Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025

August 20th, 2025

Dick Powell handicaps the Wednesday card at Presque Isle Downs.

Race One:

1st: (2) COURAGE ON TAP – showed good speed in her well-bet career debut on the dirt at Penn National and has worked well on the Tapeta at Fair Hill. Phil Schoenthal wins 17% with his second-time starters and gets Gallardo. 

2nd: (1) TIZ GOLDY – flashed speed for a half-mile here in her well-bet career debut. Daughter of Goldencents is out of a dam that has produced five winners from five other foals to race. 

3rd: (3) SMART PHILLY – firster by Smarty Jones is out of a dam that has produced two winners from two to race. 

Race Two:

1st: (4) YES I’M JESS – was a good second in his career debut here behind a Linda Rice horse that came back to win again. He missed by a neck last out in fast time and meets the same group for Lance Stokes.   

2nd: (3) PANCHO SLIPS AWAY – speedball returned to the races off a long layoff and held on for third when Lasix was added. Kevin Rice wins 16% against this maiden level. 

3rd: (2) COASTAL BREEZE – was an even third here in his career debut for Eoin Harty, who wins 16% second time out. 

Race Three:

1st: (3) BOOGIE WOOGIE – opened up a big lead second time out against this state-bred maiden level, then held on for second against open company. Randy Russell wins 21% when he rides Gaddiel Martinez.  

2nd: (1) ROCK TUNE – moves up in class off some decent starts against maiden claimers. She chased the pace two starts back, then almost went gate to wire when stretched out to two turns for Mike Rogers, who wins 18% going long to short. 

Race Four:

1st: (6) MR. COLOSSAL – broke his maiden here, going two turns in decent time, then ran poorly against allowance foes. He dropped down to this conditioned claiming level and was a good second behind a next-out winner. 

2nd: (4) MAXIMUM FAITH – battled for the lead in his well-bet career debut, then came back and was placed first. He was outkicked when involved in a crawling pace and drops down to claimers for the first time. 

3rd: (5) D’ORO LEMON – took him seven tries to break his maiden, but he came right back to run well against winners. 

Race Five:

1st: (2) CROOKED DREAMS – has run huge in two of four starts on the dirt and now tries Tapeta. He returns from a 396-day layoff for Juan Arriagada, who wins 24% in this spot and 23% first start after a win.  

2nd: (4) ON TAP – beat much better claimers in his PID debut, then ran poorly going long and going short. He drops down to a more realistic class level for Matt Kintz, who wins 27% with this move. 

3rd: (8) RANSOM MONEY – beat similar by five lengths two starts back, then tired when moved up in class. 

Race Six:

1st: (6) SECRETARY OF WAR – beat these in his second start of the year, then just missed next out. He chased the pace from post seven last out and faces them again with Israel Rodriguez back aboard.  

2nd: (7) ANCHISES – after running poorly in his first start off the Arriagada claim going short, he stretched out to two turns and won two races in a row. Last out, he had a rough trip when moved up to open allowance foes. 

3rd: (4) CASTAGNO – was an even third in his first start off the claim by Gerry Brooks, then tired last out. 

Race Seven:

1st: (5) EXTRASEXYBIGDADDEE – horse for the course was a distant fourth in his first start off the claim, then raced evenly in fast time last out against stakes foes. Nestor Rivera wins 19% with his synthetic-track starters.  

2nd: (1) LOOSE WIRE – won three of his first four career starts on the Tapeta at Woodbine, then was a good third going long against grade three stakes foes. He returns off a 276-day layoff for Kevin Attard, who wins 23% in this spot.  

Race Eight:

1st: (2) VISCOUNTESS – dominated by over five lengths two starts back, then just missed as the 1-9 favorite going longer. Brandon Kulp wins 29% with his claimers and 27% first start after being beaten as the favorite. 

2nd: (1) PRACTICALITY – keeps dropping down looking for class relief. Daughter of Practical Joke was a good third as the lukewarm favorite for Kulp, who wins 33% second start off the claim & 27% first start after being beaten as the favorite.   

3rd: (5) ECHO SEVEN – after two dull efforts on the dirt at Finger Lakes, she ships here for her PID debut. 

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