Trip notes for Laurel Park’s late pick-3 today, plus three horses to follow. Good luck!
Make sure to check out the fantastic daily handicapping guide put together by the MJC Team via THIS LINK.
Race 7: OC 40k/N2X, 3YO+F, 1M, Turf
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP NOTE |
| TUCK CHECK | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Good, 04/26/25 – 1st | ‘TC’ broke cleanly in mid-pack, then took a very keen hold racing behind horses into the far turn before settling along the rail ~5L off the pace. She held that position while still tugging hard all the way down the back stretch to the far turn. Then heading around the far turn, she found herself boxed in tightly along the rail & was forced to wait under a stranglehold for room ~4L off the lead, all the way to the top of the stretch. She then found a slim rail opening when straightened for the drive & quickly quickened through it before maintaining her run past the leader ~1/16 pole & drawing away late. She then galloped out strongly. Traveled very strongly into the race, then found herself boxed in at the top of the stretch before finding room & powering away. Much, much the best. If she’d found room earlier, she’d have won by further, so it’s air to say she has more to offer again. |
| PAYOUT RATIO (IRE) | Forever Together S., Aqu, 1 1/16M, Firm, 11/10/24 – 8th | ‘PR’ took a bump at the start, then was ridden into stride before settling into a stalking position heading into the first turn. She then tried to advance along the rail to take a share of the lead around the first turn but lacked the room to do so & had to check slightly back into her original rail stalking position racing into the back stretch. She held that position while traveling well to the far turn, then came under pressure & once again tried to advance inside the leader rounding the far turn but didn’t have the legs to do so. She turned for home under pressure ~2L off the pace, then found little in the lane & weakened quickly. Had to check twice but that didn’t really cost her. Overall, she sat a good trip stalking along the rail but found nothing off the bridle & was outclassed late at 55/1. Effort followed by layoff. Today’s drop in class will help. |
| STRUTSHERSTUFF | Alw, Lrl, 5 1/2F, Firm, 04/19/25 – 3rd | STRUTSHERSTUFF was not rushed having broken a step slow & dropped to last early. She raced in last along the rail ~7L off the pace heading into the far turn, then tipped out into the 2P & built slight momentum to the top of the stretch. She then turned for home ~6L off the pace, worked to the centre of the track, came under a strong ride & rallied with interest down the stretch to finish just 1 1/4L behind in 3rd. Clean trip rallying from last off the rail. Lacked speed early but finished with interest. A nice return from the layoff that will have set her up nicely for today’s stretch out in trip. |
| INANNA’S QUEST | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Firm, 11/09/24 – 4th | ‘IQ’ was not rushed following a clean break, worked to the rail early & settled in mid-pack ~10+L off the hot pace in the centre of a well strung-out field heading into the first turn. She traveled well in this position round the first turn, down the back stretch & into the far turn. She then came under minor encouragement on the far turn before turning for home ~6L off the pace. Having then worked out into the clear 4-5W at the top of the stretch, she came under a strong ride & having been helped to change her leads, she closed well at one pace to be beaten 1 1/2L in 4th. Clean trip. Traveled well chasing a fast pace, then stayed on at one pace late. She was one paced & stamina rather than speed looked her strength – the faster they go the better. |
| NEXT GIRL | Alw, Lrl, 7F, Fast, 12/07/24 – 1st | ‘NG’ took a hefty bump leaving the gate, then lacked speed & dropped to a share of last where she chased the pace in the 2P to ~9/16 pole. She then worked out into the 3P & began to advance around foes heading into & around the far turn. Having made eye-catching headway under only slight encouragement, she came to challenge the leaders 4W at the top of the stretch before coming under a stronger ride & drawing away in the stretch. She was only hand ridden through the final 1/8th. Clean but wide trip. Made an impressive move around horses from the 9/16 pole which he maintained to the wire. She was much the best, seemingly had more to offer, and ran like a stretch back out to two turns on the turf could see her to better effect again. |
| PRECIOUS AVERY | Alw, Lrl, 5 1/2F, Firm, 04/19/25 – 2nd | ‘PA’ showed speed having been ridden from the gate & worked forward to contest the pace 4W early before working down to the 2P & adopting a close-up stalking position in 2nd entering the bend. She held this position while traveling well to the top of the stretch, despite lugging out a touch, then came under a strong ride upon straightening. From there, she finished willingly in a battle with the long time leader, edged past that foe close home & took a slim lead, but was then collared in the dying strides by a fast finishing closer. Clean trip. Lugged out on the bend but showed good early & finished well but could not hold off a fast finishing closer. A solid effort off the layoff. She’ll have to contain her speed today but the blinkers off should help. |
| GOURMET | Dahlia S., Lrl, 1M, Firm, 04/19/25 – 7th | GOURMET broke a slow from the rail & dropped to last early, then tipped into the 2P heading into the first turn. She then advanced very slightly onto the outside of the other trialing horses & got caught 4W rounding the first bend before settling back into an isolated last in the 4P ~8L off the pace heading down the back stretch. She was very patiently ridden in this position & didn’t try to advance to the top of the stretch, then turned for home ~8L off the pace. From there, she was barely hand ridden to the wire & never factored. Always in rear, never factored. Was never put in the race or really asked to advance late. A strange ride/effort. If she’s allowed to get into the race & ridden hard late, she can improve on this effort. |
| BAY STREET | Alw, Lrl, 5 1/2F, Firm, 04/19/25 – 7th | ‘BS’ was not rushed from the gate & got away last before she took a strong hold & pulled her way forward to race in mid-pack ~4L off the pace while 5W heading into the far turn. She traveled well in this position while wide on the turn, then came under a strong ride at the top of the stretch but lacked the pace to advance & finished at one pace for a 5L defeat in 7th. Wide trip. Traveled well but lacked pace late. If she can settle early over this longer trip today, the extra yardage could help her improve. |
| DON’T TELL KELLY | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Good, 04/13/25 – 7th | ‘DTK’ was ridden from the gate but lacked the speed to get forward, then eased back from between horses to race in mid-pack on the outside of horses early. She then took a hold & pulled her way forward while in the clear 6W heading into the turn, advancing to be racing in a clear 3rd ~3L back while 3W rounding the bend. Having then come under pressure ~7/16 pole, she progressed into 2nd & chased the strong traveling leader to the top of the stretch. As the leader then drew off in the stretch, she continued trying hard but could not sustain her run & weakened to the wire. Clean but slightly wide trip. Chased the pace & made a threatening early move but could not sustain it & weakened late. A game try at 63/1 but she just wasn’t good enough. Today’s surface switch could help. |
| BELLE OF RIGHTS | Tropical Park Oaks, GP, 1 1/16M, Firm, 12/14/25 – 5th | ‘BOR’ was hustled from the gate, dropped to the rail early & settled into a comfortable tracking position in 4th rounding the first turn into the back stretch ~3L off the pace. She then tipped into the 2P & traveled well in this position while to ~7/16 pole before she came under pressure as the pace quickened in front & two rivals came to join her from behind on both sides. She responded well to pressure & managed to hold her position while 2W around the far turn before turning for home ~3L off the pace. From there, under a strong ride, she stayed on well at one pace for 5th but lacked the pace to challenge. Clean trip tracking the pace. She responded well to pressure but lacked the pace to challenge. Top 3 finishers ran 1-2-3 throughout in this race. She was one paced & stamina rather than speed looked her strength – seems the faster they go the better. |
| GOLDEN ROCKET | Alw, Lrl, 5 1/2F, Firm, 04/19/25 – 5th | ‘GR’ broke sharply on top but was then out-quickened racing down the back stretch. She had retreated to be positioned in second last racing ~5L off the pace as the field hit the turn, then lost further ground rounding the turn under patient handling. She turned for home racing on the rail with a wall of horses in front of her ~8L off the pace, then came under strong ride, presumably avoided a faller & rallied late but had too much to do & was closest at the wire. Broke sharp but lacked speed & dropped to last, then rallied. Ran like today’s stretch out in trip could help, provided she can ration her early speed. There was a faller in this race which presumably interfered with her based on her position at the time, though the replay does not show that part of the race. Feel she can improve. |
| GOLD DIGGING BROAD | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Good, 04/13/25 – 2nd | ‘GDB’ was not rushed from the gate & dropped well back while racing in the clear 5W heading down the back stretch. Under patient handling, she passed the ½ mile pole ~10L off the pace, then began to advance under minimal urging while 4W on the turn. Having then entered the stretch ~6L off the pace 5W, she came under a strong ride & maintained her momentum to the wire, finishing a clear 2nd, well clear of the remainder, though she had no chance with the winner. Wide trip. Had no chance with the winner but was otherwise much the best. She lacks speed but seemingly has great stamina when she finds her stride. Expect she’ll be hoping for an uninterrupted path & a fast pace to close into again today. |
| LOUISE BROOKS (AE) | Alw, PID, 6F, Synth, 10/24/24 – 4th | ‘LB’ broke cleanly, then settled back to chase the pace along the rail under a hold ~4L back racing down the back stretch to the far turn. Around the bend, she then tried to ease out from behind horses while racing between foes under a tight hold. She managed to work her way out to the 3P at the top of the stretch when ~2L off the lead, but the gap in front of her wasn’t sufficient for her to try to punch through. However, the two horses creating that gap then quickened away from her which gave her the room she needed. From there, she came under a strong ride & stayed on well enough to the wire for 4th but lacked the pace to threaten. She didn’t have the clearest path into the stretch but was never stopped either & could probably have won if good enough. Regardless, she ran a likable enough race at 17/1. Feel today’s stretch back out in trip should see her to better effect. |
| BEAUTIFULCRAZYGIRL (MTO) | PA Alw, Prx, 1M 70yds, Muddy, 04/07/25 – 2nd | BEAUTIFULCRAZY broke sharp from the rail & established the lead entering the first turn, then set an even, uncontested pace under a hold to ~9/16 pole. Her rider then gave her a squeeze to maintain her lead as a rival moved to within a 1/2L of her heading into the far turn. She responded to pressure nicely & held her advantage well to the far turn before coming under a stronger ride when taking more pressure from challenging rivals rounding into the stretch. Under a strong ride, she gamely managed to maintain her advantage into the lane, then saw off those initial challengers ~3/16 pole & extended her advantage again. However, a fresh challenger then blew by on the wide outside & nabbed her inside the final 1/8th. Set an honest pace & kept responding to pressure but could not hold off a fast finishing closer. An admirable effort in defeat, though she was 2/5. |
| TOO MANY KISSES (MTO | Geisha S., Lrl, 1M, Fast, 01/18/25 – 3rd | ‘TMK’ broke cleanly from the outside gate, then settled comfortably in mid-pack while in the clear ~5L behind the modest pace heading to the turn. She held that position while being squeezed into the bridle to ~5/16 pole before she was joined by a foe on her outside & came under a more vigorous ride. She then angled inside & took advantage of a large rail gap at the top of the stretch when ~3L off the pace before finishing willingly to the wire for 3rd. She had to alter course ~1/16 pole as a rival crossed in front of her, but that did not cost her a position in any way. Clean trip chasing the pace. Showed a likable attitude late & finished well in what was a likable effort. |
Race 8: N1X Allowance, 3YO+, 1 1/16M, Dirt
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP NOTE |
| TRAFFIC MASTER | SA, Prx, 1M 70yds, Sloppy, 04/07/25 – 1st | ‘TM’ was encouraged forward from the gate, crossed down to the rail entering the first turn & then took a keen hold while helping set a slow pace down the back stretch to ~1/2 mile pole. As the pace then quickened & one of the three pace setters dropped away, he hooked up head-to-head with a lone rival. They pulled away from the remained & duelled around the turn with ‘TM’ ridden to hold his position & stick with his stronger challenging foe. Gamely, he managed to do this to the top of the stretch, then continued to battle hard eye-to-eye through the lane along the rail & got his nose down on the wire. A rail skimming trip. He couldn’t have been more game racing along the inside to the wire having looked beaten rounding the far turn. Having seemingly been all out here though, one wonders whether he go to the well twice in a row and/or, how much more he has to offer. |
| WALDRIP | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Fast, 07/19/24 – 7th | WALDRIP was not rushed from the outside gate & dropped to the rear of the body of the field ~4L off the pace while racing in the clear 5W early. He traveled well in this position under patient handling to the far turn, though kept changing leads, seemingly favoring his left leg. He then came under pressure when taking the bend 3-4W but struggled to respond, turned for home ~10L back & weakened in the stretch while drifting out. Sat a wide trip though that didn’t cost him the race. Was seemingly favoring his left lead down the back stretch, then began struggling on the turn & found nothing off the bridle. A sub par effort that was followed by a lengthy layoff – something amiss? |
| PUDGE BOY PALACE | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Sloppy, 05/04/25 – 3rd | ‘PBP’ broke cleanly, then pulled hard between foes to help set a modest pace with three other rivals heading down the back stretch. He & another horse then edged away from the others & went head-to-head entering the far turn as the pace quickened. He traveled best of all rounding the bend to the top of the stretch while eyeballing that foe in the 2P, then came under a strong ride upon straightening. He responded to pressure & poked his head in front ~3/16 pole but could not establish a clear advantage & despite battling hard, lost the lead ~1/8th pole . He then became leg weary close home & lost 2nd as well. Traveled well while helping set the pace to the top of the stretch but could not extend away late & became vulnerable close home. Tried hard but had no excuse either. It’s had to see how he improves upon this. |
| FOGGY DEW | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Fast, 05/02/25 – 3rd | ‘FD’ broke alertly & showed good natural speed early. He worked forward to contest the pace along the rail under a tight hold racing down the back stretch to the far turn, then continued to travel well along the rail rounding the far turn to ~5/16 pole before he was came under pressure to hold his advantage with two stronger traveling foes looming on his outside. He responded to pressure & held his advantage to the top of the stretch but then, having come under a strong ride, he dropped back into 3rd ~3/16 pole. He then continued to try hard chasing the top two to the wire & gamely held 3rd, despite drifting out, but had no shot at victory. Vied for the lead along the rail to the top of the stretch, then faded but not for a lack of trying. Remains lightly raced so could improve as he makes his third start of the form cycle today, especially if establishing an easier lead. Love his attitude. |
| DEADPAN | Alw, Lrl, 1 1/8M, Good, 04/06/25 – 3rd | DEADPAN took a hefty bump at the start which resulted in him getting away in an isolated last. He was patiently ridden in that position ~9L off the pace around the first turn, then crept closer to the body of the field under a tight hold in the clear 4W running down the back stretch. He hit the far turn with momentum behind him ~5L off the pace in the 4P, then came under encouragement to maintain his progress to the top of the stretch. He steadily responded to pressure & turned for home ~4L off the pace in 4th 4W, then stayed on at one pace to the wire, however, he lacked the pace to reach/challenge the top two. Had a troubled beginning which resulted in him getting too far back early. He tried to close into the even pace but lacked the ability to do so. A clean break and/or faster pace to run at should help him step forward today. |
| IN THE DANCE | Alw, Lrl, 1M, Fast, 05/02/25 – 5th | ‘ITD’ was not rushed following a clean break from the outside gate & dropped back to chase the pace in the clear ~4L behind early. He was then scrubbed on slightly to keep tabs with the leading trio heading to the far turn & just about did so racing into & around the bend to ~3/8 pole but then started to really struggle & dropped to last under a ride. From there, he chased the field at one pace in last to the wire, never threatening. Lacked early speed & then pace to challenge when asked. Was making his first start off a layoff, so that could be seen as a minor excuse, but overall he was simply outpaced & outclassed. |
Race 9: MD-Bred MSW, 3-6YO, 5 1/2F, Turf
| HORSE | RACE | TRIP NOTE |
| TAKETHEFIFTH | MSW, FG, 5 1/2F, Firm, 03/01/25 – 5th | TAKETHEFIFTH was not rushed following a slightly slow break from the outside post & dropped to rear, racing in the clear 5W ~5L off the lead early. He then began advancing heading into the far turn & hit the bend ~3L back before maintaining his progress around horses 4W on the turn to reach the top of the stretch in a share of 2nd. From there, he came under a strong ride but found little more off the bridle & was outfinished. He stayed on at one pace late for a well beaten 5th. Wide trip. Traveled well enough to the top of the stretch but was then one paced & found little more off the bridle. A more ground saving trip today can help as he makes his second start off the layoff, though a stronger finish will be desired. |
| RAILROAD INN | DEBUTANT | |
| ELON | MC45k, Lrl, 5 1/2F, Good, 04/26/25 – 3rd | ELON hopped in the air as the gates opened, then broke inwards which resulted in him racing in behind the body of the field through the opening furlong. He then took a strong hold, moved quickly to the wide outside & made rapid headway around horses to make it a four way go for the lead rounding the turn, despite lugging out a touch. Having then come under a strong ride at the top of the stretch, he ran home gamely to the wire but could not go with the top two & flopped leads ~1/16 pole before settling for 3rd. Had a slow start, then was rushed to the front very early while widest. He did well to hang around in the stretch having already done so much, especially as he was running off a layoff. Didn’t like the fact that he flopped leads late, though he may have just been tired. He showed he had the ability to win at this level but needed a more patient, ground saving ride. |
| SUPERLASTINGSECRET | MC40k, Lrl, 6F, Fast, 02/23/25 – 4th | SUPERLASTINGSECRET broke inwards & lightly bumped with a rival but got away quickly regardless & sped to the lead early before dropping to the rail. He was then taken on for the lead by a strong travelling rival who loomed up on his outside ~9/16 pole. From there, he was ridden to hold his position along the rail but struggled to do so & gradually dropped back rounding the bend. Having then turned for home fully extended ~4L behind, he weakened to the wire. Clean trip. Flashed speed but could not maintain it & gradually faded along the rail from the far turn. No excuse. Effort followed by layoff. |
| MADEFROMLIONA | MC25k, Pim, 5F, Firm, 05/11/25 – 6th | MADEFROMLIONA broke slowly in rear & trailed between foes ~12L off the pace heading to the far turn. He maintained that position into & around the bend before coming under a ride ~1/4 pole & swinging out into the 5P at the top of the stretch. From there, he did finish okay & closed to be beaten just 4 1/2L, seemingly with energy left. However, he was also lugging in badly which restricted his forward momentum & made life hard for his rider. Lacked speed, then finished okay with energetic strides but was lugging in hard which cost him. A typically green debutant, his ability seems greater than the bare result from this race & he can improve for the experience today. The extra 1/16 today should also help. |
| SUREMEANTOBE | MC45k, Lrl, 6F, Fast, 04/25/25 – 2nd | SUREMEANTOBE broke outwards & bumped hard with a rival but showed good speed regardless to chase the pace between horses 5W ~3L off the pace early. He then worked out into the clear 4W rounding the turn & advanced nicely around horses to turn for home in a share of 2nd ~2L off the lead. From there, he rallied into the lead approaching the 1/16 pole & stayed on well to the wire but was nailed late by a faster finishing closer. Clean trip though was wide on the turn. Was arguably best having closely chased a fast pace that fell apart, only to be caught by a closer who had a perfect set-up. Action suggests surface switch will be fine. |
| KNOCKANARA | VA MC30k, Cnl, 6F, Fast, 03/14/25 – 2nd | KNOCKANARA broke alertly, then settled into a close up stalking position between horses 2W heading into the first turn before gradually advancing upsides the leader & joining that foe going best at the top of the stretch. From there, he came under a ride & blew by the longtime leader but was out footed by the much the best winner & was was left to chase that rival home in a clear 2nd. Clean stalking trip. Traveled best to the top of the stretch in a much more forward position that he’s used to as the pace was pretty slow but was then out finished by the 4/5 favorite. The rider seemingly knew that the pair were booked for 2nd in the stretch & so only used the crop once before using a gentle hand ride to the wire, so one would expect there’s more to come. Okay effort. Will likely be further off the pace today. |
| DIVINE SWAGGER | DEBUTANT |
Horses to Follow
R7: STRUTSHERSTUFF (12/1 ML)
BELLE OF RIGHTS, the 5/2 morning line favorite, stands out as the class of the field in today’s seventh race, an OC40k/N2X allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf. With a fast pace expected, she’s well-positioned to live up to her billing. That said, several others merit consideration, notably STRUTSHERSTUFF. This lightly raced 4-year-old daughter of EXAGGERATOR returned from a 134-day layoff on April 19 to deliver an eye-catching performance over 5½ furlongs. Closing from last into a moderate pace, she finished a strong third, just a half-length behind the re-opposing 4/1 shot PRECIOUS AVERY, and 1¾ lengths ahead of GIFT OF GAB, who later took second in Pimlico’s The Very One S. STRUTSHERSTUFF posted the race’s fastest final 3/16th in that contest, outpacing PRECIOUS AVERY by 0.75 seconds, and her running style suggested she’ll relish today’s longer distance – as has been the case in all her starts to date. The run likely set her up perfectly for today, and now stretching out to a route of ground for the first time, she could take a big step forward. Her speed figures are competitive with the market leaders, and at a 12/1 morning line, she offers solid value. The addition of top rider Sheldon Russell, who boasts a 29%-win rate for trainer Madison Meyers, only strengthens her case and she looks to have a real shot of hitting the board, or better.
R8: FOGGY DEW (9/2 ML)
In the hope that he’ll drift up off his 9/2 morning line, FOGGY DEW is worth a shot to pull off the upset in today’s eighth race, a 1 1/16-mile allowance on dirt. The lightly raced son of IRISH WAR CRY gave his trainer Eveline Kjelstrup an emotional first win when breaking his maiden comfortably in gate-to-wire fashion off the layoff in April, then made a respectable first start against winners most recently. As highlighted in the trip notes, he traveled well vying for the lead along the rail to the top of the stretch, then faded into third behind the more seasoned DERBYNESS and CARVELLIAN QUEST, but not for a lack of trying. In fact, his gritty attitude is one of his key strength. That race earned him a 71 Beyer, putting him within reach of today’s top contenders, and as he now makes just his fourth career start and third off the layoff – a point when horses often peak – he could take another step forward to score this afternoon. With Victor Carrasco unavailable, speed-specialist Xavier Perez will take the mount for the first time – a plus for a front-runner who doesn’t yield easily – and with upside that others lack, he could provide solid value at around 5/1.
R9: MADEFROMLIONA (20/1 ML)
Scratched out of Saturday’s sixth race at Laurel to take up his spot as the 8/5 favorite in this seemingly weaker contest, SUREMEANTOBE could be tough to stop in the night cap with blinkers going on for the first time. If 8/5 doesn’t excite you though, why not take a second look at the longest shot on the board, MADEFROMLIONA. This Carl Doran trained MADE FROM LUCKY gelding never factored in his debut at Pimlico last month, finishing sixth of ten with a Beyer speed figure of just 40. A repeat of that won’t suffice today. However, as highlighted in the trip notes, he was so green and raw that day, breaking slowly to be racing thirteen lengths off the pace at the first point of call before he lugged in through the stretch on his left lead, that all things considered, he did well to be beaten just 4 1/2-lengths. The energetic strides with which he finished suggested that there’s far more to come from him and with an extra 1/16 mile to work with today, he’s entitled to take a notable step forward which could see him play a role this afternoon. Over the past five years, Doran’s sixteen first-time starters have yielded just one win and two seconds. In contrast, his twelve second-time starters have produced two wins, two seconds, and two thirds, with eight posting double-digit Beyer improvements, despite those runners having been sent off at average odds of 15/1. Having flashed ability in his debut, MADEFROMLIONA could follow this trend, hit the board at a big price, and maybe even light up the tote board.
Good luck playing Laurel today!
