Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Oct. 17

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

Race One:

1st: (4) MUY CHISTOSA – shipped here from Gulfstream Park and promptly won at 2-5 to break her maiden in her ninth try. She came back against much better and had a rough trip so now the daughter of Practical Joke drops to a more realistic class level.

2nd: (5) BODE BY YOU – did nothing on the Tapeta at Turfway Park but since coming here she has thrived. Daughter of Munnings was claimed for this price in a race that she ran second in, then came back and ran the same race for Ron Potts.

3rd: (6) MORE RANSOM – added blinkers and Lasix two starts back and went gate to wire for Tim Girten.

Race Two:

1st: (5) NIGHT RIDE – chased the pace in his well-bet career debut here from post 1 and draws much better today. If he shows the normal improvement second time out, he should be able to stalk the pace and take advantage of the prevailing bias.

2nd: (7) AZTEC LEGEND – gunned to the front and held on for second in his career debut. Son of hot, young sire Sharp Azteca can stalk from here for Tim Hamm who wins 22% on synthetic tracks and 19% with his maiden special weight starters.

3rd: (2) SLICK EVANS – first-time starter by Runhappy, who wins 16% with his maiden special weight runners.

Race Three:

1st: (2) SILVERY RILL – broke her maiden going five furlongs at Delaware Park, then came back and raced evenly against winners. Daughter of War Front tries Tapeta for the first time for Christophe Clement – 16% with his synthetic track starters.

2nd: (5) HIDEKI – broke her maiden on the Tapeta at Turfway Park then came here six months later and just missed against this level in very fast time. He had a troubled trip from post 1 last out but draws much better today with Erin Walker back aboard.  

3rd: (3) DETERMINED HOPE – took her 10 tries for this daughter of Medaglia d’Oro to break her maiden in her Tapeta debut.

Race Four:

1st: (6) JAMA DILLON – has raced mostly on turf in his career but he finally tries a synthetic track. He dropped some in class last out going five furlongs on the turf and just missed so he will probably drop far back before rallying for Pablo Morales.  

2nd: (2) GOLDEN SURVIVOR – after running well against better, he finally dropped to this level and missed by a head as the even-money favorite after missing the break. Matt Kintz wins 28% second start out of his barn and he gets Gallardo back.

3rd: (4) UP FOR THE CHANCE – ran well on the dirt before coming here and racing evenly for John Fennessy.

Race Five:

1st: (3) NEVER KNOW CHRISTY – went gate-to-wire two starts back on the Tapeta at Turfway Park then came here three months later and held on for this. Freshened up for 77 days, she returns for Bill Cowans, who wins 27% in this spot.

2nd: (1) SCAT ATTACK – won two in a row on the dirt at Arizona, then shipped to Mountaineer Park off the claim by Juan Silva and won by five lengths. Silva wins 27% first start after a win and 23% with his overall claimers.

3rd: (7) VEIL – nine-year-old mare has run great on the Tapeta at Gulfstream and Woodbine and is well spotted here.

Race Six:

1st: (5) AMERICA’S JUSTICE – won his Tapeta debut here against this class level then went back to Finger Lakes and faded. Son of American Pharoah comes back for Beth Miller-Saul, who wins 20% with her route runners.  

2nd: (6) PATRIOT DRIVE – made a menacing middle move two starts back in a very fast-paced race then came back against this claiming level and won by a neck. Shelly Radosevich wins 20% first start after a win and 17% going long..

3rd: (1) GROUNDED – horse-for-the-course has been tiring lately so he looks for class relief. Maybe his speed will hold from post 1.

Race Seven:

1st: (3) DAKOTA DANCER – speedy daughter of Freud just missed going gate to wire against stakes company two starts back then was a game second against similar company to these. Gaddiel Martinez rides – flat-bet profit with his last 150 route mounts.

2nd: (4) BALI BELLE – one-dimensional closer tries Tapeta after racing on turf in all of her career starts. Christophe Clement wins 19% second start off the layoff and 17% first start after a maiden win. Pablo Morales gets the mount.

3rd: (2) THISLADYIS THE LAW – has won three times here and was a game second at this allowance level last out.  

Race Eight:

1st: (6) KEYPIT – beat this level going two turns three starts back then just missed last out when allowed to set a dawdling pace. She turns back to a long sprint but speed hasn’t been holding lately and she should be fit from her route efforts.   

2nd: (4) RUN LAUGHING – horse-for-the-course has prospered since dropping down in class. She raced wide two starts back but then ran a good third last out after being up on the pace from the start. Bill Martin is an amazing 0-for-27 with Huber Villa-Gomez.

3rd: (9) SQUAD UP – romped by six lengths two starts back then ran ugly when moved up to allowance company.