Breeders Crown Final winner #4 Dandy Ideal (8/5) is the morning line chalk in the field for the 11th running of the Potomac Pace Invitational at Rosecroft Raceway. The headliner is carded as Race 11 as a competitive field of 8 battle for a share of a $125,000 purse. This group includes the 2nd program chalk Womens Layer (3-1) who finished 3rd in BC Final and has drawn Post 1. Prince Hal Hanover and Coaches Corner who came up flat in the BC Final are also in the field. Bythemissal is 10-1 in the morning line, has dawn post 3, and Dexter Dunn will be at the controls. The Ron Burke trainee will be my pick and should offer a solid price.

Comments and selections below are based on a fast track.

Race 11 (9:20 PM EST)

3-Bythemissal (10-1)-Starts inside of #4 Dandy Ideal, could get the jump in the early going on #6 Prince Hal Hanover (4-1) and #5 Coaches Corner (6-1). Will look for Dunn to try to drop in behind #1 Women Layer (3-1), and the Virgil Morgan entry with Yannick Gingras will be leaving hard. If Missal is dialed on high, Dunn could work an efficient trip. The fractions should be hot, and he can look to roll by down the lane. This won't be easy, but the 2 with the best post draws are #5 and #6. My guess is they won't be able to land on the point and take the lead from Gingras. If so, it will be up to Dunn to stay close enough to the leaders to be a late threat. Could spice up the gimmicks and can be used underneath at the morning line price. Did put in a 1.48 mark as a 4-year-old at RcR, and this year went in 147.0 at M1. The speed is there, it just isn't there all the time but could offer good value with the driver change and inside post draw.

(3-1-4-6)

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