Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Monday, Aug. 26, 2024

Dick Powell offers his insights and selections for Presque Isle Downs on Monday. 

Race 1

1st: (1) HAZARD PAY – showed good speed in each of her three career starts and now drops down to maiden claimers for the first time. Tim Hamm adds blinkers (winning 20% when he does for the first time) and gets Pablo Morales back aboard. 

2nd: (3) BOUJIE BETZ – showed high speed for a half-mile in her well-bet career debut and has a nice five-furlong breeze here since then. Teresa Connelly wins 12% with her second-time starters. 

3rd: (5) VALIANT ENYA – first-time starter from John Fennessy, who wins 12% with his debut runners. 

Race 2

1st: (7) LAWN DART – horse for the course has won 12 times here, including her second start of the season. She weakened to second in her last two for Ed Rojas, who wins 27% with his overall claimers and 25% on synthetic tracks.   

2nd: (1) NEW WAYS TO DREAM – dropped down to this class level and won going away as the odds-on favorite. She will have to avoid getting shuffled back from post 1 and gets Willie Martinez back aboard.   

3rd: (4) POQUITO ROSE – horse for the course began the season with two wins but has been fading lately. 

Race 3

1st: (6) HECTOR – missed by a head against open company allowance foes, then met this group and went down by a neck as the odds-on favorite. He came back to beat open company last out and now drops back down to state-breds.   

2nd: (3) KNIGHT LEGEND – was a good second going six furlongs when making his Tapeta debut, then came back to run well going two turns. He drops back to six furlongs for Tim Girten, who wins 41% first start after being beaten as the favorite.  

3rd: (5) MISTER B – was soundly beaten on the dirt at Parx but came here and missed by a neck against this class level. 

Race 4

1st: (8) DIAMONDHARD STONE – still winless in 10 tries here, but he does have five placings. After starting the year on the turf at Colonial Downs, he shipped here and was a good third going this distance. Ron Allen Jr. rides back. 

2nd: (1) UNCLE CAESAR – has been off the board in two career starts against better maiden company, so the gelded son of Uncle Mo drops down to maiden claimers for Riley Mott, who wins 24% second start off the layoff. 

3rd: (7) STRATEGYFORYOU – was beaten 73 lengths in three straight starts but woke up here last out with a good second. 

Race 5

1st: (3) HEAVY POUR – his only poor starts have come on dirt and turf. He returned here last out with an easy win, indicating that moving up in class will not be a problem. Antonio Gallardo rides back and wins 28% with his route rides.  

2nd: (7) WILD VINE – solid dirt horse makes his Tapeta debut. He won on a muddy track at Penn National, then raced third in his next two there. Flint Stites wins 14% going short to long. 

3rd: (2) VALENTINE BUG – horse for the course shows up here with three straight strong races against this company. 

Race 6

1st: (2) ORAZIO – had two straight solid races, then was stuck four-wide off a sluggish pace last time. He draws inside, and Erin Walker should be able to work out a trip. Mike Pappada wins 27% with Walker over the last two months and 20% with his synthetic-track starters. 

2nd: (8) PINEDALE – dropped to this class level for the first time last out on dirt, showing good speed for about six furlongs. He makes his PID debut for Michael Pino, who wins 29% first start after being beaten as the favorite.

3rd: (9) VILLAGE PREACHER – drops down to the bottom off two poor starts against better.

Race 7

1st: (6) CANDY REWARD – just missed in a stakes race here when making her career debut, then ran poorly against maidens. She was dull on the dirt in February, then shipped here six months later and won easily in fast time. 

2nd: (2) LADY HAMILTON – has spent her career on turf and synthetic and showed good pace each time. After a pair of turf starts, she just missed going gate to wire last out here for Rojas, who wins 23% second start out of his barn. 

3rd: (8) VINOS ANGEL – romped in her PID debut, then came back and beat cheaper by 10 lengths.

Race 8

1st: (6) SIGMUND – winless this season on the turf and now tries Tapeta for the first time. He made a menacing move before weakening two starts back, then did little. He drops down in class for Girten, who wins 17% with this dropdown.  

2nd: (3) DIABLO DADDY – turf horse lost all chance in his PID debut last October. He’s only been in the money once in four starts this year on turf and now goes back to Tapeta while dropping way down in class. 

3rd: (5) ELM STREET – raced evenly going six furlongs two back before breaking his maiden going two turns here.