Laurel Saturday | Road To Preakness 151

Oh, it's true. Bad music, Great show.

It's the horse racing happy hour.

Hanging out with Johnny P John Piazzic.

My name is Louis Rabo. Thanks for hanging out with us.

Derby prep season. It's also means it's Preakness

prep season. And of course, we'll get back at

it at Laurel Park this weekend. A pair of preps, one of them on

the Black Eyed Susan, one for the Preakness side of things,

private terms, of course, on that side of things.

John Piazzic with us. You know him up there in NYC,

but also of course, as the brain behind all things history in

there in Maryland. John, how are you, man?

Are you doing all right? What's going on?

I am doing fantastic. And Speaking of that, it's it's

it's funny because so I do another podcast with our pal

Frank Vespi every week and on this week's episode he asked,

Yep, racing biz.com so he can find me Frank and all that good

stuff. And he asked me and the other Co

host, Mack Pfeiffer, He said who was the horse that Linda Albert,

who's a local trader had in the Preakness and without even

hesitating water cannon. And he was like, wow, you really

are not about this. And I'm like.

Yeah, it's not. It's not something that you hide

from though, which I'm very proud of.

I'm very glad that you don't think anything about your insane

knowledge of Maryland racing history, but here we are

nonetheless. It is time for those preps.

But man, Sunday's going to be a cool day too and a real, I think

a real legitimate and and worthwhile attempt to elevate

the Maryland million as a program and as a state bred

institution, frankly, within Maryland, of course, the first

to have a this kind of day, this sort of champions day that we

sort of see with other. And by the way, I love it.

State breads around the country. It's a fantastic day, whether

it's in Maryland or Indiana or Iowa or wherever it might be.

Those are always great days. John, what's going on on Sunday

and how are you involved? So for anyone who is on track

that day, I will be hosting the Co hosting the Renaissance

Champion Awards, which will honor the top Maryland breads

and top Maryland based horses of 2025.

And and for the first time since before COVID, the winners have

not been announced in advance, so those will be revealed on

Sunday. I know what they are.

There's no huge surprises, but it's going to be a great day.

Yeah. And then on top of that, and,

and I should note, Callie Francois, who is one of the

honor hosts at at at the Railway Jockey Club, is going to be my

partner in crime for that. And then on the race card, there

are a pair of Maryland Million sponsored sort of allowances.

They're open to all horses but Maryland Million eligible

horses. In other words, Maryland side

horses are eligible for very big bonuses in both of them.

It's it's a $5000 bonus, the highest finishing Maryland

million eligible horse, 2000 for 2nd, 1000 for 3rd, and then 500

for any Maryland sided horse who who just enters the gate.

And I know there's going to be a few more of those over the

course of the year. Nothing concrete, but there are

a lot of really cool things in the hopper.

I know the president of Maryland Million, TK Kugelu, who I've

known for a long time, he is very keen on making the Maryland

Million a year round event, not just one weekend in in October.

So it's very exciting stuff. No, it's awesome.

I'm really excited to see all of it get played out.

My plan, at least at this point, it is March, but we're talking

about October, is that I'll be at the Maryland Million doing a

bunch of stuff as well. And so hopefully we'll have all

of these great started. When you mentioned those starter

allowances before we got on air, John, it reminded me a bit of

the claiming crowd and how they use the starter allowance sort

of, you know, they use that to include as many horses as

possible in those in those conditions.

I think it makes a ton of sense for what you're trying to

accomplish for the Maryland Million there in, you know, at

Laurel Park. And so I do, I think, I think

it's a set up that can work. And boy, if there's, if there's

a $10,000 per race incentive essentially for these kinds of

things, you're going to fill the starting gates with that as

well. So that's exciting.

Yeah, it's it's really cool stuff.

I mean, I ironically treat Maryland million the way most

racing fans treat various cup. It's like my big day of the

year. It is the day in which all the

people I follow all year long are in the spotlight.

And in addition to these races, there's also been a Maryland

sired maiden bonus, which started fairly recently.

If if you're Maryland sired and you break a maiden in Maryland,

you get some nice bonus money. So it's a lot of stuff designed

to encourage horsemen and breeders to breed to Maryland

stallions and race in Maryland. So it's still kind of in its

infant state, but in the long run it's going to be a win, win,

win. All right, well he's Johnny

Piazza, I'm Louis Ribow. Thanks for hanging out with us

here on the horse racing happy hour.

We'll look at the late pick 5 here on Saturday at Laurel Park.

And John, let's let's be very frank about field size and

different things for this part of the sequence.

A reminder the take out rate takes it it it balances out

field size, which is awesome, right?

It really does help with that you can overcome bad take out

with field size. You need a lot of help on take

out. Getting down to 12% is great for

smaller fields. But also, hey, if you feel

confident about your pick five, play it for a buck instead of

$0.50, right? Do something like that play.

Frankly, John, one of my favorite bets when we get to a

place like Kentucky Downs where we get much bigger fields, as I

like to play a pick 3 for like $1.50 so that I'm playing it

three times, something like that, right?

Where you don't have to go dollar increments, that kind of

thing, $1.50 pick 5 might be the play this weekend.

I mean, I have long been of the belief that at all tracks pick

fours, it would be a dollar and I and I would not be opposed to

making pick threes even $2.00, I think and I know a lot of tracks

have double s at $5 minimums or $3 minimums.

I do think, you know, the way to really make money is you can't

make money betting every race. That's not possible, right?

So you're better off, as you said, really hammering home your

strongest opinions and that's how you make betting.

That's exactly right. And it especially if you don't,

if one of those is taking a stand, right, if you're trying

to beat up saver at an 8 to 5, nine to five kind of runner that

we'll see on this card. That's how you can make money

here. We'll go through the races here.

We're largely leaning on John for the handicapping in Maryland

as we usually do. We have his top 4IN of the pick

5 here. Again, a 12% take out there at

Laurel Park. Excited to get going on this

one. Race 5 starts that pick five,

$40,000 claim price here in an optional claimer. 50 thousand

$52,000 purse on the line, 98 half furlongs exactly 1 mile and

a 16th on the dirt there. If you are unfamiliar with the

layout at Laurel Park, they do have this starting gate a little

bit ahead of the finish line mile and an eighth course.

They're at Laurel Park, but to not run over the mile A1 turn

mile there at Laurel. They do have races at this

distance, including the private terms which we'll talk about in

the late double. This is for four not non 2

lifers here. John, where'd you land in Race

5? So I handicap all these races

before the morning line comes out.

I dug into this card mostly on Tuesday and the morning line

came out this afternoon. So I was very surprised when I

saw #4 Hagrid's Flame at Even Money.

And I was delighted to see number one take the pledge at

5:00 to 1:00 because I thought he ran really well last time

out. It was his first start off about

an 8 month layoff. He closed into a very slow pace,

but still ran about as well as one could have expected given in

the circumstances. He was fourth, beaten by about 5

lengths. Did lose to a few of these, but

as mentioned, it was his first start in a very long time.

He was in fantastic form in Pennsylvania last year.

He won three out of five at his Penn National base before going

on the sidelines. Cow Lynch does much better

Second off the layoff then first, and I, and I think the

pace could play in his favor. The aforementioned Hagrid's

Flame has a bit of speed, as does #3 Secret Zipper, who is

tough to beat if he gets a clear lead.

If he can't get to the front, he's not very good.

So I'm kind of hoping that Secret Zipper and Hagrid's

Flame, you may not duel each other, but at least press each

other a little bit and that'll set things up for Take the

Pledge. Take the pledge, only one

lifetime run there at Laurel. It was last out.

First off, the layoff there, a long one, frankly, from late

June to early March this year. Second off the layoff there, as

John mentioned, should be an interesting runner there to

pick. Kick off the late pick 5 again,

talk with Johnny P Johnny Piazzic, My name is Louie Ramo.

Thanks for hanging out with us on the Horse racing happy hour.

How's your bracket looking by the way, John?

Yeah, well, your mixed bag. For me today.

Is not going to appreciate this, but I did pick against the

Cardinals in the first round and I was punished for my hubris.

So but it did kick high point. And it's funny because I was in

a meeting. I think the game started right

before I had to go into a meeting and they were getting

stumped. So I'm like, yeah, you know,

screw this. And then the meeting ends and I

checked the scores and I'm like, wait a second, this is a game

here. Oh, we, we had a day today,

John. I mean, that Ohio State TCU game

just to kick things off was spectacular that we got that

high point up, Scott, that was great.

I mean, like the early part of the day was really fun.

That Louisville game, frankly, they were up by like 20.

South Florida King charging back, that thing ended a four

point game. So no, just a great start to the

NCAA tournament. My wife always jokes that once

Sunday Selection Sunday hits, John, she just doesn't see me

until mid June around here, right?

Because I got college. Oops.

And then I got Derby season and I got Triple Crown.

She's just not going to see me until June.

It's just the best time of year for me for sure.

A maiden 25 awaits us in Race 6. But John, I'm sorry I cut you

off. No, I was going to ask because I

know you're a Michigan boy. Are you Michigan or Michigan

State? It's a really good question.

I I went to state actually. So yeah, I'm a I'm a I'm an Izzo

guy. There you are.

Yes, they, they looked like an Izzo team today after not

looking like that the season. So that was nice to see today.

I'm not going to lie to you. Mid 25 to kick off the late pick

four race 6 here at Laurel Park as part of our Road to Preakness

151 series. John Piaszak, Lou Rebeau hanging

out with you 6 furlongs on the dirt.

Here's 3 year old Phillies in this one.

John, where'd you land in this field?

I I would tell you I love a second timer.

We've got a set of them in here that I think are interesting.

Well, back to your point about trying to beat favorites and get

value in a pick 5I pick #5 Dolly's Jolene second, but I

think she is going to be a horse I'll try to beat in the

sequence. I mean, she looked pretty good

last time out at Aqueduct. Set the pace, LED almost the

whole way ended up being beat only by a like than 1/2 in in

her first start with Lasik's and blinkers.

And that comes down here for Kerry Brion who's just kind of

getting her bone back going as grass and people chase season

approaches. The only problem is is is she's

three to two on morning line and you know that a lot of betters

are going to see aqueduct lines and Carrie's name and just

flocked the windows and drive her price way down.

So she merits respect but, and I might have to use her because I

am singling at other points in sequence, but I I would be very

happy to beat her. I end up landing on one of those

second time starters #4 Whim of Fortune, who in her first crew

start ran into a tank in my girl back home who just towered over

that field. My girl back Home never gave

anyone else a chance and won by 6 lengths.

But if you look at Whim of Fortune tracing in isolation,

it's really not that bad. She gave him off the pace and

ended up finishing a clear cut second by 9 1/2 lengths.

Has worked fairly well since. Should improve second time out

at 8:00 to 1:00 on morning line. I think if you got anywhere near

that, that's tremendous value. Yeah, no, it's interesting too,

with a couple of other second timers in here, of course.

John's order here, 456 and 2. Emma Mermaid, Xavier Perez, of

course, or John, Rob here. What do you make of her?

I think she fits in here really well as well.

I think she'd also be a great value at 821 and if I could pick

again, I might if if I'd handicapped again after I saw

them running line, I might have picked her second.

I mean she took a big step forward second off the bench

last time out. He'd get pretty she has to pace

to close into but still rallied well got up for second.

Jerry Rob does do much better with each start his horses make

off the bench. His His first call jockey Xavier

Perez is going to be in the saddle.

You know that should be flying late and should at least offer

some value for exacta or trifecta.

Players yeah, no, I think that's exactly right. 456 and two for

John there in race 7 moving on late pick three time at Laurel

Park starts the pair of stakes on the card.

The beyond the wire is part of the road to the Black Eyed

Susan. It is the Kentucky Oaks, the

Acorn, whatever you want to call it of the Maryland circuit the

Friday before it gets its own day, the Friday before the

Preakness. Of course Piblico Special

generally run on that day as well.

Beyond the wire is A1 turn mile dirt race for three-year old

Phillies, $100,000 on the line in here and we get an

interesting sort of two horse rematch in here between law

school and Peach tie. We lost last saw these two in

February in the wide country. And what's interesting about

that, John, is I, I kind of want to pick your brain about this.

It's probably going to rain Friday night, but not on

Saturday. What do you expect the track to

be like by the time we get to this race around what, 3:00 in

the afternoon at Maryland? Because these two have been

going at it in the slop, in the mud, that kind of thing.

Is there a chance we actually have a dry track on Saturday?

I would say it's going to be on the good side of fast,

especially because it's going to be fairly warm in Maryland that

afternoon as we're approaching real spring as opposed to fake

spring. So I don't think it's.

The fake promises, Oh my God, those snowflakes.

The snowflakes in Colonial were the size of Maryland.

It's not OK. It's.

Well, you know not. OK.

It sucks because I saw like last week here in the city, it was

like upper 70s, right? And I had to remind myself it's

not gonna last. It's just fake spring.

Gotta be. Gotta be prepared.

So true. It's man.

So in this race we do get law school who went back and ran at

parks in the main line, but before that was running at

Laurel Park where she has never missed the board in three races,

one, one and one across there. But Peach tie 3 for three.

This is the Russell Russell connection.

You talk about singling, John. Is this where you're going to

single? Yes, but not either one of them.

Well, possibly, but but it would not be either one of them.

I have never known what to make of Peach tie.

I mean honestly, she hasn't done anything wrong.

She's undefeated on dote and has run especially big races in, in

the last few starts, but she has never run, at least on the

Brisan scale, which I use. She just has not run an

especially fast race. Now part of that is because

often times she's way out in front at the 8th pole and I

think Sheldon kind of wraps up on her a lot.

But still, I, I, I would like to see, see, see a little bit more,

more out of her in that regard. She's, she's also never been

beyond 7 furlongs and this is a mile.

As for law school, I was super high on her going into the wide

country. That race left me cold and the

main line left me extremely cold.

I mean, she just did not lift a hoof that afternoon at 1:00 to

5:00. I know, yes, it was a sea of mud

that day at parks, but I would have expected a better effort

than that. It wasn't it not only was 1/3 a

very bad third and if she's going to be a low price again, I

will take my chances against her and let the Ness Hazelwood Dream

Team beat me. So I'm going to land on the one

Miss Bolton gal at six to one a Philly I've had my had my eye on

for a long time. I really like to race, last time

out going a mile and a 16th on the General George.

Barbara Fritchie undercode where she wore down a clear early

leader, won by two and a quarter lights with a career best figure

on the Brisbane scale of 84. Ivy Girl, who came in second in

that race, came back to win the main line, beating law school in

the process. Miss Holton Gow put in a bullet

workout at Laurel on March 11th with four furlongs in a very

sharp 47 and one. She always looked like the type

who will like more distance. She she's already won at this

distance and I think shorts offer fantastic value,

especially if Peach Tie and Law school get bet as much as their

warning lines would indicate. Super interesting that the three

top likely favorites in this race have never even won at a

mile. Miss Fulton Gal, 2 seconds and

three runs at a mile. Law School.

A third place finish in a single run at a mile.

Peach Tie, as you mentioned, has never gone this distance before.

Let's talk about the others in this field just in case we do

get one that takes a leap forward here and is is a

contender for that Black Eyed Susan, some mummy to level break

from the three here. This is a Munnings.

This is a pretty Roly bred Pennsylvania bred here.

Smart strike on the damn side. She's obviously made for a

little bit more distance. I thought that maiden breaker

last out was good at Pennsylvania.

Excuse me, good at parks, but boy, you get that Lasix involved

and now we go back off Lasix here.

How does that play in for you, John?

And I think the one turn mile. I think she can do it.

I think she can. I think so too.

I picked 2 fours almost by default because I am not that

crazy about anybody else in here.

I will say who going back off of lay 6 makes me a bit suspicious,

but she was already in improving form prior to that race and I I

really liked the way she won it. Coming from dead last to win by

almost 5 lengths. I mean 12 to one on on morning

line I I things would end up going off higher than that.

Would not surprise me if you ended up getting 20 to one on

her if you did that. She'd be a must use in any multi

race bet. Yeah, that's interesting moving

forward. But yeah, out of these horses

here, John, out of these Phillies, which one do you think

is the most likely to hit the board in the Black Eyed Susan?

I think it's Miss Fulton Gale. I I think Peach Tie and law

school may have already seen their best days.

I think Miss Fulton Gal is only going to get better and

hopefully her effort in the beyond the wireless stakes makes

folks believe. Miss Fulton Gal, a daughter of

Grade 1 winner Rock'n'roll, of course, the Santa Anita Derby

winner as a three-year old. Race 8 starts the late double

there at Laurel Park. And it is also the private

terms, the Preakness prep here. And the horses are going two

turns for the first time, 8 1/2 furlongs mile and a 16th on the

dirt there at Laurel Park, those 3 year olds.

And of course, $100,000 on the line.

As I mentioned, we're starting just past the finish line there

at Laurel Park. John, let's go through, you

know, horse by horse here. We've got a field of 6 and we've

got three that are Triple Crown nominated in here.

Let's go. Lando is not one of them.

And I think he's the likely favorite if Hollywood import

doesn't get bet down in this race here.

Second in the Miracle Wood last time to Taj Mahal, who is now on

the Derby trail. And they were really close.

And by the way, let's go ahead and pause the world.

That's who told me that Taj Mahal was going to be on the

trailer. Boom, there it was.

You called it after that race. We'll get to him in just a

second. How good of a showing was that

from Let's Go Lando and can he get it done here?

I thought it was absolutely phenomenal, especially because I

think Taj Mahal is a very, very serious force.

I absolutely love the way Taj Mahal ran in the Miracle Wood,

and I'm kind of hoping that people dismiss those Maryland

lines going into the Wood Memorial and that he can get the

job done and become one of the few forces ever to win two races

with Wood in their names in one year.

How Mike? You're sparkling word play you,

jerk you. Know you know but let's go in.

I ran very well in his own right.

He made a big move after a a wide trip on the turn.

He gave Taj Mahal all all he could handle in the lane.

Ended up losing by a neck in a game effort two starts back

going a mile against first level allowance phones.

He absolutely crushed the field 1 by 6 lengths while beating two

horses. He'll he'll see here in Lundy

loot and code of silence. Now Gary Capuano, who has a very

powerful 3 year old string this year.

He entered three horses in this race and all of them worked

together at a mile on March 14th and let's go Lando had the Co

fastest time. He went a mile in a minute 43

and 1/5 matching wild warrior Hollywood import not to spoil

too much, did not go that fast. Let's go.

Lando has a regal pedigree. He is.

Taipu is going to like more distance.

He's already won at a mile and a 16th.

He's only going to get better as time goes on.

I think he's strictly the one to beat.

Let's go Lando breaking from the inside three O golden Sunday he

of game winner not for love on the damn side.

Should love the distance and seem to love it getting to a

mile the last two times out. Code of silence.

A break from the two. This is one that we saw in the

spectacular bid at Laurel Park in the beginning of February.

So the race before this one, I thought he was.

I thought he was pretty good that race.

Can Timothy Keith pull the upside here?

Well, the aforementioned Frank Vespi has been high on this

force for a very long time. Yes, he has.

That's true. And you know what, the owners

were too because they did nominate this horse to the

Triple Crown back in early February, so clearly they think

they have something here. And he showed a lot of promise

last year when he won a very salty maiden race, then got up

in a very determined effort to win.

The Maryland Juvenile was well beaten by a Code of sight, by a

Let's Go and a rally two starts back then, as you mentioned,

overcame a poor start and a very solid third in the spectacular

bid. He has not been a mile and a

16th before, but based on the way when he runs, his pedigree

and the way Tim Keith talks about him, I do suspect that he

really wants two turns. I'm hoping that the Captain Rono

trio gets pretty well bet and Called Silence goes Off at a

good price. I picked him third and I will

almost certainly end up using him at least on a backup ticket

in the P5. Interesting, let me loot in the

three hole here out of the Ashby barn.

Why not? Taking a shot here with this one

feels like a bit of a big shot. Frankly, I'm surprised the four

to one number there are you. I think he'll go off higher than

that, like I picked him 4th, but it's just a wide open field.

I think he may have a lot of respect.

I mean, I mean, he has held his own in his last few starts.

He set the pace and we had a nice second to let's Go Lando in

his last start. He hasn't raced since then.

He was entered and scratched here a few weeks ago.

I want to say he was entered and scratched at Colonial 2, but I I

might have just hallucinated that.

Anyway, he has decent early speed.

There's not a ton of early pace in here, so if Joe Rocco wants

to be aggressive he might just try to send and take him gate to

wire and it would not be a shock if he held on.

From the four will break the likely favorite Hollywood import

as the aforementioned Garrett Capuano trains won the

spectacular bid won at 7 furlongs and a heft before that.

Also on this trail. Does he keep it going, John?

I mean, on one hand, he ran just a gigantic race in the

spectacular bid it it's actually not dissimilar to the ones that

Taj Mahal and Luska Lando ran in the miracle would, albeit with

not as high a speed figure. Now, after that race, I know

Gary had talked about sending him to the Gotham.

He ended up not going there. Of course, this is his first

start since this spectacular bid.

And going back to those workouts, this one went a mile

on the same day that his ablemates worked a mile in a

minute 41 and 3/5. He worked a mile in a minute 44

and 4/5. I don't know if that was by

design or what, but either way, it's a bit of A cause or a

pause. And I do want to note also that

because Gary has three horses in in here, he's he's kind of

mixing and matching jockeys. JJ Troy Alba just had him.

Out to. Lester Lando, he hasn't won him

before, and Troy Alba, who rode Hollywood Import last time out,

now jumps off Michael Sanchez, who rode him in the heft, now

gets the board. So I don't know quite what to

make of that, so I don't want to read too much into it.

I do know Hollywood Import has a high ceiling, a big shot.

I just think he'll be over BET. Higher sense will break from the

five here. This is the Lopez Petalosa

combination we've seen just a few times there at Laurel Park.

This one tried the miracle would last time, didn't like it.

I'll go ahead and chalk that up to bad track conditions for this

one. Finished second by Behind My

Lada before did break its maiden going a mile at Laurel Park

there, but that was on Lay 6. We're off Lay 6 again here.

What do you make of higher sense in this spot?

You know, it's, it's an interesting point that you made

about the track. And first of all, I, yeah, do

have to know what Hyosense like myself is the Jersey bread.

So I do have to cheat for him. Shut up in some way you know.

It's a cheap Jer. It's a cheap Jersey bread.

I don't know that you know, John.

I don't. I don't know.

I don't want to say anything about your parents.

How about that? I'm not going.

To I digress anyway, so. Coming on this show again.

I always sense in in his career he's raced 7 times.

He's run 2 huge speed figures and five really bad ones.

He had a big second in his boat debut at parks in late October,

well beaten in his next two stars.

Just absolutely freaked going the one to a mile on this track

when he was allowed to set a pretty loose lead and just ran

on with it. Then as you mentioned in the

Miracle, would try to come from off the pace and that did not

work out too well. So you know that his best race

is probably going to win this one because if he runs to 100%

of his power, he's going, he's going to outrun Lundy Lude,

he'll make the front and he'll win, right.

But I just don't think the odds of that happening or that good.

All right, Wild Warrior breaking from the outside Superstar ends

at Hazelwood at this point, gets them out for all they do is win

at 45% together at Laurel Park. If someone told you they were

just going to lean on that with this horse, who by the way does

have a win at the distance, has tried the mile on a 16th at

Laurel Park as well, would you call them a crazy person or is

this a horse with a chance? That's The thing is if you

didn't look at jockeys, you would think this was by far the

weakest of the three Gator Capuano trainees.

And you may see I did not include him in my top four.

I mean, he he he did ride his horse when he won a first level

allowance last December. Didn't ride him in this

particular bid where he really didn't didn't run that well.

He sat off the pace on the inside, ended up kind of a flat

5th. He's worked pretty well since.

He worked at the same time as let's Go Lando.

I just don't get like going back to my point about jockeys.

I'm trying not to get into it too much, but I'm still like,

why did Hazelwood pick this one? Or why did Gary put Hazelwood on

this horse? Like, yeah, do they, do they all

know something we don't like? I don't quite know what's going

on. Of course, there's a possibility

that Hazelwood rides and the horse still finishes up the

track because he's not as good as his stablemates.

So I'll try to beat him. But it would not be a shock if

he won at a very good price. And I'm kicking myself

afterward. Wild Warriors sort of

improbable. Lemon drop kid on the damn side

should love the mile and a 16th has already won at the distance.

Has tried it twice there at Laurel Park.

First time though was a first time trying against winners and

has improved steadily since then in the speed of figure

department. Move on to the closer there at

Laurel Park talking with John Piazza.

My name is Louie Arbao. This is our road to Preakness 1

of 51 series. The closer is race 9 mile on a

16th same exact dirt track. We're running for $22,000 here

and you can put your horse in if they've never won three races

for 12/5 in this one. John Margellan in the in the

finale. So I end up picking #3 twice

gold on top. I mean, not much value at a six

to five winning line. But he hasn't very well in his

last two stars. He got caught kind of behind a

tricky pace last time out. Still, we got a nice figure and

has worked well since. Hazelwood keeps them out after

riding him to that runner up finish #5 lucked in, who is 1/2

brother to, among others, Maryland Red Star quartermaker.

We had a really nice second at this level last time out.

He had a bit of traffic trouble at the top of the stretch,

gobbled up ground, ended up losing by only a half length.

He'll need a pace to close into and and I I don't know if he'll

get it, but if he does he is I think the best threat to upset.

There you go, 351 and four for John in the final race there

Saturday at Laurel Park. Thanks for hanging out with us

on the horse Racing Happy Hour. I will be live back here 2:00

Eastern Time, 11:00 AM Pacific for our SoCal Saturday series.

Of course tomorrow and then on Saturday we'll be live up at

Turfway Park 11:00 AM Eastern Time and 8:00 AM Pacific Time.

So go check us out on there. We'll have some guests stop by.

Sean Collins will be my Co host on that one of course from the

Old Blood Horse Monday show. I think if I do this, you can

kind of see that that's what I'm blurring out there.

There you go. All right.

Well, John, I'm going to get out of here.

You have a great weekend, my friend.

What's going on at Yonkers? I never asked you what's going

on at Yonkers. I should do that.

Well, we have our big pacing series coming up.

We have the Vorgata for the male older pesos, the Oslo Macintie

for the female older pesos. That begins both begin in late

March. Let's go finals on Friday May

8th. Be sure to be there and burning

on Derby day. We'll start racing on Saturday

afternoons in twilight action, so if it's mid afternoon and

trying to get out somewhere, try get up.

Shout out to Ursula. McIntyre long time.

Shout out. Let's go.

I'm Lou Revo. This is been the horse racing

NPR. Have a great weekend everybody.