In 15 runnings, the Presque Isle Masters Stakes has produced three Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winners – Groupie Doll, Informed Decision and Musical Romance. Will the Grade 2 Masters serve as a springboard to champion status this year? Tune in Friday, Sept. 20, as a full field of 10 is scheduled to go post-ward in the track’s signature 6-1/2F event. And don’t forget to play the 50-cent Late Pick 4 that encompasses the feature race and three other large and competitive fields.
Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet be sure to opt into the 1 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split promotion on this pick 4 sequence from PID.
PID 7th race (6:42 p.m. EST) -- Going 8-deep in the leadoff leg in a wide open $150,000 stakes at 1-1/16 miles. UNDERHILL’S TAB followed the move of repeat winner Recker Point ($301k) and gained ground late to finish third in a $50,000 optional claiming mile at Ellis Park. HE’S A MESS, runner-up in this race last year and three-time stakes-placed at Presque Isle, looped 4-wide on the turn but finished out of the money against the ground saving top pair of FOREVER SOUPER and ANAMNESTIC, who posted the top speed figures of their careers. FORTUEN SELLER was blocked through the second turn but escaped in time for a repeat victory and gets in light-weighted from the rail. RONDURE had a nightmare trip at 6F, bumping the winner repeatedly after he was trapped with run and angled out looking for a stretch opening. TWILIGHT DANCER seeks his fourth consecutive win going a route of ground, while K.C. CHIEF carried his speed to four consecutive wire-to-wire victories at Gulfstream Park for a high-percentage barn.
PID 8th race (7:09 p.m. EST) -- NOBLE JON ‘finished fast’ to notch his third consecutive win, now transitions back from the turf at a distance at which he’s 6-for-12. CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT followed the 4-wide move into the stretch of the 2-1 winner and settled for second in a five-horse field when last seen two months ago. He has finished first or second in 22 of 35 starts on synthetic surfaces. GOING UP has tactical speed, a proven Presque Isle record and a trainer in the midst of a 24-for-89 run.
PID 9th race (7:36 p.m. EST) -- PANDORA’S GIFT capped a four-race win streak on synthetic tracks in England with a popular 6F stakes victory and, more recently, ran third in a Grade 3 turf sprint in Ireland. She defeated 40 rivals in her four wins and carried at least 128 pounds each time. ROSES FOR DEBRA (pictured above) returns to the synthetic track for the first time since 2022, when she won the first four starts of her career at Presque Isle. She returns to town as a multiple Grade 3-winning turf sprinter with a $637k bankroll for her first long sprint attempt in two years. Her stablemate, GAL IN A RUSH, rallied 5-wide from post 11 to lead at the stretch call in the Grade 3 Seaway on Woodbine’s synthetic track, but she drifted late and got caught at 7F. Our Pick 4 hopes will rest on these three runners in the $300,000 Presque Isle Masters.
PID 10th race (8:03 p.m. EST) -- NINJA STAR was fanned 4-wide into the stretch and missed in a photo finish on the cutback to 6F on a track that played extremely fast. He stretches back out and can make maximum use of his speed in this spot with first-time Lasix. MONEY IN MOTION’S steadily improving form includes two good route races on Presque Isle’s synthetic surface. He closed fast to miss by a head in a one-mile allowance won by pace controlling Class Photo, who set the pace for 6F in a follow-up turf stakes, but MONEY IN MOTION did benefit when the odds-on race favorite had a rough trip. He romped in a $25,000 claiming race last out at 1 mile and 70 yards, earning the top speed figure of his career. SPY NOVEL beat an average field of Pennsylvania breds and will be an underlay with Irad Ortiz Jr. summoned to ride. He should be forwardly placed throughout but offers little value, so take a chance and leave him off the ticket.
Suggested 50-cent Ticket
PID 7th Race: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
PID 8th Race: 2, 6, 7
PID 9th Race: 2, 7, 8
PID 10th Race: 5, 6
Cost: $72
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