Weekend Preview LRL & TP | John Piassek

John Piazza with us this morning here on our horse racing

segment. He's up at Yonkers.

Does a lot of work with the racing biz.

John, I am completely mesmerized by by curling and the fact that

Switzerland is led by a woman who looks like she's on her way

to the grocery store. How are you?

I am doing great. I was thrilled that the American

women won the gold medal yesterday in hockey for the

men's hockey semifinals today, and I am not.

And I know I'm the same way as you.

Every four years I get such a kick out of curling and I always

say to myself, I'm going to start following curling even

outside of the Olympics, and then I never do.

So maybe this is going to be the year.

That's it where I start watching it in the four years in between.

You're the guy who watches the Derby and says I'm going to pay

attention to horse racing in January.

There it is all right, 437968 our UPS job sex line.

If you have any questions for John Piazza, find them online at

their off on the socials up there at Yonkers Raceway in New

York City, but of course does a ton of work with the racing

biztheracingbiz.com a pair of three-year old stakes on the

road to Preakness 151. If you are unfamiliar with their

program there at Laurel Park, they run a series of races

leading into what's called the Federico Tessio, named for one

of the most important icons in Maryland's history, racing

history at least. And if you win that race, you

get a spot in the starting gate for the Preakness.

So we are always trying to find out who is going to be starting

in our classic races. What are the trends we need to

be watching right now at Laurel Park?

John, as far as, I don't know, trainers, jocks, anything like

that. Is there a track bias or

frontrunners doing well right now?

What's what's, what's the the haps right now at Laurel Park?

I'd say, I mean, knock on wood, the track has been playing fair

or meet. I would say front runners and

closers both have a equal advantage.

I mean, obviously Yazzy Hazelwood we've talked about

many times both here and on the Happy Hour podcast, he's really

been heating up. He started off the meet by his

standards, a bit slow, but he won 10 races last week,

including a pair of riding hat tricks.

He now has 22 wins on the meet. So he's clearly getting back to

his old self. JD Torreal also having a solid

meet in the training standings. Brittany Russell, who is usually

the queen pin of Maryland, if you will, had a big losing

streak to start the season. She has been heating up late.

But guys like Gary Tapuano, Hugh McMahon, Jose Corrales, who are

well known in Maryland but not so much nationally, they've been

doing great work all meet long. The wide country will be our

first discussed race here. We're working our way up to the

mile and a 16th race that we will run in the Black Eyed

Susan. But the wide country is a 7

furlong Sprint on the dirt at Laurel Park.

They have a one mile shoot there in Maryland.

Philly's three years old in this one Smaller field here, but I

think a couple of interesting runners.

Are you leaning more law school or are you leaning more Peach

time? Law School is my top pick in

here. I was very impressed by each of

her last two races. She wanted them by a combined 21

length one here going a mile and a 16th back in December.

For who? For any 2 year old to win that

impressively at a mile and a 16th that early in their career,

it's very impressive. Came back to validate that form

with a big win in In the Future Stars Philly Stakes at Parks,

which she got a great trip, but still took full advantage of it

and won by 7 lengths. The aforementioned Yazid

Hazelwood is up for training Jamie Ness, another one of

Maryland's top trainers. I'm kind of hoping that she gets

some pace to close into. Just about everybody in here has

some speed and law school has of course proven that she going to

run well from off the pace. Peach Tie has the flashiest

resume, but I'm I'm not quite sure what to make of the horses

that she's beaten. She only beat three other horses

in a first level allowance back in November, then beat only two

others in the Gin Talking stakes last time out to speed figures.

Really not blowing anybody away. I mean, I think she has a high

ceiling, but I don't quite know what to make it feel.

I don't know what she's capable of.

I know what law school is capable of and that is a huge

effort. John Piazza with U.S. law

School, written by the aforementioned Yetzied

Hazelwood, who wrote her in that future.

Star fillies at parks over the seven furlongs and We'll keep

Them Out here was amongst the three finalists for The

Apprentice Jockey of the Year at the Eclipse Awards this past

year. Miracle Wood is the Preakness

prep on the card a mile over the one turn mile there at at Laurel

Park. I had this debate with Frank

Vespi on the podcast yesterday. John, do you consider A1 turn

mile to be a route race? I would not I I think you have

to go at least one mile and at least 2 tons.

Eat it, Barry Spears. Yeah, the good stuff for sure.

I agree. The two turns matters.

I was telling the the way I know that it matters for me is I look

at the Breeders Cup Mile at Belmont and Churchill

differently than I look at the Breeders Cup Mile at Santa Anita

Del Mar. I just absolutely.

There you go. The Miracle Wood is a mile on

the dirt here. 3 year olds in here as well.

John. A couple of higher, excuse me,

lower price favorites in here, but a much, much more wide open

field. I wanted to ask you about

Balboa. You'll hear me talk about Balboa

tonight on the Kentucky Racing Spotlight at 6:00.

John, I think they are pulling him off the Preakness as I

should say the Tessio trail to try the the the Derby trail.

He's 2 good shows at Aqueduct, one in the Remsen, one in the

Jerome. The horses he lost two of those

races are no longer on the Wood Memorial Trail.

And so frankly, probably a little bit more space up there

for that son of not this time out of the Brittany Russell

barn, but she will start Taj Mahal in this spot.

Is he the favorite in your mind? He's going to be my second

choice. And folks wondering, Balboa is

going to go in the Gotham next week at Aqueduct.

I was really impressed by Taj Mahal's debut win.

He actually faced, by Maryland standards, a pretty salty Maiden

field. They're very, very professional.

4 wide move kept going under urging 1 by 4 and a quarter

length for the very nice speed figure.

Had great late pace figures as well.

I think it's encouraging that Brittany Russell is bringing him

back fairly quickly on only 15 days rest.

That's pretty fast by her standards.

I think that shows that he's sitting on a big race and could

Welch run an absolute hole in the wind.

My topic in here though is #7 Let's Go Lando.

And 1 angle that I really like in these kind of races is horses

who have already beaten winners and with a scratch of Balboa,

Let's Go Lando is the only one here who's done that.

He won a first level allowance on opening weekend of the Winter

Meat by 6 lengths against a pretty nice group that included

Code of Silence, won the Maryland Juvenile back in

December, Let's Go and also won by 8 and 1/4 lengths in his

maiden win last November. The fan of jockey team of Gary

Capuano and Yadjeet Hazelwood is fantastic and I think this one

had a huge upside and it's half brother.

It's Hammer Time who was one of the top 2 year olds in the

region in 2024, missed most of last year with various problems.

He is back in action earlier on the card in the fifth race.

Good stuff there, for sure. Some others in here that I

wanted to ask you about. What do you make of close the

gate in here just for this race? And on top of close the Gate,

who is in your mind the most likely Preakness starter in this

field? For me it's Taj Mahal.

So close the gate. I liked him a lot in a

spectacular bit. I'm trying not to let him fall

through the cracks in in my handicapping of this race.

Ran huge in in his maiden win. Ran his eyeballs out in the

spectacular bit. He gave Hollywood import all he

could handle down the stretch. Those two engaged in a thrilling

battle. close the gate only lost by three parts of a length.

Also coming back fairly quickly, but he's the current third

choice on the morning line with the scratch of Balboa.

I think he is very live. So of the horses who are going

to be in this race, close the Gate is the only one who's

Triple Crown nominated at this time.

There's still time to supplement, but I do think at

this point it's both Closed the Gate and also let's go.

Lando, I think has a good being supplemented only because he has

a fantastic pedigree. He's proven he can go along.

I think he'll handle a mile and 316th just fine if his if his

connections go that route. Close the gate of Pennsylvania

Bread Engage who's a son of Into Mischief on the sire side.

Victor Gallup on the damn side. You know he can get the distance

for sure. Taj Mahal, son of Nyquist

Quality Rd. on the damn side. That's the Starlight folks that

we know here locally in the state of Kentucky as well.

Let's do a quick pick. If people want to put a pick

three together there at Laurel Park, who would you have in the

closer on Saturday? So that is more wide open than I

thought it was on first glance. I think there's a lot of ways

you can go. A top pick in here is the one

hoof and boots, who was second to a runaway odds on winner last

time out. Still, I'll kick the rest with a

nice four wide move and and ran a career best speed figure on

the Brisbane on that scale. I'd also throw in the two kind

of crazy who ran well focused off a long layoff last time out

and the five nothing less will do who has hit the board in all

three of us starts. All right, so that's Laurel Park

on Saturday. Of course, they're pair of

stakes there. We move up the road, Cincinnati

tonight, the Cincinnati Trophy, I should say, excuse me, up

there in Florence, KY, $175,000 on the line over a mile on the

synthetic for three-year old fillies here.

We're on the Oaks Trail. John, I ask you the question as

a guy outside the market, how seriously do you take the The

Oaks Trail and the Derby Trail through Turfway Park?

I think with the money out there you almost have to.

I mean these posts are just gigantic.

I know the Jeff Ruby is going for bonafide money, so you're

already starting to see a lot of legitimate Oaks and Derby horses

starting to prep you and it's only a matter of time until they

get more and more serious. So I would not dismiss anybody

coming out of these races going into the Oaks.

Got a fair, a fair number of interesting ones running

tonight. It looks like Coco Connect is

going to stay in the race here for trainer John Ennis.

I talked with him on the Kentucky Racing Spotlight just

last week. She comes out of the Valdale at

6 1/2 furlongs. We'll have to stretch out in

this spot. Other favorites in here include

Map of the Moon, who we saw in the go.

Well, winning that one as well, pulling away for Kelsey Danner.

Where'd you land in the trophy? So going back to the idea of of

looking for horses who have already beaten winners #11

resist at 12:50 on morning line has beaten winners and beaten

winners at this distance. She won a first level allowance

going a mile last time out. Had a bit of traffic in the

stretch, got bumped while making her rally, but still got up and

won by a nose in the thrilling effort.

Improved slightly off that race, has had a workout sense.

Should be fine to make another good move.

I think Dame Laura and the aforementioned map to the moon

are also interesting, but he won't get as good of a price on

them as you will on Resist. Resist breaks from the 11:00 if

you're worried about the outside post position.

She won that allowance John just talked about from the 9 hole out

of ten horses last time she ran daughter of Mcleans music point

of entry on the damn side. God have her point of entry,

man. You know what I think when I

think of point of entry? This is how boy going back and I

I hope someone listening remembers this.

He that that group advertised a lot on horse racing radio

network, which you can hear tomorrow morning here.

And I just remember point of entry standing, you know, like

it's like I think it was gameplay, but I just I just I

remember that name. And so gosh, it's nice to see

his name on the list here. What do you make of the others

in this group, though, that maybe some of those that are

stretching out map of the moon? Obviously we've seen Dame Laura

do it over the mile as well. Would you put Dame Laura in

favoritism here, but resist an obvious include at that price?

I think that's how I would see it.

I think Dame Laura is most likely winner, but in a in a

race like this where a lot of them have chances, it's hard to

take a low price like 2 to one. I think that this is going to

offer much better value. But if you plan a pick four or a

pick five, I could not blame you for using Dame Laura as well.

Speaking of expensive horses at Turfway Park, Dame Laura a good

off at home, bred for sure. Munnings on the sire side, tap

it on the dam side should be there contender for the Bourbon

at Oaks on Saturday. Of course we get the Battaglia

leading into the aforementioned $777,000.

Jeff Ruby Stakes will be the penultimate race on the card

race 9:00 tomorrow night up at Turfway Park just before 10:00 a

mile and a 16th on the synthetic.

John will run it for $175,000 here in a horse that that I am

really fascinated to see the rest of his career will break

from the post from the 1 hole here.

John in Street Beast and I think Ben Colebrook has done just a

masterful job with this horse. Debuts him at Ellis Park.

Knows that he likes Kentucky Downs after winning in an

allowance, so he runs them back in the $1,000,000 juvenile.

Wins that race. Ships him out West and I thought

he showed really well in the Breeders Cup.

Comes back for the Leonatus. Hey, let's find out if we've got

a horse that likes the Turfway surface because as you've

mentioned, there's plenty of money up there.

He ran for $125,000 last time and won that one.

Is there a potential that we've got a superstar kind of, you

know, maybe a future turf superstar in this race?

Well, to your point about him possibly being a grass

superstar, I'd be really interested to see if Colebrook

would send this horse to the Derby or, or if he'll keep him

on grass. It's pretty clear based on the

way he's campaigned him so far, he thinks of this horse as a

grass runner first and foremost. But if he wins this gate to wire

and he wins the Jeff Ruby gate to wire, then there's going to

have to be a a decision made. And there's really no indication

that he can or can't handle dirt.

The Derby is a really tough place to find that out.

So I do hope if they truly believe he's a grass horse and

they stick to their guns and he has kind of a campaign like

Victoria Ministic had two, two years ago in which he bypassed

the Derby after winning the Gotham and won a series of nice

grass stakes. Midway racing, by the way, does

have a bunch of horses at Laurel as well, so it's interesting

that they got this one in at Turfway Park.

Who do you got in the Battaglia man?

So I'm picking probably enough as I am a New Yorker, a New York

based horse. September 7 at Field for Tom

Moily with Ricardo Santana coming in for the mount.

He poke his maiden to some fanfare at Saratoga back in

August over the very, very hyped up Schwarzenegger.

Last time out he stretched out beyond six furlongs for the

first time, went a mile and a 16th in the Central Park Stakes

at Aqueduct, ran a very nice race from off a moderate pace

and won by 1/2 length. He's worked well since then.

He's he's had some time off since that remember 7th effort.

But you have to figure that Tom Morley has had this race circle

on his calendar for a long time. He's 8 to 1 on the morning line.

I don't think you'll quite get that price, but I think him and

St. Beast have the highest ceilings

in this field. Yeah.

I agree with you, I think full effort in here is an obvious

interesting one. Kind of put it together last

race first time on the synthetic right behind St. beast.

That's a Brad Cox fan, so show me no combination and then two

out hero for Kevin Attard. Boy, I was there when Oh gosh,

why am I forgetting her name right now?

Who is the Philly he brought down She Oh, my goodness, I

apologize. I will look it up, John, But

Kevin Attard back in town, we're seeing more and more of his

runners end up the turfway for these purses and different

things. What do you make it to our hero

here, Breaking from the outside? So he obviously has a lot of

back class as well. He won easily at Woodbine back

in August, but he hasn't raced in a long time.

He hasn't raced since September 13th and in fact he is coming

off the longest layoff of anybody in this group.

He's never been two turn actually now that is A2 turn

mile on wood buying grass. But he didn't do that much and I

set up that day and and and couldn't quite convert.

I think he merits some respect, but I don't know how he'll do

First off the layoff. I don't know how he'll do from

the outside post. I don't know how he'll do the

first time going two turns on synthetic and that's too many

questions for me. Take 72 are.

By the way, the Kevin Atard horse I couldn't remember was

Caitlin, her greatness, and that's a terrible job by me.

She's awesome. That's a bad job.

That's a bad job by me. But yes, we've seen Kevin down

there at Turfway Park. Well, John, tell people where to

find you, especially at the Raising Biz.

You guys are doing a bunch of great work.

If you are a, a handicapping head or, or whatever, they are

doing a bunch of, they're doing a series of podcasts about the

different tracks there in the Mid-Atlantic, Laurel DE

etcetera. So get in with them at the

Raising biz.com. Where can people find your

stuff, John? So I I have my full code write

ups on the racing biz. I also am part of the Laurel

Park Handicapping Guide and initiative done by the Maryland

Jockey Club. Tons of great resources in

there, including my daily picks and a roundup of the previous

day's racing action. You can find me on Twitter at

their off and I will be sure to be spreading a good word of

Maryland racing both in print and voice as we inch closer to

Tessio Day there. You go get closer to Tessio Day

there at Laurel Park, John. Appreciate it man.

Have a great weekend. Thanks, Louis.

You too? No.

Problem. There you go.

John Piazza at their Off on the Socials preview in the weekend

with US 437-9680 UPS Jobs text line on the other end.

We make fun of Canada. We do it next.