Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Monday, May 22

Dick Powell offers his picks and analysis for Monday's racing card at Presque Isle Downs.

Race One:

1^st: (2) HONEY BOURBON – raced evenly two starts in a row and then came back at Turfway off the claim by Wes Fletcher to win by two lengths in a dominating performance. She draws inside and gets Pablo Morales.   

2^nd: (1) RED PIXIE – beat this claiming level by over two lengths here last October. She came back on the dirt at Mahoning Valley to get up in time but then showed nothing on the turf. Trainer Teresa Connelly wins 14% off long layoffs and the mare gets the services of jockey Antonio Gallardo.

3^rd: (6) REDHOT KATIE – has enough gate speed to work out a trip for rider Rafael Mojica, Jr.  

 

Race Two:

1^st: (6) T C GREELEY – broke his maiden by four lengths last out on a sloppy track at Penn National and now drops down in class against conditioned claimers. He gets in light again with apprentice rider Martina Rojas.

2^nd: (5) JUST WATCH ME NOW – doesn’t have the back class of some of these but he’s been racing on the Tapeta at Golden Gate and ships east for trainer Mike Pappada who wins 37% first start out of his barn.

3^rd: (7) AMERICAN CHAOS – has five in-the-money finishes in seven tries here and trainer Katy Cheeks is 24% off long layoffs.

 

Race Three:

1^st: (2) BREEZY CONNECTION – took her nine tries to break her maiden which she did from far off the pace on the dirt at Mountaineer Park and then came here last week to win going away for trainer Gerry Brooks.

2^nd: (6) PROPER MANNERS – turf sprinter tried Tapeta once down at Gulfstream Park and was an even fourth against better company. She draws outside here and should be fit off an even effort at Tampa Bay Downs on the turf.   

3^rd: (1) TIZ SUSAN ANN – versatile mare has won on both dirt and synthetic with eight placings on the turf.

 

Race Four:

1^st: (2) WORBOTHOR – horse for the course has won 16 times here over the years and won her seasonal debut here last year. Pablo Morales rides – 23% with his sprint rides – and can work out a stalking trip while saving ground.  

2^nd: (6) BIG CHICKEN MAN – speedball has his claim waived in here off the long layoff. Last year, he went gate-to-wire off a similar layoff for conditioner Randy Russell who shows a flat-bet profit in this move.

3^rd: (1) CATHMOR – horse for the course faded at the end of last year but should be fresh at the age of nine.

 

Race Five:

1^st: (8) SHADY DAISY – raced evenly in her well-bet career debut at Tampa Bay Downs and then came back to show much better gate speed. Tim Hamm wins 23% going from dirt to synthetic tracks and the last 66 show a flat-bet profit.

2^nd: (2) FLOAT AWAY – did nothing in her first two career starts last year but woke up when Lasix was added. She drops down in class for trainer John Bourke who wins 23% with his overall maiden claimers.  

3^rd: (4) I’M HEADING EAST – quality filly drops back down to maiden claimers for Ed Rojas who adds blinkers for the first time.

 

Race Six:

1^st: (2) AMERICAN HEIGHTS – ran extremely well over the winter on the Tapeta at Turfway Park with three seconds and then a win last out in fast time. Bill Morey wins 25% off medium rest and 23% first start after a maiden win.

2^nd: (4) IMMORTALLOVE – held well to bet second in her career debut and then came back to go gate-to-wire to win by four lengths at Tampa Bay Downs as the heavy 3/5 favorite. This daughter of Kantharos could be a serious filly as the year goes on.

3^rd: (7) QUARTERFLASH – has been up and down the class ladder but beat similar on the dirt last out.

 

Race Seven:

1^st: (3) FORGOTTEN PEACE – horse for the course was an even second here two starts back going two turns and then won a long sprint at Turfway Park five months ago. Trainer Tim Girten wins 27% with his overall allowance runners and they show a flat-bet profit.

2^nd: (2) I RECALL – has yet to win here in six tries but at least she has faced stout competition. She finished up last year with an easy win on the dirt in a stakes race for Ohio-breds. John Bourke wins 30% first start after a win.

3^rd: (6) DANA’S BEAUTY – turns back to a sprint off some solid two-turn races here at the end of last season.

 

Race Eight:

1^st: (6) SO STEADY – rallied from far back to get second in her career debut on the dirt at Penn National and now tries Tapeta. With a better start and the normal improvement second-time starters show, she should be a serious contender.

2^nd: (5) SHORTY MAC – faded towards the end off her five-furlong, turf-sprint debut at Penn National at 48-1. She tries Tapeta for the first time with Lasix added. The filly also gets a major rider improvement with veteran Walber Alencar.

3^rd: (1) RAINAS ROLLIN – speedball breaking from the rail could be tough to catch if she breaks running.