Throughout March, 1/ST BET and Xpressbet will offer a 1 Million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split promotion on the Tuesday late pick four at Parx. The initial offering co-features a pair of stakes races, the $75,000 Main Line and the $75,000 City of Brotherly Love. Take down the late pick 4 – which has a 50-cent base bet – and add extra 1/ST Rewards Points to your parimutuel winnings.
Race 7: allowance / optional claiming
Eight are entered in this 2-turn mile, including last year’s Grade 1 Haskell fourth-place finisher Just Step On It, who went off form to close 2024. Feb. 10 debut winner #1 Renard showed something winning around 2 turns in his first attempt and winning a slugfest in which the top pair drew 7 lengths clear of the rest. Trainer Jamie Ness has that one and #3 Stronsino entered, but slight preference to Renard with top pilot Mychel Sanchez. The Ness pair will be my opening-leg keys. The 9-5 morning line favorite #7 Big Boys Answer is in raging form sprinting, so not sure the draw to stretch him out again. I’ll swing against at an underlay price.
Race 8: Main Line Stakes
Rick Dutrow and Joel Rosario will attract a lot of eyes and dollars with 8-5 morning line favorite #6 Diriyah. She adds blinkers off a hard-fought win at Horseshoe Indianapolis in the maiden ranks in her second start. Dutrow ran five horses at that meet, winning twice, but interestingly this one was entered for turf both times and rained off the grass. The blinkers may keep her closer, but she didn’t exhibit any real pace while chasing modest splits. There are 3 stretch-out sprinters in this 6-horse field and is my impression one will prove more brilliant. Focus on #1 Maximus Angelicus, #2 Hollywood Beauty and #5 Burner Account.
Race 9: City of Brotherly Love Stakes
With 1-1 morning line favorite McAfee expected to scratch after running in Saturday’s Gotham at Aqueduct (he was cross-entered in both races), disregard any odds projections in this spot. Big lean here to #6 Harrigan, unbeaten in 2 starts for Mike Pino. The Medaglia d’oro colt hails from a strong female family and he’s better than the slow time indicates over a super heavy track Feb. 5 at Parx. The other consideration is #2 Right Wing Runner, who moved way too quick last time in makeup mode for a stumbling start in the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel. That race’s winner came back to repeat in stakes company last week. Single or two-deep.
Race: claiming
Ten veterans who haven’t won a race since Dec. 4 square off over 1 mile and 70 yards. #4 Tycoon fits the conditions for the race like a glove and makes a class drop. He’ll be prominent from the start. #8 Kobe B has been facing tougher and gets the excellent ‘2 sprints and now a route’ form cycle after missing an entire year. Respected trainer Mike Pino gets top rider Mychel Sanchez on a rider upgrade that feels like go-time. #10 It’s Game Time has consistency issues but has been facing tougher for connections difficult to toss. Include among this trio.
The Ticket:
1,3 with 1,2,5 with 6,2 with 4,8,10 = $18 for each 50 cents
--Consider singling #6 in third leg for a $9 play for each 50 cents
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