Stunning Stag can get there in Presque Isle Mile

9/8/2011 2:20 PM

Track:

Presque Isle Downs

Race:

9/9/2011 - Race 9

Author:

mdracing69

Amount Bet:

$30.00

Amount Cashed:

$0.00

Friday's 9th race (9:05pm ET) from Presque Isle Downs is the $250,000 Presque Isle Mile for 3-year-olds and up traveling a flat mile on Tapeta footing.

#5 Stunning Stag (4-1) finished 3rd in the 2010 Presque Isle Mile and is much sharper/fresher this time around. The 7yo gelding is 10-for-26 on synthetic and got no pace help in a head defeat at Woodbine Aug 6. He sports two Woodbine bullets for this and should get pace to chase.

#1 Ravalo (9-2) is also going strong at the ripe age of seven and the hard knocking gelding exits a smart dirt sprint tally at Remington. He has won multiple local synthetic races and has hit the board in all three flat mile starts.

#3 Noble's Promise (3-1) has not raced on synthetic since his juvenile season but he handled it just fine. He has been competitive from 6-8.5 furlongs but has done the bulk of his recent damage in six furlong races at Churchill Downs. He fits on class but won't offer much value.

#10 Wise Dan (7-2) was last seen winning the grassy G2 Firecracker at Churchill on the fourth of July. The graded synthetic winner is firing bullets for this and must work out a tactical trip from an outer post.

#9 Guys Reward (5-1) owns some decent Late Pace Ratings on turf and is 1-for-1 on synthetic. The consisent sort can grab a piece of this.

The Plays: $18 to win #5, 50 cent Trifecta 1-5/1-3-5-9-10/1-3-5-9-10 ($12)

analysis by Jarrod Horak

This has nothing to do with the play, but I just want to congratulate Presque Isle on creating two great stakes (Presque Isle Mile and Presque Isle Masters). They've quickly become very popular races, drawing deep fields and offering great wagering opportunities. I believe the track has only been in existence for 5 years, so having a premier race in a division (Masters in Filly&Mare Sprint) and a quality mile race (last year had Gayego, and should be GI Clark winner Successful Dan) is an accomplishment. Smart timing, good purses money, and a good race track has combined to create these great stakes, and serves as an example other small tracks should follow in creating their one or two premier races. Louisiana Downs has already learned in moving the Super Derby back two weeks, and tracks like Hawthorne, Turfway Park, and even Monmouth could learn from this (their best older horse race, the Iselin, is in conflict with the Whitney and Woodward, and The Molly Pitcher (their best older filly and mare race) is on the same day as the Personal Ensign; they simply aren't going to steal any good horse from a stakes at Saratoga, with the lone exception of the Haskell over the Jim Dandy).

ajump08 | 9/8/2011 9:00 PM | - Re: Stunning Stag can get th...