Presque Isle Downs Selections and Analysis for Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Dick Powell handicaps the Wednesday card at Presque Isle Downs.

Race One:

1st: (2) TOP RECRUIT – held well two starts back going six furlongs on the dirt at Tampa Bay as the 2-1 favorite. Claimed that day, he shipped here and won his PID debut for Juan Arriagada, who wins 24% third start off the layoff. 

2nd: (3) CATCH ON EMOTIONAL – horse for the course has been first or second in five starts here. He returns off a 678-day layoff while dropping way down in class. He should be fresh off the layoff and should be the one to catch.    

3rd: (1) LOOKIN TO EXCEL – was soundly beaten at Gulfstream Park but came here five months later and won easily. 

Race Two:

1st: (3) CHIEF CRAZY MOON – made his first start off the long layoff and held on to the deep stretch. He came back against the same maiden claiming level and ran essentially the same race with David Delgado back aboard. 

2nd: (6) ROWDY WARRIOR – was badly beaten in his first four career starts on dirt at Penn National, then made his PID debut and was only beaten two lengths. Brandon Kulp wins 25% with his synthetic-track starters.  

3rd: (4) WARRIOR’S MISSION – flashed speed for a half-mile in his career debut here against better maidens. 

Race Three:

1st: (6) HEART – beat allowance foes here last October, then ran well over the winter at Turfway Park. Off for four months, she returned with a sharp win when Brittany Russell added blinkers for the first time. Gallardo rides back. 

2nd: (3) GIRL OF MY DREAMS – was outrun at long odds in a turf sprint at Keeneland, then shipped here and went gate to wire. Anna Meah wins 10% first start after a win and 12% with her synthetic-track starters. 

3rd: (1) IMMORTALLOVE – daughter of Kantharos has some races that are good enough to beat these.

Race Four:

1st: (3) SHOWDOWN KING – was a good second against this claiming level two starts back off the long layoff, then he just missed as the 3-5 favorite. Teresa Connelly wins 39% first start after being beaten as the favorite. 

3rd: (7) CHIPS LEGACY – just missed going gate to wire to finish up last year. He returned against state-bred allowance foes while clearly needing a race. He drops back down to a claiming condition that he beat last year for Randy Russell. 

3rd: (6) ITZCOATI – showed good speed going two turns here in his PID debut and turns back to a sprint.  

Race Five:

1st: (5) THANK YOU AMY – first-time starter by Street Boss (13% debut winners) that is out of a stakes-winning dam whose two foals to race have won. Ron Potts wins 14% with his debut starters and 19% against this maiden level.   

2nd: (2) HAPPY HENNEY – first-time starter by Runhappy (10% debut winners) that is out of a winning dam whose only foal to race is a two-year-old stakes winner. Tim Hamm wins 13% with his debut runners and 21% against this maiden level.  

3rd: (6) RIZZ – first-time starter from Adam Rice who wins 23% with his debut runners. 

Race Six:

1st: (8) LA TOURISTA – was a good second in her PID debut two starts back, then her late rally just missed. She meets the same group but from a wide post, she might be able to settle and make one big run with Willie Martinez.   

2nd: (2) DOMINANT STRANGER – was 1 for 40 going into her last start, but she romped off the layoff as the 7-5 favorite. Rory Barron wins 24% first start after a win and 33% when he runs them back against claimers. 

3rd: (4) DOWN TO EARTH – has had two starts here this year, so there are no excuses about being fit. 

Race Seven:

1st: (7) MOR SPRING SPIRIT – began the PID season with a terrible effort, but it was against allowance foes, and he needed a race. He dropped down to a more realistic class level last out and just missed going five furlongs.   

2nd: (6) WHERE YOU WAS – horse for the course just missed against cheaper in his first start off the long layoff. He bounced back with a sharp win last out and now moves up in class for Randy Russell, who wins 18% first start after a win. 

3rd: (2) LUCCI – beat this claiming level in his PID debut as the 2-1 favorite. 

Race Eight:

1st: (2) CEFALU – one-dimensional closer rallied from way back to get up in time going two turns on the turf at Tampa Bay. Daughter of Wooten Bassett (stands for a $300,000 stud fee), shipped here and missed by a head as the favorite. 

2nd: (1) DAME MAUDE CHARDIN – made her PID debut here last out and she rallied for third after being shuffled back going six furlongs. She stretches out to two turns and draws the rail with Walber Alencar. 

3rd: (5) SILENT DIVA – was beaten 112 lengths in two starts on the dirt, then just missed here at 52-1.