Disco Barbie seeks a return to form in Satin N Lace Stakes

When she’s in peak form, Disco Barbie is an exceptional sprinter, as evidenced by three consecutive runner-up finishes in Grade 2 and Grade 3 stakes last season with Beyer Speed Figures in the narrow range of 86 to 89. Lately, however, she has been far from her best, failing to top 77 in her four starts this year.

Handicappers must decide whether the 5-year-old Disco Barbie is ready to rebound when she makes her second start of the Presque Isle Downs meet in Sunday’s $100,000 Satin N Lace. The 5 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, which goes as race 5 at 7:05 p.m. Eastern, drew a full field of 12, plus an also-eligible.

Officially, Disco Barbie has not been worse than second in five starts locally, although she needed a disqualification to be placed second when she was beaten 3 1/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite in an allowance on May 25. The first two finishers from that race – Cactus Kris and Double Secret – are the top two choices for Sunday’s race on the track’s morning line at 3-1 and 7-2, respectively.

The field also includes Henny Jenney, whose 3-for-3 record at Presque Isle includes last year’s Inaugural, and Penn National shipper Srikinglybeautiful, who wheels back eight days after easily winning her first start in 6 1/2 months.

:: Bet Presque Isle with DRF Bets. Get up to a $500 cash bonus! Find out more today.

KEY CONTENDERS

Disco Barbie (Last 3 Beyers: 77-74-72)

◗ Her three Beyers this season are distinctly lower than when she was in career form last September through November.

◗ After topping the Presque Isle standings last season, trainer Dale Capuano is off to a 2-for-7 start at the meet.

◗ The 5 1/2-furlong distance may be shorter than this 5-year-old mare prefers. Price will be generous for those who believe she will reverse her form.

Cactus Kris (Last 3 Beyers: 87-80-85)

◗ She was disqualified from apparent victory in her first start since October. Aside from that race, she has been part of the exacta in six of nine starts locally, including a second in the $100,200 Inaugural as a 3-year-old last season. She was beaten just two lengths as a 37-1 outsider last fall in the meet’s premier race, the Presque Isle Masters.

Double Secret (Last 3 Beyers: 86-68-72)

◗ She has three wins and a second in five starts locally. She won the five-furlong Lightning City on turf in January at Tampa Bay Downs.

Henny Jenney (Last 3 Beyers: 68-77-75)

◗ She is a candidate for a major form reversal returning to Presque Isle.

Srikinglybeautiful (Last 3 Beyers: 87-63-81)

◗ She switches from turf to Tapeta for Todd Beattie, who is 11 for 35 (37 percent) with a $3.40 return on investment with horses he has run at Presque Isle the past two years.