Off a hectic handicapping week, we’re back to normal 3-day racing weeks at Presque Isle Downs. I got cold yesterday playing Saratoga, so a little action on the tapeta will get me ready for the rest of the new week. We’re getting into that long summer stretch, so without further ado, lets get to the first race.
All times EDT
RACE 1 – 5 furlongs, Maiden Special Weight Post Time: 3:30 p.m
Opening the card with a 2-year-old maiden race gives an interesting feel to the early multirace wagers. Keeping in mind how quick the rail was last time weather was in the area, I’m taking the sharp Sinking Coin (#1) to score big in the opener. Out of the first crop of the multiple Grade 1 winner Cyberknife, Sinking Coin has shown consistency in her work times, with her last being a 47 second work over 4 furlongs. Trainer Ron Potts, Jr. is also 24% with his 2-year-old runners. For second, I’m opting for the experience of Castle Dark (#5). She showed early interest in her first race before fading, and just clocked a blistering 46 second work over 4 furlongs. Another Potts runner, Tiz’s Cupcake (#7) also makes it into my selections based on works and could be the first winner for debut sire Tale Of Silence. His last 4 furlong work was 47.1 seconds, and has turned in an impressive regiment of works to back it up. Leading rider Antonio Gallardo is riding at a 25% clip, so any mount he is on I would consider live.
Race 1 selections:1-5-7
RACE 2 – 6 furlongs, Maiden Special Weight Post Time: 3:57
Another maiden race here that should force anyone playing a multirace sequence to get creative. I’m opting for Honorandaprayer (#4), getting Gallardo in the saddle and tying the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure of the field. I expect her to get the edge on the horse who bested her by a neck, Au Corant (#1), ridden by Gaddiel Martinez and trained by Kelley Colgan. This pair was beaten by a horse called Out In The Cold, who turned around and beat an allowance field in her first start against winners. Tinker Bull (#6) drops from a tough edition of the Malvern Rose Stakes still a maiden, and should find herself tough to beat for show after taking on high-class company.
Race 2 selections:4-1-6
RACE 3 – 1 mile 70 yards, Maiden Special Weight Post Time: 4:24
Three straight maiden races to start the day(we should call it the All Maidens Pick-3…actually maybe we don’t do that). I’ll opt for Intimate (#1) and jockey Walber Alencar to get it done after running in the money each of her last three starts. She also has speed figs on the synth that blow the other horses out of the water. I expect H. Graham Motion’s runner Companion (#2) to be a threat with her speed figures, but I have little interest in playing a horse changing surfaces as a heavy favorite.
Race 3 selections:1-2
RACE 4 – 6 furlongs, Claiming $8,500 Post Time: 4:51
This race is a two-horse track meet between On Tap (#3) and Shy Da Runner (#6). While the #3 is making the milder rise in class, I think #6 had the more impressive effort of beating a larger field, so I’ll put #6 over #3 for this selection. The workout reports also indicate Shy Da Runner is ready to fire, turning two 46.4 second works over 4 furlongs. Thalberg (#1) has a lot of success at this level, but turned an uncharacteristic 43 BSF last out. A return to form in this race would be most welcome.
Race 4 selections:6-3-1
RACE 5 – 5 furlongs, Maiden Special Weight Post Time: 5:18
Debuting sire Nashville already has 3 winners from 13 runners, and if Nessy (#7) shows the same interest early that he did in his debut at Thistledown, he could be the first winner for his sire on the tapeta. The #7 set the pace and held for second in his first start, and that kind of front-end speed is what I like to see in these short sprint races. Luis Rivera comes in to ride this horse, a good indicator of potential. I’m not sure if I would play this one should the price shorten up. Zee R One (#2) seemed to wake up on the all-weather surface after three dismal starts in higher classes, and could run back nicely after a lightning-quick 35.2 second workout over 3 furlongs. Trainer Timothy Hamm brings Gangam Grey (#4) out for an extra half-furlong, and will likely be a favorite on the board after a second place effort on June 17th.
Race 5 selections:7-2-4
RACE 6 – 1 mile, Claiming $25,000 Post Time: 5:45
Nuts And Bolts (#4) looks to be the only pacesetter in the race, but I question whether or not he has the ability to hold off the chasers and late surging types in the field. I’ll take the horse one gate over, Mr. Colossal (#5) to break through going shorter after running a mile and 70 yards in allowance company and finishing 2 and a half lengths back in 3rd. Buck’s Howl (#2) offers potential to build on only his third lifetime start, a win at this distance, and a solid speed figure of 63. I’ll pencil in the #4 for third here, as I think the lack of pressure, on paper at least, sets him up to run well.
Race 6 selections:5-2-4
RACE 7 – 1 mile 70 yards, Claiming $12,500 Post Time: 6:12
I’m not going to mess with the mojo of Cocktail Kisses (#3), who’s thriving on the Erie tapeta in her 4-year-old campaign with a win and a narrowly beaten second place to show for it. Gaining more ground should benefit her, and Gaddiel Martinez will be back aboard the daughter of Classic Empire. In the trip notes for the horse who ran third in the #3’s last race, Baytown Storm (#7), it says she shied from the winner’s crop. That one note probably cost the horse a shot to win the race. If she comes out away from competition in the stretch, she could make it interesting. Ohoopee (#5) is a horse I have no interest in betting on to win at the 2-1 morning line, but I can’t ignore Linda Rice and her 26% winrate extending her sprinters to longer races, with a $2.48 ROI might I add.
Race 7 selections:3-7-5
RACE 8 – 6 furlongs, Claiming $5,000 Post Time: 6:39
The largest and last race of the day, as I’ve said before, will leave bettors needing to go wide on any multirace wagers. I’ll take the 8-1 Lady Hamilton (#5), who’s done some great running on the Presque Isle tapeta. She hasn’t run here since 2024, but she’s kept plenty busy in the meantime with not much recently to show for it. Coming in at this low class could be the fix for her. Shin Jidai (GB) (#8) takes a sharp dive in class after a $20k optional claimer, and could flex some power based on two 50+ Beyers. Whispering Sea (#9) has come off her layoff looking dreadful, but I’ll give her one more shot. It could be she’s missing Israel Rodriguez, who jockeyed her in her 7 starts over the Presque Isle synth last year. She gets Carlos Barbosa for the second consecutive time today.
Race 8 selections:5-8-9
I hope weather in the area doesn’t dampen a great card, but it has me keyed up to look for a potential bias to emerge. I’m keeping my eye on any potential rainfall and how that could affect the running surface. We’ll know more after the card wraps up, so I hope to see you back here tomorrow for more Presque Isle handicapping!
