% with his synthetic-track runners.
3rd: (8) PROTECTTHEWITNESS – beat cheaper two starts back after she opened up a huge lead.

Race Seven:

1st: (5) SURLY FURIOUS – horse for the course has won six of nine starts here including a stakes race two starts back. He just missed in a Grade 3 stakes race at Mountaineer Park and returns here for Glenn Wismer – 6-for-11 going dirt to synthetic.
2nd: (6) FRANZ JOSEF – horse for the course won two in a row here, then was second behind the top choice in a stakes race going six furlongs. He ran well in fast time last out for Wismer, who wins 22% going long.
3rd: (7) FROSTED GRACE – makes his Tapeta debut after winning a Grade 3 stakes race two starts back in Texas.

Race Eight:

1st: (9) VELOCIMO – broke his maiden in his ninth try when he went gate to wire as the 3-2 favorite. He came back and ran poorly, but comes back against the same conditioned claiming level for Marc Sharp, who is able to get Morales back aboard.
2nd: (7) SPIRITED DEBATE – speedball went gate to wire to break his maiden, then led to the deep stretch in his last two starts. John Fennessy wins 11% with his synthetic-track starters and 16% when he uses Mike Allen.
3rd: (3) ASPLUNDER – raced wide two starts back against this class level, then was third when moved up in class.