Road to the Preakness | Heft Stakes 2025

Life is good, happy Merry Christmas Eve to everybody out

there. This is the horse racing happy

hour. If we're on the road to the

Preakness, we ain't missing those shows.

That's just how it goes. Hanging out with Dan Dillman.

I'm Lou Rebeau. It is an abbreviated Wednesday

edition of the program. Want to get you caught up on all

things Maryland and Maryland scene?

Certainly Laurel Park at this point, Dan, and frankly, we're

going to be there for a while. Any updates on Pimlico?

Other than there's still there's not a Pimlico right now.

Well, we're building. We're building.

The goal is to have a Preakness and we're going to have a

Preakness in 2027. Of course, next year's Preakness

will be at Laurel Park. The 2027 The Preakness will be

at the brand spankin new Pimlico, New Hilltop, as I'm

hoping we call it. The new old hilltop, old new

hilltop, whatever we're calling it.

We'll leave that up to Dave Rodman of course, but Dale

Danoma does join us from the Maryland Jockey Club.

We do this series once a month keep you up to date on at this

point the 2 year olds on the Maryland circuit, but certainly

get into the three-year olds as we move along.

Peft and Jen talking are this weekend on Saturday as part of

the Preakness and Black Eyed Susan series that I have decided

is a series and so that's why we do them on these shows.

I don't think that anyone else reverse.

So this is the road to the Preakness.

Frankly, I don't care. I love the Preakness.

It's my favorite of the Triple Crown races to cover and so here

we are. Dan.

I am very pleased to see outside of this show Yentzy Hazelwood

getting a lot of pub around the country.

I think very deservedly as well. How is he doing with all of the

the sudden attention? Frankly, he's still a 17 year

old kid after. All he's handling it pretty well

and I think he's going to continue to improve.

He's a humble young man. He's only 17 years old.

When Jose Corral is a successful trainer on the Laurel Park,

Maryland circuit, who was a very successful rider overseas, by

the way, called me up and about the end of March and said I've

got the most exciting young apprentice prospect I've had in

many years and Jose has mentored many, many riders over the

years. You kind of perk up and pay

attention. But also as a hardened race

tracker, you say I've heard this story before.

I've seen many apprentices come and go.

This kid is the real deal. Just consider he got his first

win in April. He missed two months due to

injury. In what, 6 months, he's won 122

races. He's won over $4 million.

He won four races on Maryland million days.

Since then, he said 24 win days since.

He's won several stakes races. He has already clinched the

Laurel Park fall riding title, which will end on Sunday.

The future is unbelievably bright and it's not just because

he's the hot apprentice getting weight and he's got, you know,

great backers. You could tell this kid can

ride. His balance is unbelievable.

He's got an unbelievable future and I wouldn't trade him for any

apprentice in North America. He should be a finalist for the

Eclipse Award. I think he should win it.

We'll see what the voters have to say.

Yeah, an incredible year, frankly, for apprentices as well

up at Woodbine, of course, the stand out, just a really, really

great year. But Dan, Maryland, a circuit

where we're used to, I should say, take for granted, I think

the amount of great young riders that come through there.

Hazelwood's the best apprentice since whom on that circuit?

I mean, you could take your pick.

I mean, Rosie Naprovnik maybe was the last great apprentice

that came. But we've had so many

unbelievable riders from Chris McCarron to Kent Dsormo and the

list just goes on and on. Ramon Dominguez and Edgar Prado,

of course cut their teeth here. I would say Rosie Naprovnik.

But we've had sensational apprentice riders.

I mean, Alexander Crispin was the leading, was the champion

apprentice here, what, a couple of years ago and he was in

Maryland. Charlie Marquez was a a very

good apprentice here. This has been a proving ground

for good young riders. We hope that Yensit stays here

for a while. I'm sure that there have already

been offers for him to go and ride for the bigger outfits at

the a supposed A level tracks. He's 17 years old.

Imagine if he stays here for five years and dominates and

then all of a sudden at 22, Todd Pletcher says, hey, I rad

starting to get a little bit a little bit long in a tooth.

Let's get this kid. I I think it's absolutely on the

table. Edgar Prado is the name I hear

the most often. And that is not, that is not

small praise for a guy. Yeah, he did.

OK. That's exactly right.

It's not a small, a small amount of praise for a guy like

Hazelwood. It is interesting to watch him

though, Dan, because you're right about something.

It's not that he's getting this. He's getting 5 lbs and all of a

sudden that makes all the difference.

No, no, he's patient when he needs to be.

He'll get the lead when he needs to.

He makes he makes moves that frankly, you have to have, you

have to have a a fair amount of just natural intuition to make.

And he seems to simply have that on the course.

And frankly, coming out of that program, the Laffy Picaya

program there in in Panama, when people tell you this is the top

of the class of that group, I mean, that's it's certainly A1

to pay attention to. His name is Dan Ullman.

I'm Louis Rebeau, he's from the Maryland Jockey Club.

We are here to preview the late pick five there on Saturday at

Laurel Park, of course including the gin talking on the Black

Eyed Susan Trail and the heft which will be on the Preakness

Trail as well. Anything we need to know before

we get into this as far as scratches or anything like that?

Dan in the late sequence. Well, you know Gary Capuano only

has four in the heft, right? He told me that the three worker

bee was the longest shot on the on the morning line at 30 to 1

is a possible runner and that makes me think he's probably not

going to go. I would consider that there's a

a pretty good chance for a little bit of a wet track on

Saturday and that might come into play.

A horse like just filtered I know has one on a wet track.

But Michael Trump better told me the two starts ago when this

horse raced on a wet track at Laurel, she didn't seem to like

it very much. I took that as gospel.

She bounced back on faster going last time out, so track

condition could be key for her in the gin talk.

There you go, we will get into all of those races as part of

the league. Pick 5.

If you have not found Laurel yet, shame on you, but the pick

fives are a low, low 12% takeout.

We always encourage you to look for those takeouts, find those

best rates for you wherever it is in the country.

But man, Maryland is Steve Kornacki's favorite, favorite

track people, so come on. Well, I've always liked the kid.

You know, he's, he's a very, very smart, intelligent young

man. And I know he's taking advantage

of the free Laurel Park handicapping guide that we put

out every single racing day. laurelpark.com/picks, probably

the most extensive free handicapping publication that

any racetrack puts out. Picks, analysis, trainer stats,

trip notes, bias information, horses to watch, etcetera.

And you can't be the price. It's free.

It's the greatest addition to your own personal

handicappinglaurelpark.com/pick Steve Kornacki I'm sure sure is

following very, very closely. I would not doubt it for a

single second at all, but race 5 will kick off the late sequence

there. Odd Saturday.

This is a non 2 allowance. We're going a mile and a 16th.

If you are new to Laurel Park, it is a mile and an eighth track

like you find say in Saratoga or at a place called Ellis Park

here in Kentucky as well, starting just past that finish

line with a new start line there a mile and a 16th.

We'll get a pair of these races in the late part of the card,

$49,000 on the line and this is for Phillies and Mares 3 and up.

And damn, we've got a A1 and A1A here out of the nest Barn and we

expecting one to run and not both.

I would probably expect one of them to run, although Jamie at

times will still make a late rider switch.

I think if you're going to take one of the two, it's going to be

Pam. Pam, I'm happy that you

mentioned the track configuration at Laurel Park

because mile in the 16th races you really want to be near the

inside. It's such a short run to the

first turn that you must saves ground.

Pam Pam has speed brakes from the rail and looks like the

controlling speed. And this was last time I never

really got a breather at parks. I mean, ran the opening quarter

and something like 24 and one and then had to run the second

quarter and 24 and 1 and still ran by the pacesetter and got

the job done. I would use her and I would use

also the the leather logical horse.

I mean, Bell's Beach is coming down from New York.

First time for Brittany Russell. Brittany Russell wins off

layoffs, but Brittany Russell just wins in general.

I went over a stat and it's a little bit disheartening for

handicappers that pour hours and hours and hours into their

handicapping. If you just bet Brittany Russell

blind since May the 16th, you would have had 429

opportunities, you would have won 27% of the time, and you

would have had a positive ROI and make money just betting

Brittany Russell blind. What do you need to handicap

for? Is that right?

That's an insane statistic. I mean, that's legitimately an

insane statistic. That someone would just be a

positive. Just a trainer would be

positive. That's remark.

Not this month, since May. That's an incredible number.

Yeah. You know, we always talk about

small sample size. Oh, you know, dirt to dirt,

small sample size, that kind of thing.

That's not a small sample size, Dan.

That's the opposite of small sample size.

That's a. That's an absurd statistic for

sure. I went 1-5 in my handicapping as

well. I thought the two was

interesting here Dan in Old Bay, but not just because of the

Maryland name and not just because of Hazelwood getting

them out. But I think this is 1 that'll

want the distance. If you look at this race, this

horse's race last out kind of just faded to 3rd, But I think

that getting to that mile on the 16th might be what this one.

This is a Medallia Dora line and not for love line.

I think that this is a horse that might like to stretch out

just a little bit and it's one that I think if Yitzi can get a

little bit of rating on could be part of the equation at the end

is the four horse interesting here shine on moon.

This is one that it should be right, especially the mile and

the 16th over the turf. Switching back to dirt here.

I I don't mind the source on dirt.

The sources run some competitive races on dirt.

I do think perhaps though is better on the turf.

And again, this race is going to come down to race flow and pace.

And it does look like Pam Pam is the main speed and I do think

bells Beach is going to be fresh off the layoff and thus tactical

enough to stay close to the pace.

Shine on Moon has shown speed, but it's shown speed on turf and

it'll be very interesting to see where that speed comes on the

main track. So I'm not going to try to get

clever in here. I see what you're saying about

Old Bay, and if you want to throw a hit that horse in as

maybe AB in your lake value, pick 5, go right ahead.

But I think I'm just going to focus on the one in the five.

It's chalky, but better a short price than a long face.

Yeah, 1/5 for sure to begin the pick five there.

Move to the late pick 4 here in race 6.

We're talking Laurel Park Saturday with Dan Ilman.

He is from the Maryland Jockey Club.

Appreciate him jumping on with us on a Christmas Eve edition of

the program. This is starter optional,

claiming 6 prolongs on the dirt with a $16,000 claim price and a

$24,000 purse. Dan, this is for Phillies and

Mayors 3 and up I thought. A very interesting race.

A nice addition to the late sequence here with a nice field

of 10 as well. Extremely competitive race.

I think this is more of a spread race than some of the other legs

in this late value. Pick 5 Anita Beer is an

interesting horse for me. For Kenny Cox, Jaron Barbosa had

his choice of two runners in this race.

Another hope at 5 to 1. Anita Beer on 6 to 1.

He's going to go on Anita Beer. And Anita Beer I didn't think

had the greatest trip last time out, battling for the lead while

four wide and losing ground in a race that was won by an odds on

one away. The pace wasn't very fast and

it's really never easy to lose ground and slow paced races.

I want to give this horse another chance.

I think that Anita Beer is enough tactical speed to get

close to the pace. Certainly a horse I want to use,

especially at the six to one morning line.

I do think the key to the race, however, is the number one

Chrissy N, who's going to be ridden by Hazelwood.

This horse has done nothing in the two starts off of the

layoff, but she does have good back form and the key to this

race might be the substantial class drop.

If Chrissy N can still run, she's going to do it at this

level, and I think the price might be fair because those

recent running lines are not good.

Yeah, they're not good at all, frankly.

And it's a little difficult to figure out what this horse is

good at or frankly wants to do. The horse still wants to do it,

Dan. I mean, those runs are, I mean,

they're unacceptably bad, the last couple out.

And so I understand the jock change here.

If you wanted to try to do something the opposite of what

you were doing before, certainly Hazel would be the thing to do

in this spot. I also laid it on Anita Beer and

not because this is the horse racing happy hour, but just

because I agree with many of your points.

The only thing you didn't bring up is this seems to be in every

other type except that frankly the the run of Delaware was a

six place finish but was only by a length and 1/2.

So it was part of that late, that late blanket finish there

as well. Hopefully the pace a little bit

quicker and this one will be up closer to the front for sure.

I went to the forum next. Dan with brightness out of the

Richie Barn here has been running at Delaware.

This will be a second time ever at Laurel Park, but this is 1/1

at this 20,000 level last time. And as you mentioned, a little

difficult to make up ground if you lose ground in one of these

races. But this is one that's going to

try to come from out of the clouds, I think.

And I think the distance will be just right for for brightness as

well. So I landed 3/4, 10:00 and 9:00

here in this one. What do you make of Lady

Sriracha on the outside? Lady Sriracha goes out from Mike

Moore, who's an exceptional trainer, won a stakes race last

week here with Take the Money Honey.

He's based out at parks. This horse does fit certainly

from a class standpoint. I think has enough a tactical

speed to work out a good trip. It's all about value in this

race. A horse like Lady Sriracha is a

very fair price at 5:00 to 1:00 on the morning line by just

going over her form really quickly.

She's a horse that is in good form, but her buyer speed

figures it's not like she really has such an edge over the rest

of this field that I want to take a short price.

And I also wonder, from a class standpoint, is this a lateral

move from the beaten claimers that she was facing last time

out, or is she actually taking a step up in class?

She has one in Laurel, but she's also coming off with a little

bit of a losing streak. I wonder if these connections

just take a little bit more money than Lady Sriracha

deserves based on her form. Yeah.

That might be it. I think Ticklers inside of there

is an interesting one as well coming off the turf.

Katherine Voss trains here. Not a ton of a sample size here

going to dirt, but you know that pulpit, you know, sort of line

there with with Mr. Speaker, does ticklers make sense here?

This horse has more of a turf, I think pedigree and synthetic

pedigree on the bottom. The horse does have upside

potential, has shown some ability on the turf, but these

horses are really not my cup of tea horses just switching

surfaces like this, especially in a race that is so so

competitive. Yeah, it's tough.

Tough spot there for sure. Move on to the first stake of

the day, it is of the Gin Talking.

It'll be race 7, start of the late pick three as well. 7

furlongs on the dirt. If you are unfamiliar with the

progression to the Black Eyed Susan here, we'll run a couple

of races at the seven furlong. Move to the mile distance at

Laurel, which is over one turn, eventually getting to the mile

and a 16th in the Weaver City Miss before getting into that

Black Eyed Susan in May. The Gin Talking is a 7 furlong

dirt race here for Phillies that are two years old, $100,000 on

the line. You do not have to be a Maryland

bred to participate in this part of the series.

Dan just filtered, comes in at six to five.

Brittany Russell's got a pair in here, at least listed so far in

dazzling Damon Peach Tie. Where'd you land in this one?

I landed on Superstitious and I realized this might be a little

bit of a reach. Superstitious has tried just

filtered 3 times already and the results have been the same and

they've not been kind to Superstitious who has been

second each time to just filtered including last time at

a race where Superstitious confronted just filtered turning

for home, had every chance to win and just filtered turned her

away. Now Superstitious tried hard all

the way to the wire. I honestly think she did her

best. The key here is several fold for

me. One, I think the outside post

position here works to Superstitious his advantage and

I think being down inside with just filtered might work against

her because just filter does like to be forwardly placed.

There are some other speeds in this race she's going to have to

really work out a trip from the rail going 7/8 if the track is

wet. I like superstitious is breeding

for a wet track and Trombetta told me that he's concerned

about the possibility of a wet track for just filtered.

I do think the blinkers are also key for superstitious if she's

ever going to turn the tables. Might be because the blinkers

have given her enhanced focus, maybe enhanced tactical speed.

I've always liked this source. She shows up every time.

I want to give her one more chance.

Superstitious will break from the six obviously was the winner

2 back of the Maryland million lassie on Maryland million day

there in October at Laurel Park tried the juvenile Phillies as

mentioned to the aforementioned just filtered who did win that

one. What do you make of and and I

think we don't need to make the case for either the one or the

six in here Dan but the Brittany Russell runners here especially

dazzling day who she tried in the Pocahontas.

Is this one set to run Who's going to ride and do you give

her much of a shot here? I I happen to really like her in

the spot. I think she's very dangerous and

I think, you know, we always talk about, we joke a little bit

about, you know, Road to the Preakness in December.

But maybe this is a horse that could show up in a race like the

Black Eyed Susan because distance isn't going to be an

issue for a horse like Dazzling Game who's done nothing wrong at

all on dirt. I think she's what, 3 for three

on on on dirt. Her last race was very, very

good at Delaware. It was a while ago, but again,

Brittany is fine off of layoffs, especially with horses coming

off last out wins. She's faced good competition.

It'll be interesting to see if the pace is a little bit faster

than what she's seen in those one mile races, but I think

Dazzling Dame might have the most long term potential of any

horse in this race. Brittany hasn't named a rider

just yet. All assuming Sheldon will be on

one and it'll probably be Dazzling Dame.

Yeah, it's interesting. He was aboard Peach Tie last

time. I, I, I just remember her

shipping for the Pocahontas down the street here at Churchill

Downs. And I, I remember just her early

part of that race stand was very impressive.

She was every bit as good as the other horses in that field.

It was just by the time she got to that, you know, to the

stretch that she just wasn't as good as them.

But those are horses on the Kentucky Oaks trail, right?

We're talking about a Black Eyed Susan trail.

And frankly, I, I think the dazzling Dame could absolutely

fit in there. There's a daughter of Gervin.

This is, you know, Corinthian on the damn side.

I I think. But what you said earlier is

absolutely true, which is distance from the source.

Not a problem for sure. And if you're going to be in the

Russell barn, you're going to get the best training in

Maryland as well. So I I this is 1 to watch for

sure as we talk about trails and different things.

But Peach tie here, this is a a $5000 reading job out of

preservation as to who we've seen flashes of.

But there's no argument with two out of two and one out of one on

wet go and frankly tries to synthetic the one time at

Presque Isle just to get into a stake and runs third hits the

board anyway. What do we make of Peach tie?

Is there a chance that this one's an upset candidate?

Well, why not? I mean while while Dazzling Dame

is 3 for three in, you know, non graded stakes races you

mentioned of course the Pocahontas being the only loss.

Peach Dye is 3 for three on dirt.

The only time she lost was in that synthetic stakes race where

she ran just fine. She probably has to get a little

bit faster. I like to race at Keeneland.

I thought it was a solid performance over a wet track,

which should be key. And she did what she had to do

last time out. She was one to 10 in a four

horse field. She actually pushed a pretty

fast pace. They tried to win it against

her. It's not like they were running

for second in that race. They went faster early.

Peach Ties stayed close to the pace and kept on going.

But this is a pretty steep step up in class.

Not only do I think her stable made it faster and better right

now, but I also think the two Maryland breds, the one and the

Six, are more accomplished. So for me, Peach Ties a wait and

see. Peach, Peach dye, again, a

daughter of preservationist. You see that Brayerton, you see

that Brayerton Jones name next to her, which I was like when we

get to see those on the floor. Moving on to race 8.

It is the unofficial official road to the Preakness race for

this episode. It is the heft.

It's black type. $100,000 on the line here and we are running 7

furlongs on the dirt. 2 year old in this one.

Dan, I'm going to share a thought that only Louis Rabeau

would ever have. OK, I'm sorry.

No, no. I had AI had a fantastic

professor when I was doing my PhD work at Indiana.

And his name was Albert Voldman. He's a fascinating man.

He wrote the first ever Haitian Creole to French translated

dictionary ever. He's one of these guys.

Really, really fascinating dude. And he used to say that, you

know, we think of masculine and feminine in verbs and everyone's

all masculine, feminine. He's like, it's not, it's not

what it is. It's it's, it's feminine and

everything else. So if you group things together

in French and Spanish, they turn into masculine.

OK. And yeah, I always think of

horse racing as we have two kinds of races, races for

Phillies and then everything else.

So there you go, a little over involvement talk on a on a

Christmas Eve. How about that?

That was like, leave the Santa leaving a piece of coal in my

stocking. That was that was that was the

second worst gift I've ever received on Christmas Eve.

And I'm assuming that most of the viewers, the ones that are

still scratching their heads and trying to figure out what the

hell you were talking about, they'll agree with me on that as

well. I think it's not coal.

I think it's that carrot that you bite off and then spit out

that you leave for Santa's reindeer and your kids think you

the right deer rated. I think that's what it is, Dan.

But the heft is the race of the weekend. 2 year old tier 100

grand on the line. A huge field for this one.

Dan, where'd you land? I landed on a a horse that I

think is going to be a price in this race and it might be a

danger to go against. Gary Capuano, who entered 4,

will likely run 3 and these are three of the 16 individual 2

year old winners this year for the Capuano Barn.

Some trainers don't win 16 races a year.

Capuano has won 16 individual maiden races with two year olds

probably dreaming of the horse to beat.

I like Red Zone runner of the 5A horse coming in from

Pennsylvania, Aaron McClellan. His barn has done very, very

well adding blinkers in the past.

This was last time out at parks. Watching the races that day at

parks and looking at the charts, it just seemed like speed was

very, very good. Red Zone Runner broke a hair

slow saved round in mid pack, had to alter course to the

outside in the stretch and just couldn't get there behind the

two favorites who were up close to the pace.

I I like Red Zone runner in a race where I think there's going

to be some pace. This horse has some upside and I

think in a in a competitive race like this you want a price and

Red Zone Runner is going to offer it.

Red Zone runner, Let me let me be a jerk for a second.

For a second. For a second, E Noel Bayato

rides over 18 this meet and Air McClellan trains one for 18 or

over 12, I should say, then one for 18 for the McCollum Barn.

This you're going to get 5 to 1, right?

I'm not trying to be that part of not being.

You're actually gonna get the value, right?

8 to 1. You're gonna you're certainly

gonna get the value and there are statistics and there's

statistics that are damn lies. And you know, Aaron Mcclellan's

also four for the last 14 with non first time starters adding

blinkers for the first time. So you can come up with with

statistics for all of these sources.

I don't think that because Aaron McClellan is over, you know, 18

that that that to me is not the Brittany Russell May 16th

through December, the 22nd sample size.

I think that Aaron McClellan can train and I think nobody else

can can ride as well. And again, as I've said it

before, it's it's it's not jockey or trainer racing.

It's horse racing. I like what red zone runners

done on the track. Son of practical joke of course,

Pennsylvania bred there as well. I I I have probably dreaming on

top here and I certainly have very volatile in that group.

I have power grid third here Dan and this is one that I think is

a mix of things went the mile last time we have to go the

seven furlongs here. But that was also on a, on a wet

UR day, not a, not a muddy day, but a wet UR day, some moisture

in the track. And I think there's a good

chance we're going to have some moisture in the track on.

Saturday I I agree with you and this horse was very, very game

to win going the one turn mile last time I was really urged

along on the turn, had to go after a pacesetter that ran his

race and power grid refused to quit.

Got to the outside in mid stretch and just picked that

horse on the wire. As with the Brittany Russell

horse that we talked about earlier on in the gym talk and

dazzling Dame. I think Power Grid might be sort

of a long term potential horse for a race like the Federico

Tessio because as you've noticed, he has improved with

more distance. Will turning back to seven

furlongs maybe work against him a little bit in this spot

perhaps? I personally think the source

wants to go long. I really am looking forward to

seeing what he's going to do in this race, but I'm more

interested in seeing what he's going to do going long or down

the road. Power grade trained by John Rob,

of course, the son of City of Light $95,000 purchase there at

Basic Tipton in February. I the just I, I love the took a

little bit to figure it out, but the horse has always been really

competitive, Dan, right. And and as you mentioned, just

seems to be better and better with added distance in that

case. And frankly, if we're talking

about combinations on the Maryland circuit, I get Robin

Perez. That feels pretty good, frankly.

They're very excellent and Jerry Rob have been together for a

long, long time. Of course with Anna's Bandit,

very popular runner of the last few years, as well as some

several other extremely nice horses.

Now this source is continuing to improve and you know, John Rob

really liked this source early on.

Random in a stakes race I believe is a second time maiden

and got a stakes place and it took him a while to get to the

winner's circle. He's figured it out.

I do just worry about the shorter distance on Saturday as

compared to maybe stretching him out early in his three-year old

season. I think he'll appreciate that.

If I had worker B 4th in my handicapping am IA crazy person

to think that this isn't every other type that actually the

distance I don't I don't know I just this is what the the works

recently have been good enough. If I I love the 30 to 1 price, I

don't I I I don't mind the jockey named any of it.

I am I crazy to like worker be here.

No, not at all. I mean, this source just got

cooked on a a wicked pace last time out in the Maryland

juvenile. I I actually liked him a little

bit going into that race and just the way that race shook

out. It was a fast early, slow late

race that worked against worker bee because he was battling on

the lead. I just and speaking to Gary

earlier this week, it just feels like he he might not want to run

this one of the four. If he does run in here, he's

going to likely provide some pace.

But Gary also has a speed horse in here and very volatile.

And this is a horse that that Gary's pretty high on.

When I talked to him about his four horses in this race, he

spent most of his time talking about very volatile.

You would think it would be more on probably dreaming who seems

like the most likely winner of the three, but very volatile was

odds on in his debut at Delaware or Gary said he was a little bit

disappointed with the performance.

Yedsut came back after the race and said and very volatile kind

of slipped a little bit on the turn just didn't have his

footing was green. Gary regrouped gelded him

brought him back to Laurel and last time was a very good

performance. I mean he went a sub 23 second

quarter while battling for the lead and he kept on going.

I think this source is just getting good.

I I think he can improve a lot of that 59 buyer.

I'm not going to trust the the low figures compared to some of

the others. He's only run twice.

He's still a baby and getting better.

Yeah. And as you mentioned, you know,

with a horse like Power Grid, maybe he's one to watch as we

get these races longer and longer, very volatile son of

volatile. This might be what he wants to

do here at 7 furlongs and frankly, look for betting

purposes, Dan, this is a 7 foot long race on Saturday, right?

It's not it's not the IT is not the Federico Tessio.

So I'll go ahead and zoom in on those sprinters if you so

choose. The closer on the card is a 12/5

claimer. I get seven horses in this one.

Again, a mile and a 16th just starting past the finish line

there at Laurel Park. That means the favorites on the

outside in a tough spot there, $22,000 on the line here, 3 and

up. Dan never won three races.

Or you could be 3 year olds for this condition.

Where'd you land in the claimer to close the cart?

I'm going to go for a little bit of a price in here with the

toucan from masseuse stretching out for the first time in his

career. And I think the distance is a

little bit of a question mark, but I wonder if that last race

was kind of a prep for him to to stretch out.

He was outrun behind a fast opening quarter in that Sprint.

The was very, very patient with him turning for home.

He was far behind in the stretch and they let him run the last

two furlongs and he was passing some horses and galloped out

very well. And it makes me think with this

inside post, with this additional distance, he can get

closer to the pace and I'm just hoping he has enough kick in

here. He and his uncoupled stablemate,

the four big Ton 10 look like the horses I'm going to use.

Big Ton 10 was very good last time out finishing up I believe

going the one turn mile and if he runs back to that race, he's

the horse to beat. Yeah, Big time 10 did win this

race last time they had a similar condition over a mile.

What do we make of the seven on the outside?

This is the the Capuano Hazelwood combination that we've

seen hit at 45% has led to Hazelwood being the leading

rider there at Laurel Park. Too much to do from the outside

or does he have a shot? Well, he certainly has a shot,

but I mean, just look at his record, 9 seconds from 23 starts

and only two wins. Seems like the kind of horse

that needs everything to go his way and breaking from this

outside post, I'm not sure he's going to get the kind of trip

that he desires. He's also the kind of horse

that's lost at short prices in the past.

Now you could say, well, Danny's two for 23 lifetime, but he's

also two for his last five. I won't argue with that.

He seems like he likes a wet track and he does have Gary Kapp

and Hazelwood, but in this situation, Gary Kapp and

Hazelwood might be a bit of a negative because it just hurts

your price. People are going to be getting

that combination and big time 10 I thought was just superior to

work hard last time. I always ask you during whenever

we talk pick 5 sequences, which horse is the one you have to

beat to get the best pay? How many people are going to

single work hard do you think in the pick 5?

I'm not sure they're going to single work hard.

I know he's the favorite. He might not even be the

favorite at post time. I won't be surprised if Ton 10

is the favorite at post time. I do think you should try to

beat work hard in this sequence, but if you really want to make

money in this sequence, you got to be just filtered.

I I think that that is a horse that can be beaten, can be

beaten by a superstitious, can be beaten by a dazzling Dame,

can be beaten by a Peach tie. Is he do you have to fear just

filtered? Absolutely.

But I think if you beat just filtered, you get paid in this

pick five there. You go all right, well, these

Dan Elmen, he's with the Maryland Jockey Club again.

Tell everybody the great website witheverything@laurelpark.com/picks.

Laurelpark.com/picks you get all of the great handicap and guide.

It's free can't beat the price. You get everything from the

entire team of the Maryland Jockey Club picks, analysis,

trainer stats, horses to watch, bias information, trip notes,

lots more. Check us out Listen, we're we're

I think a very underrated circuit.

We've gained a lot of momentum of the last year and we're

looking. For I'm not as obvious there.

Maryland for sure. Dan, what is the one Christmas

present you would get Laurel Park if you could buy Laurel

Parker Christmas present? Oh wow, if I could buy Laurel

Parker Christmas present more me on TV.

Beauty on the screen his name is Dan Ellman he joins us every

month on the horse racing happy hour ahead of the Tessio and the

Black Eyed Susan. Dan, we appreciate a merry.

Christmas. Merry Christmas.

There you go, He's Dan Ellman from the Maryland Jockey Club.

I'm Lou Rebeau. Getting foggy for some reason on

here. Thanks for hanging out with us

on a Christmas Eve edition of the program.

We will see you in a couple of days for Socal Saturday to a

preview Malibu day right here on the horse racing.

Happy talk to you.