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The ‘Masters’ Class will be in session this Friday at Presque Isle Downs. The Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes will carry a $300,000 purse and be part of a 2 Million 1/ST Rewards Points promo for account holders who place a winning wager on the Pick 4 or Pick 5 sequences that the Masters is part of. Here’s a closer look at the Pick 5 and a suggested $48 ticket:
Presque Isle Downs Race 6 (7:15 p.m. EST)
VASA beat a suspect field of $25,000 claimers in his first try on a synthetic track, but he looked good doing it. He shrugged off a stern challenge on the turn and accelerated away from the field in the stretch to win off a 10-month layoff. He equaled the top speed figure in the field when he won a 6-1/2F MSW race at Del Mar last year as a 4-year-old and worked well for his winning return. THORN OF HEARTS advanced on the turn and loomed boldly for the stretch drive but settled for second in the same spot two starts ago. He pressed the winner last out and held third on a day when 5 of the 8 races were won in wire-to-wire fashion. He lures Paco Lopez to ride and should add value to the ticket.
Presque Isle Downs, Race 7 (7:42 p.m. EST)
BOSSY WOSSY pressed the pace under minimal urging, responded when asked in the stretch at 1-to-5 odds and looks to keep red-hot trainer Juan Arriagada rolling in the $100,000 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile. CACTUS KRISTOPHER saved ground throughout and ‘took control late’ in a second-out maiden win at 5-1/2F as the 1-to-5 choice. His dam, Cactus Kris, was 7-for-22 with $564k in synthetic track earnings and a Grade 3 winner at today’s distance for the same barn.
Presque Isle Downs, Race 8 (8:09 p.m. EST)
NEOEQUOS, four times graded stakes-placed going a route of ground, runs on a synthetic track for the first time in the $150,000 Presque Isle Mile. He chased but lost contact with 2-1 pace-setter Bracket Buster, who posted a 108 Beyer in the West Virginia Governor's at 1-1/16 miles last out. ENCINO overcame a slow start and a slow pace to win last year’s race for his third stakes victory on synthetic tracks, but he has five wire-to-wire victories on his resume, too, and a win today from the rail will put him on the brink of millionaire status.
Presque Isle Downs, Race 9 (8:32 p.m. EST)
REAGAN’S FLAME is a deserving favorite and the one to beat in the featured Presque Isle Masters (G-2) for fillies and mares. She has three wins, a troubled third and a Grade 3 victory in her last four starts – all with 90-plus Beyers that no one in the field can match on this surface. But our top pick is her uncoupled stablemate, PARADISE CITY, a model of consistency who appears well-suited for 6-1/2F on the surface change. She rode the rail throughout and surged clear of multiple graded stakes-placed speedball Silent Law to win the 6F Saylorville at Prairie Meadows. PONDERING followed the move of trip-sitting millionairess Caitlinhergrtness and ‘powered past’ to win the Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine in her lone long sprint attempt on a synthetic track. SEA RUNNER, unhurried to the stretch off a six-month layoff, angled 5-wide and split rivals to win an allowance race in her local debut. She employed similar tactics at Turfway Park when she won a six-figure allowance at this distance, running down Overcome Adversity, who won by 9-1/2 lengths two months ago with a 91 Beyer. She makes the ticket at double-digit odds. LOVELY EMMA found her best stride on the turf, winning a pair of allowances and holding third against turf specialist Cloe (3-7, $702k on turf) in the Hummingbird Stakes at Ellis Park last out. She won a turf-to-dirt allowance to start the year but only one of the rivals she defeated that day posted higher than a 76 Beyer so far this year.
Presque Isle Downs, Race 10 (9:03 p.m. EST)
A CASE FOR YOU, dismissed at 3-1 odds or less in his last 11 starts on a synthetic track, rallied to win six of them in a manner that suggests 6-1/2F will be to his liking. REELED IN is a six-figure earner at Presque Isle, fresh off another photo-finish victory in which he wore down the 4-to-5 pace setter at 6F. WHERE YOU WAS has tactical speed, a 12-for-39 mark at Presque Isle and met five next-out winners with an average 74 Beyer in four starts this year. READY SET CAIRO runs for the cheapest claiming price of his career and rallied for the second behind the odds-on winner and upper-60 Beyer type in his only long sprint try, but he is a beatable favorite at even-money on the morning line.
Suggested Pick 5 Ticket
PID 6th Race: 2, 8
PID 7th Race: 3, 9
PID 8th Race: 1, 8
PID 9th Race: 1, 3, 5, 6
PID 10th Race: 3, 5, 6
Cost for a 50-cent ticket: $48
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