Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Monday, July 24, 2023

Dick Powell offers his selections for the Monday card at Presque Isle Downs.

 

Race One:

1^st: (5) RIVERSIDE WALK – horse for the course returned off the long layoff and showed good speed to the deep stretch as the even-money favorite. She came back with a better effort last out and should be fit and ready today.

2^nd: (2) SONG OF INDY – finished up last season with her 10th win here. She returned with a close second but that effort might have taken some out of her and she ran poorly last out. Back four weeks later, Addiel Ayala will try to work out an inside stalking trip.

3^rd: (6) DANCE OR STROLL – horse for the course has won 13 times here and makes her third start off the layoff.

 

Race Two:

1^st: (5) BLUE COSMO – didn’t do much in his first two starts here against better and then dropped down in class to show good speed to the final yards when blinkers were added. The shorter distance and rider upgrade might be enough.

2^nd: (6) GEMINI MOON – was a solid fourth two starts back here against conditioned claimers and then came back against this maiden claiming level to finish a good third as the 11-10 favorite. Blinkers get put back on and Erin Walker rides back.

3^rd: (2) DOM GERVASIO – ran well on the Tapeta at Turfway Park and prepped for this with a good third on turf.

 

Race Three:

1^st: (5) FLOAT AWAY – began the season with a maiden win as the 7-5 favorite and then was a game second despite being shuffled back from post one. She was an even second last out and meets the same conditioned claiming level again.

2^nd: (6) BLAME IT ON PARIS – versatile filly by Blame has been tried on all three surfaces. She broke her maiden in her lone start on Tapeta and turns back to a sprint with blinkers added – 23% when Rodolphe Brisset does.

3^rd: (1) IRISH VICTORY – was soundly beaten in her first two career starts but woke up here with a sharp win going five furlongs.

 

Race Four:

1^st: (6) MADE TO HUSTLE – showed good speed in both of her tries on turf. Off for ten months, she returned with a gate-to-wire win going five furlongs on the turf at Penn National and then weakened there over a yielding course.

2^nd: (1) WILD DELIGHT – tired late behind a runaway winner two starts back in an off-the-turf event at Parx. She came back here after 11 months off and won her Tapeta debut going 5 1/2 furlongs in good time. Gets in light again with Martina Rojas.

3^rd: (2) RAINAS ROLLIN – was moved up by the stewards to break her maiden off the long layoff here and then ran well against these.

 

Race Five:

1^st: (3) MALDIVES MODEL – was an even third in this stakes race here last year. She’s had two starts this year, one where she showed good speed on the turf at Penn National and then raced evenly here in fast time against open company allowance foes.

2^nd: (4) TACTICAL PAJAMAS – speedy filly stretches out to two turns off a sharp gate-to-wire win two starts back here going six furlongs. She tired last out and now stretches out against state-bred stakes foes after winning this race last year off a similar path.

3^rd: (1) ONE MORE KELLY – horse for the course prepped for this with a sharp win going this distance in fast time.

 

Race Six:

1^st: (7) BLUE SKY’S ABOVE – horse for the course raced well here last year against mostly better company. He came back off the layoff at the age of nine and went gate-to-wire to beat cheaper for John Bourke, who wins 31% first start after a win.

2^nd: (3) NOTACATBUTACARD – already has three wins here, including one against this level two starts back. This son of Discreet Cat moved up in class last out and raced wide so he drops some in class and distance for Mark Hoffman.

3^rd: (2) MILITARY DRILL – takes a big drop in class off two even efforts against open allowance foes.

 

Race Seven:

1^st: (1) WORLDS ON HIGH – faced this conditioned claiming level two starts back and missed by a neck as the 13-10 favorite. He came back with a similar result last out, and since he hasn’t been claimed, Kevin Rice runs him back at the same level.

2^nd: (2) DAWGMENTALITY – just missed two starts back when blinkers were added and then disappointed last out when he battled for the lead and could not sustain. Ron Potts wins 19% with his synthetic-track starters and Erin Walker rides back.

3^rd: (6) AMERICA’S GUEST – won his Tapeta debut back in May and then just missed against this level when moved up off the claim.

 

Race Eight:

1^st: (4) DEACON DOUGIE – broke his maiden by five lengths on the dirt in his well-bet career debut at Thistledown. He tired next out against stakes foes but then ran well against allowance foes last out. Jason DaCosta wins 19% second start off the layoff.

2^nd: (7) WILLIE WANDO – returned off the long layoff with first-time Lasix and was a good third against these. After running poorly next time out, he bounced back with a close second at long odds here. Rocco Bowen rides back.

3^rd: (5) UNCLE JOCK – gets another chance against this state-bred allowance level after missing by a neck last out.