Mike's Corner
At The Raceway …
An analysis of the Scarborough Downs Card
by Mike Sweeney
Race One … PH Outlaw drops down to the NW’s bracket boasting less than stellar form - The services of the meet’s top stick requested today - Will the top stick oblige? … Armbro Anthony was locked in with some sort of pace in last - Beaten fav had appeared win ready - Is he still? … Yukon Jake nearly shocked the world in last - Was just a head removed from a new lifetime mark … 5-4-1
Race Two … He’s A Player has been solid as Sears since the drop down to the $3K level - He’s the one to beat despite the poor post - We still await the arrival of the latest MR 2000 … Alpine Action finally draws a useable post - Has shown glimpses since invading from Toga … By The Knows speediest of the rest - Winless over past 2 seasons though … Chips Fly veteran trotter has been sharp as of late - Free Delivery all weekend long if this one gets the win … 7-1-6-3
Race Three … Top Hill Will drops down out of Stakes competition off an insistent & decent runner-up effort … LC’s Dandy One left with determination from the dreaded post in last - Handier from inside spot here … Lukes Angelina still boasts her perfect on-the-board ratio - Learning her lessons well … 1-2-4
Race Four … Scoot Outa Dodge near-miss runner-up fresh off the shelf - Scoots on down the highway today and never looks back … Smartie Marti drops down to the NW’s division and simultaneously draws that rare inside starting spot - O Happy Day … Kaitlin Lou makes her first start for new connections - Joins roster of noted trainer of claiming level mares … 1-2-3
Race Five … Bee Moving steady stride & speedy win in last - Handier, apparently, with the pants put on … Blazing Forward extreme hidden class relief noted here as he ducks Cranmeadow Express for the very first time … Workquin fast but sometime erratic sort - Looms large with a mistake free trip … Four Letter Word might that word be GURU? … 2-5-7-6
Race Six … Cruisin The Badlands cruised the outer rim to secure a well-earned 3rd in last - Key 2nd start down in the basement level tonight … Dealin Straight a major force from the much improved post - Keen runner-up when last seen at the Downs … Sempre Veloce has been chasing extreme Delaware speed - Lightly raced in recent seasons … 6-4-3
Race Seven … Andrew drops out of mix-and-match sort of Late Closing event at Bangor - Big class relief noted here - Can scoot enough to overcome poor starting spot … Maine Maple Chip gets the inside edge over her chief rival - Nifty Queen City win in last … Pick Pocket Paige keen rally force behind speed that might be faltering here … Frisky Mover capable of posting huge miles … 8-1-3-7
Race Eight … Super Sidney C drops down to the mid-level after chasing extreme speed in last 2 starts - He shoots, he scores … Double RN up in class after besting Bangor’s NW’s group - Always respect a Stan Whittemore entry … Dartanion the rail is almost wasted on him but the inside post never hurts … 3-2-1
Race Nine … Aint No Angel rookie 3-year-old still possesses nothing but up-side potential - Boasts best top-line of any on this program page … Eternal Triumph generally draws poorly & does so again today - Not afraid to mix it up though … Super Tight troubled looking chart in last but has shown some promise this season - Invades from Monty … Flight Forty Eight either soars with the eagles or crashes and burns … 8-7-1-5
Race Ten … Cranmeadow Express undefeated in stakes company and obviously the one to beat in here - Another in a long line of good young trotters developed by the legendary Trot-Master … Cyber Cast recovered nicely from early bobble in last - Makes a nice horse race out of this one with a mistake free trip … Deacon Livermore consistent style is his greatest ally - Price play for Trifecta wheels …Serious Kid may play a role with any repeat of 7-13 effort … 7-1-8-5
Race Eleven … Lavish Jen tumbles down to the cellar-level tonight - Looms as the one to beat in here … The Salem Witch nifty mile noted in last for new connections - Could burst through soon now … Great Strides has surely been chasing great speed … Amy Joe might this one be a tune-up for Topsham? - Bring lots of candy please … 5-2-3-4
Friday, July 30
Race One … Ellemental drops back down to the level of her most recent & most speedy win - Most certainly has shown jumping tendencies of late though … Sheeza Shady lady class dropper finally draws a decent post - Capable versus these … Ida Annie inside post - Above average gate speed - The Campbell Call - Wonder where this one is heading? … Armbro Darling rides the good trip to contend … 4-3-1-2
Race Two … Brother Moe exits claimers off smashing runner-up effort in local debut - Any repeat of last manhandles these - Connections might have found a good one here … You Brat has flashed steadier style since putting on the pants and adding BUTE - Nice fit here … Yankee Penny generally factors in the pari-mutuels - Steady sort & steady is good … Somerset Mini Bob up in class off maiden win - The Fox remains … 4-3-5-7
Race Three … DANIS Company makes the 2nd start removed from tough stakes competition - Nice rally noted in last … Dansan Lancelot tumbles down from Stakes classes - Has surely been chasing extreme speed … Gone Tomorrow well-bred freshman makes his lifetime debut today off steadier 2nd prep … 6-2-3
Race Four … Hooper key stakes player eschews the bye-week concept - No rest for Hooper - Appears the one to beat in here … Miss Hot Legs has hit the board in all published charts - A must play therefore, on all exotic tickets … My Toches flashes her ability on the lead today - All eyes will be focused on My Toches in the early going today … 4-3-1
Race Five … Maeve undefeated still in her young career & draws the rail just for good measure today - Namesake of the Irish goddess who “ran faster than horses” - Fitting moniker … Magic Card defeated just once (by our top-tab’s stable-mate) - Nice match race looms in here … Pembroke Bebop clearly the best of the rest & may well develop to be competitive with our top selections … 1-2-6
Race Six … I’m A Mainer appears the fleetest of these - Came charging hard from a million miles away in last … Plain Tag steady effort in last - Seeks the good trip once again today … Spur On Begonia key 2nd start off the shelf - Steady effort noted in return to raceway in last … 5-3-7
Race Seven … Fox Valley Dolly almost an impossible situation in last - This may well be the week that Dolly returns to the stage … The Band From Boston makes her 2nd start sporting the reduced claiming tag - Finds perhaps a handier spot here … Rockome Vicky very handy prep mile noted from NY invader - Capable of besting these with a mistake free effort … 3-5-1
Race Eight … Circle’s Sugar runner-up in all three stakes appearances pacing 2nd best to every one of the top-three contenders in this freshman class - It’s her time to shine today … Pembroke Bow Bow draws the weaker division now 2 weeks in a row - Charts suggest she was in-hand in last … Cyclone Rose flaunts the best last quarters of any of the rest - The grumpy Aging Hippie’s entry finally draws inside … 3-7-4
Race Nine … Pembroke Spice classy mare passed over the $250K level in lifetime earnings in last - Rides a 3-race win streak into battle today but has been idle - Grondin entries are generally ready to rock ‘n roll … Four Starz Trump the other class entry - Also crossed over the $250K threshold last week - Sharp contender & a right now sort of entry - Gets the Larry the Camera Guy Seal of Approval … Victory Tax last week’s beaten favorite was just headed in the final strides - Keen rally threat … Tsarina draws kinder today - nearly always factors in the exotics … 4-1-6-5
Race Ten … Barbra Ann went to the dance, looking for romance, saw Barbra Ann so I thought I’d take a chance - Her undefeated season’s got us all rockin’ and a-reelin’ … CBF Fancy has now finished top-3 placed in all 3 stakes appearances - Aging Hippie plays Jimmie Hendrix to Big Switz’s Brian Wilson … Lady Ridgerunner makes just her 2nd lifetime start - Steady effort from poor post noted in debut mile … 1-5-3-2
Race Eleven … Richlin drops down to the NW’s division & draws a useable post - Make your reservations now for the party at the Sulky Lounge … Early Connection 2nd start down at this level - Has been chasing extreme speed … RD Kak poor post but perhaps the sharpest of the rest … 4-5-8
Saturday, July 31
Race One … Spare Time Carl key 2nd start since the recent respite - A speedy force when he’s right and ready … Exclusive Art extreme class-dropper was facing tougher when last seen locally - Good gate speed noted … Big John C paces sub-2:00 every start - Exit’s the un-timed Bangor race which fit’s the “key race” theory as winner took a new lifetime mark the very next start -… Falcon’s Bute always in the mix early on … 1-4-5-2
Race Two … Naughty Narcissist shows breaks in 4 of 7 published charts - Appeared to jump over a discarded bell boot in last - Surely speedy enough & remains well classified … Wall Street Wally drops down to the mid-level grouping with improved post today … Youragambler’sson should remain handier reclassified to this claiming level … Muir Hanover winless this year but has hit the board in 5 of 7 starts … 7-2-5-3
Race Three … Three Button Door draws an inside post for the first time since the Eisenhower administration - He’s sharp right now and he likes Ike too … Rusty’s Rascal a mere nose removed from riding a 2-race win streak - Barn has been on fire this month … Kentucky Bay Joey Mo returns from his northern swing - This one apparently always hit’s the board … 1-4-5
Race Four … Cullens Reign speedy, classy but sometime erratic - All the things we love about New Zealand horses - Remains priced for success - Poco and Sunny’s pal … Red Bullet apparent class dropper has been facing tougher at Bangor with limited success … Hollywood Best beaten fav in Bangor late closer - Steps up in class today … Bert Magic sharpest of the rest - Must overcome the poor post though … 2-4-1-7
Race Five … Trick The Yankee mid-mile interference spelled doom for the win streak last week - Still rallied gamely for the show … I’m A Lucky Man sharp pacer regains the inside edge - It’s hay making time from the rail today … Guapo appeared much more confident in last - Did he hear the Voice? … Deuces N Eights anniversary day special … 3-1-6-5
Race Six … Neutralizer key class dropper looms off sharp charts - Speediest of theses here … Pictonian Leo takes them just as far as he can down the highway today … Rapid City has met up against freakish speed time and time again as bearcats have transfigured from pussycats - Finds a tamer bunch in here … 4-3-5
Race Seven … Goose Creek drops down to the bottom condition level off robust runner-up effort in last - Been idle though … Windemere Josh drops down off the rejuvenated effort in last - Back-to-back tries from the magical rail … Trebuchet boasts the sharpest charts on this page - Makes his 2nd start up at the $5K level … Coit Hanover sharp class-dropper … 8-1-6-5
Race Eight … Syncro Hotspur not our style to pick a horse fresh off the prep - But what a prep it was! - Keen 58.2 back-half hints at promise … Pilgrims Primrose drops a notch down the class ladder perhaps off Saratoga’s fake colt claiming classes … LP’s Magic talented colt makes the key 2nd start off the qualifier … BP Diet Food appeared more like his old self in last … 5-6-4-1
Race Nine … Harrah’s Best Pennsy invader looms large in local debut - Drops down into the colt classes after tackling tough claiming foes … Artillery Officer deceptively good 5th place finish in last - Remains capable versus these … The Big Surprise up in class off strong effort - Untested through a 59.2 back-half in last … 1-2-4
Race Ten … Off Keel gallant gray rises up in class off recent claim - Historically capable at this claiming level … Texas Shootout keen class-dropper invades off the northern circuit - Has hit the board in every start since competing in Bangor’s $0 claiming handicap on June 1st … Notthatkindaangel the other keen class dropper - Classy guy is rounding back into form - Wins one soon … 5-6-2
Race Eleven … Honored Hall often swells up when loose on the lead - Little discernable gate-speed noted to his inside … Casino King keen rally threat makes his 2nd start off recent respite - The King was surely sharp in last … JC Lou Benjamin way up in class but rises off a seasonal best … 6-7-3
Race Twelve … Whitlock classy veteran is capable of doing great damage in the finale - This might be the best final race field carded this season at the Downs - Don’t go home early folks … Warrior Jake rides a nifty 2-race win streak into battle today with his last representing a brand new lifetime mark - Post will hinder though … Sea Dog Time sharp Maine-bred should be forwardly placed in here … Episodic bounced from that un-timed “key race” at Bangor - Check the nifty rally in last, but oh how we’d love to know what sort of fractions he rallied into … 6-8-1-5