Player Quick Pick: Monmouth for 7/20/2014
by D.S. Williamson
Monmouth Park 10 | 5:18 pm ET Optional Claiming (30) for 3&up going 1 mi. and 70y
7 – Brainwash – This Wayne Catalano trainee has a victory and one second out of 2 races over the Monmouth Park dirt. Catalano puts leading rider Paco Lopez aboard, which automatically gives Brainwash the edge in this race. Another edge to the five-year-old gelding is the fact that Catalano drops him from the $62.5K optional claiming level. The work on July 15, 3 furlongs in :36.2, says that Paco’s going to put Brainwash into the race from the get go.
2 – Gotham News – If Paco lets Trevor McCarthy aboard Gotham News get too far ahead of him, it’s likely that McCarthy will lead the four-year-old colt to the wire first. Gotham News has plenty of early zip and he’s been using it in races over at Belmont. His last was absolutely horrendous, but go two back, when he finished fourth in a $62.5K optional claimer, and you get a good idea of his talent. Gotham News is definitely the one to catch and that’s not a bad thing to be at Monmouth.
5 – Jay Eye See – The horse switches jockeys to Pedro Cotto Jr. from Eddie Castro, but that doesn’t mean much. Both Cotto Jr. and Castro are terrific riders. Pedro finds himself on a live one in the tenth at Monmouth on Sunday. Not only is Jay Eye See dropping from the open claiming $50K level, but trainer Jorge Navarro wins 33% second after the claim, and 30% with his dirt starters. Jay Eye See finished second in the $50K race in his last. It wouldn’t take much for him to win this at what could end up being decent odds.
Monmouth Park 11 | 5:51 pm ET Miss Woodford 3yo F going 6f
7 – Puddifoot – We can probably throw-out that last race on the turf. Once Paco Lopez figured out that he had no chance of winning, he took the foot off of the pedal and just let her relax a bit. Now, Puddifoot goes back to her preferred surface, dirt, and Paco stays. She’s also got a sweet outside draw where she’ll be able to see what the speed to her inside does. She might be the speed of the speed, but Paco could rest about a length and a half off if he wants to before pushing the button.
8 – Discreetly Elusive – This three-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat trained by Todd Pletcher has won her last two races by a combined 12.5 lengths. Yes, she’s taking a step up in class, but she has the ability to rest in the garden spot about 3 lengths off of what could be a deliriously fast pace. Her last race was her best, which means that Pletcher has got her moving in the right direction.
3 – Who’s In Town – There’s no doubt that she’s got some talent. She won the Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga last August and goes into this off of a victory in a decent allowance event at Delaware Park. Trainer Michael Matz wins at 18% with shippers, 19% with horses that won their last race and 15% with his horses going second time off of a layoff. Jockey Alex Cintron was aboard the last and Who’s In Town put in a great work on July 12 when running 4 furlongs in :48.2. The Grade 2 winner definitely has a shot in the feature on Sunday at Monmouth.
Monmouth Park 10 | 5:18 pm ET Optional Claiming (30) for 3&up going 1 mi. and 70y
7 – Brainwash – This Wayne Catalano trainee has a victory and one second out of 2 races over the Monmouth Park dirt. Catalano puts leading rider Paco Lopez aboard, which automatically gives Brainwash the edge in this race. Another edge to the five-year-old gelding is the fact that Catalano drops him from the $62.5K optional claiming level. The work on July 15, 3 furlongs in :36.2, says that Paco’s going to put Brainwash into the race from the get go.
2 – Gotham News – If Paco lets Trevor McCarthy aboard Gotham News get too far ahead of him, it’s likely that McCarthy will lead the four-year-old colt to the wire first. Gotham News has plenty of early zip and he’s been using it in races over at Belmont. His last was absolutely horrendous, but go two back, when he finished fourth in a $62.5K optional claimer, and you get a good idea of his talent. Gotham News is definitely the one to catch and that’s not a bad thing to be at Monmouth.
5 – Jay Eye See – The horse switches jockeys to Pedro Cotto Jr. from Eddie Castro, but that doesn’t mean much. Both Cotto Jr. and Castro are terrific riders. Pedro finds himself on a live one in the tenth at Monmouth on Sunday. Not only is Jay Eye See dropping from the open claiming $50K level, but trainer Jorge Navarro wins 33% second after the claim, and 30% with his dirt starters. Jay Eye See finished second in the $50K race in his last. It wouldn’t take much for him to win this at what could end up being decent odds.
Monmouth Park 11 | 5:51 pm ET Miss Woodford 3yo F going 6f
7 – Puddifoot – We can probably throw-out that last race on the turf. Once Paco Lopez figured out that he had no chance of winning, he took the foot off of the pedal and just let her relax a bit. Now, Puddifoot goes back to her preferred surface, dirt, and Paco stays. She’s also got a sweet outside draw where she’ll be able to see what the speed to her inside does. She might be the speed of the speed, but Paco could rest about a length and a half off if he wants to before pushing the button.
8 – Discreetly Elusive – This three-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat trained by Todd Pletcher has won her last two races by a combined 12.5 lengths. Yes, she’s taking a step up in class, but she has the ability to rest in the garden spot about 3 lengths off of what could be a deliriously fast pace. Her last race was her best, which means that Pletcher has got her moving in the right direction.
3 – Who’s In Town – There’s no doubt that she’s got some talent. She won the Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga last August and goes into this off of a victory in a decent allowance event at Delaware Park. Trainer Michael Matz wins at 18% with shippers, 19% with horses that won their last race and 15% with his horses going second time off of a layoff. Jockey Alex Cintron was aboard the last and Who’s In Town put in a great work on July 12 when running 4 furlongs in :48.2. The Grade 2 winner definitely has a shot in the feature on Sunday at Monmouth.
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