Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Dick Powell's shares his top picks for all eight races at Presque Isle Downs on Tuesday.

Race One

1st: (5) THE COOKIE MAN – 10-year-old makes his first start of the year off a 167-day layoff for John Fennessy, who wins 11% with his claimers. He won five times last year, and many of them came against better company.

2nd: (3) JUST WATCH ME NOW – horse for the course ran well here exactly a year ago. Like all but one of this field, he comes in off the layoff for new trainer Henry Miller Jr., who has won five of seven starts in this situation.

3rd: (2) WAPITI WAY – ships over from Finger Lakes, and his winless trainer is able to pick up Pablo Morales.

Race Two

1st: (4) TEMPLET – beat allowance foes here last year off a long layoff and now debuts with a big class dropdown. He has good early pace when he is on his game and gets Antonio Gallardo, who rode him to victory before.

2nd: (3) GIANT PAYDAY – improved some last year at the age of nine when blinkers were added. He was beaten less than five lengths last out in his first start off the layoff in fast time from post 10.

3rd: (1) JO JO HANS – was a good third off the claim last July then tired some next out against better company.

Race Three

1st: (6) R ADMIRAL – speedball just missed going gate to wire off a similar layoff last year. He broke his maiden here by over five lengths then ran well against similar conditioned claiming company. Antonio Gallardo picks up the ride.

2nd: (2) CAMINO DE SANTIAGO – was a sharp winner on the turf two starts back in fast time at Tampa Bay Downs then did nothing there last out. He’s won here before and draws well off a good, five-furlong breeze.

3rd: (1) TRAVELLER – broke his maiden here two years ago by over eight lengths and returns off a 673-day layoff.

Race Four

1st: (2) PEMAQUID PETE – horse for the course has won 11 times here in 29 starts and ran well in his first start off the long layoff here last week. John Fennessy wins 12% going long and draws well with Pablo Morales.

2nd: (3) YADI – won here last year at long odds when he sat off a crazy pace. His last two starts were not bad, and he has shown he can run off the layoff. Ron Allen Jr. rides back.

3rd: (5) CREATIVE CHOICE – could be dangerous if he can work out a trip behind the speed of the top choice.

Race Five

1st: (4) HE’S A LUCKY GUY – showed good speed from post 10 in his Tapeta debut at Gulfstream Park, but he tired badly at the end. He raced evenly there on the turf and now drops down in class for Anthony Farrior, who wins 27% first start out of his barn.

2nd: (8) PHOBIA – still a maiden after 16 tries, but this is his Presque Isle debut. He shows decent form against similar maiden claiming company for Kevin Rice, who wins 19% second start out of his barn.

3rd: (6) SEA URCHIN – made his Tapeta debut here last out against this maiden level and ran well to the final yards.

Race Six

1st: (8) PROTECTTHEWITNESS – horse for the course has two wins and a second against similar claiming company. She could go gate to wire with an aggressive ride from Martina Rojas.

2nd: (1) ANIPPE– did nothing on the dirt in her last three starts but is 4-for-9 here and could be tough to catch if Erin Walker guns her to the front from post 1. Mike Pappada wins 24% going from dirt to synthetic.

3rd: (5) RICHIES NOBLE GIRL – moves up a notch in class while making her first start in 225 days.

Race Seven

1st: (2) CLASS PHOTO – was an even third in his career debut going two turns on the turf at Tampa Bay then came back to break his maiden there as the 2-5 favorite. Arnaud Delacour wins 28% first start after a maiden and 27% with this surface switch.

2nd: (8) EGON – broke his maiden first time out on the Tapeta at Golden Gate then was second there in a stakes race. He did little on the dirt against top allowance foes at Keeneland and now gets class relief for Bill Morey.

3rd: (9) VAN – beat decent claimers two starts back then was a good third here in his first start off the long layoff.

Race Eight

1st: (2) CASHPOINT – did nothing in her first two career starts then woke up last out when she showed better speed away from the gate. Tim Hamm wins 24% dropping in class and 19% second start off the layoff.

2nd: (9) NEVER PERSONAL – still a maiden after nine tries and has yet to finish in the money. Her last two starts were sprints on turf and Tapeta, and she was an even fourth both times in rough trips.

3rd: (1) JAZZ TIME GIRL – has run well here in the past and should be able to chase the pace while saving ground.