by Frank Carulli
December 29, 2022
Laurel Park's rescheduled Christmastide Day stakes card has shifted from Monday to Friday due to weather. Six of the 11 races are $100,000 stakes, including three that lead off the 50-cent Late Pick 4. Here’s an advanced look at the action:
LRL 8th race (2:50 EST) -- JAXON TRAVELER and FACTOR IT IN reunite in the 6F Dave’s Friend after they were separated by a head in a 4-horse blanket finish in the Grade III Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct. JAXSON TRAVELER, the only graded stakes winner in the field, appeared headed to victory at the 1/8th pole but he tired carrying 131 pounds and finished fourth, beaten a neck. FACTOR IT IN, based at Laurel Park during a blockbuster season, swung 6-wide for the stretch drive carrying 132 pounds and burst on the scene late to finish third.
LRL 9th race (3:19 EST) -- INTREPID DREAM is peaking for her first stakes try in the 1-1/8-mile Carousel and trainer Gary Capuano’s runners hold their sharp form extremely well. The lightly-raced 4-year-old raced 3-wide and in-hand in allowance company last out until she went after the pace-setting favorite on the final turn. She wore down that rival with ease, lugged in when clear in early stretch, then hit another gear late to three-peat with a 6-1/2-length victory. Her lone drawback is starting from the outside post. HYBRID ECLIPSE, unhurried until mid-backstretch, advanced in the 2-path on the turn and sustained her rally to blow past the favorite and win the Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes for her fourth win in five starts at Laurel Park.
LRL 10th race (3:48 EST) -- Hit the ‘ALL’ button in the Robert T. Manfuso Stakes. OURNATIONONPARADE settled nicely in second, made first run to the lead in early stretch but got caught by longshot ARMANDO R, who won going away in mid-track in a longer stakes last out. CORDMAKER followed the leader but couldn’t get past in a much improved second start off a long layoff. They’re just three of the contenders in a deep field. RIDEN WITH BIDEN won stakes at three distances in his last six starts with an average 93 Beyer. One of those wins was against PLOT THE DOTS, who earned the top speed figure of his career in an optional claiming race at the distance last out, a performance that was validated when runner-up Zabracadabra came back to romp with the top fig of his career. SOUTHERN DISTRICT ran a troubled third to Zabracadabra in an improved effort off the claim -- and he has some big numbers to run back to.
LRL 11th race (4:18 EST) – LUIGI’S SPIRIT was unhurried while 4-wide into the far turn, but he gained steadily and finished third at 7F off a year layoff. He steps up in class and shortens up but can win with a move forward. TAKE CHARGE TOO led at the stretch call in his last four starts but failed to hold on at 7-2 odds or less each time.
Suggested 50-cent Ticket
LRL 8th Race: 6, 10
LRL 9th Race: 8, 11
LRL 10th Race: ALL
LRL 11th Race: 4, 9
COST: $40