by Frank Carulli
December 23, 2020
Laurel Park's Winter Carnival of racing is officially scheduled for mid-February, but the track will offer a merry-go-round of stakes action this Saturday, Dec. 26. The nine-race card scheduled to begin at 12:25 EST features seven, $100,000 races -- spanning 6F to 1-1/8 miles -- and the $150,000 Grade III Allaire DuPont. Bettors can play daily doubles, 50-cent rolling Pick 3s and $1 Super Hi-5s throughout the day. Here's a few suggested plays:
BEST BET (RACE 5 @ 2:23PM ET, #1 DONTLETSWEETFOOLYA)
Something has to give in the 6F Willa On The Move Stakes as speedballs Dontletsweetfoolya and Malibu Mischief have combined for 10 consecutive wire-to-wire victories by a combined 52 lengths. DONTLETSWEETFOOLYA gets the nod, having turned the winning corner since adding blinkers. Keith Feustle, one of the track's astute chart-callers, noticed the 3-year-old filly wore different blinkers after her June 19 start when the winning streak began. If the speed falls apart, CLUB CAR is the likely beneficiary. She projects a perfect stalking trip from the outside -- a preferred path for many sprinters at the track last week -- for a barn that has a $5.90 ROI the last three years with the synthetic-to-dirt angle.
SPOT PLAY (RACE 6 @ 2:53PM ET, #3 TACO SUPREAM)
Trainer Damon Dilodovico sends out hard-hitting LAKI (10-29, $703k) in the $100,000 Dave's Friend Stakes, but don't sleep on his other entrant, TACO SUPREAM, who rallied against a strong rail bias to finish second two starts back, won his latest try and picks up top jockey Trevor McCarthy. Both runners will have SHARE THE RIDE to beat after he carried 133 pounds to victory in the Grade III Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct last out and posted three triple-digit Beyers in four starts prior.
FEATURE RACE PICK - G3 ALLAIRE DUPONT STAKES (RACE 8 @ 3:53PM ET, #4 ERES TU)
ERES TU relaxed well in her second start off a 1-1/2-year layoff, took command with ease and won her first stakes race in a manner that suggests she can repeat in the $150,000, Grade 3 Allaire DuPont at 1-1/8 miles. Trainer Arnaud Delacour that excels with runners coming off their top speed figure on dirt. Also of note: she defeated Lucky Stride, who finished ahead of ANOTHER BROAD (7-2 in today's race) in the G-III Shuvee Stakes back in the fall at Saratoga.
LONGSHOT STABS (RACES 3 & 7)
GUNS BLAZIN - 15/1 - (#1, race 3) draws the rail, appears to want longer and is out of the graded-stakes caliber dam House of Fortune ($989k). AIR TOKEN - 10/1 - (#3, race 7) doesn't figure to win, but he is a must use on gimmick wager tickets as trainer Jose Corrales is 8-27 the last 30 days with a 2.89 ROI. Both runners are double-digit odds on the morning line.
$100 BANKROLL BETS
RACE 2 (PICK 3): 3, 5 // 1, 2, 8 // ALL
COST: $24.00 for $0.50 base
RACE 5: $40 WIN #1 DONTLETSWEETFOOLYA // $15 EXACTA 1-9 // $5 EXACTA 1 - 3
COST: $60.00
RACE 7: $16 EXACTA 4-3
COST: $16.00