Thoroughbreds Friday: RT uses his down time for a checkup on tonight’s early races at Penn National
While waiting for this slow doctor, I surmised that the best way to stay interested and kill time was to write about tonight’s action at Penn National. Given the personal experience with this putz, it’ll be a long time before getting in, so here goes.
Beautiful Evening tonight near PA’s capitol city. Sunny and 75˚at post time
6:00p - Race 1
This is a $16K claimer for the girls, 3+ years old, non-winners in awhile.
We are going 5 furlongs on the turf, so we’ll be looking for the closer.
3 – Driven by Speed (15/1) had to dig deep in the pp’s for this gal because of late, she’s been racing on dirt (if that’s what Parx calls it). This five-year-old gray mare is 9:3-0-2 on turf for $133K. Frankly, if this were September of last year, she wouldn’t be entered into this as she was giving hell to the $40K allowance/optional set on the NY circuit. She put in some terrific early foot in the slop last out, and mudders make good turf runners, before fading off. The gamble, of course that’s why you’re reading this, is the jockey and trainer have a low win percentage. There are numerous speed horses in this race and that may play into his favor.
Our WP SmartSheet (below) shows her superiority to the others on turf:
Penn National Race 1 Bets:
#3, $20/w $40p
DD 3/5-6
P3 3/5-6/1-2
6:27p - Race 2
$5K Claimers for the distaff set whom have never won three races and going 6 furlongs
My first inclination was to go with the 2 – Naturalborn Singer (2/1) and backed off once I noticed she’s carrying the same weight at 3 years old as the older horses. Also, after running the numbers, WP SmartSheets came up with the 5 – Mission Good Karma (7/2) and the 6 – Valiant Spirit (6/1). Frankly, the running lines of the six horse do not appear that she has a snowball’s chance. However, we put this program together to unearth possible sleepers and this race has one.
Penn Nation Race 2 Bets:
Taking a leap of faith, I am betting an exacta box on 6-5 & Kim Graci’s horse, 8 – Hurricane Patricia
6:55p Race 3
$16K maiden claimers for the fella’s three years plus, going 5.5 furlongs
Going with a first timer and betting the jockey and not the horse, 2 – Tyler (12/). This race has primarily front-runners and jockey Dana Whitney will hold tight and not be brought into that fray until the turn. This Devil His Due colt is four years of age and has two gate works, no Lasix and a bullet at Faisig. I am also going to throw in the 1 – Bitofhonor (8/1) as two back he fought gamely to only get nosed versus similar.
My cash is dispersed this way:
1-2 $25/p
Exacta 1-2/all
This took an hour and still waiting…I’m sending this prick a bill for my time
Happy Hunting!