Fabulous Strike one of the evening's four heavily restricted stakes

Marvalous Mike, multiple stakes-placed last year behind Beren, one of the Mid-Atlantic’s top dirt sprinters, looms a strong contender Friday in Penn National’s Fabulous Strike for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

The Fabulous Strike is one of four $50,000 races on the Friday card restricted to horses who have started at Penn National in 2022 and are nonwinners of a stakes this year.

“He’s always been an underdog,” trainer Marya Montoya said about Marvalous Mike. “He never gets any respect, and nobody ever called to ask to buy him. He’s a crooked little horse, but he has the heart of a lion.”

After finishing second to Beren in two stakes, Marvalous Mike was given the winter off. He finished fifth in his seasonal debut on June 15.

“He missed his last work and had a couple of little hiccups, so he definitely wasn’t ready first-time back.”

Marvalous Mike prepped with a dominant 7 3/4-length victory in a second-level allowance July 7. He received a career-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure under jockey Mychel Sanchez.

“Mychel said he never asked him, that he just dragged him around there,” Montoya continued.

Montoya maintains that Marvalous Mike has been training “like a monster” for the Fabulous Strike. She’ll instruct Sanchez to “play the break” in the Fabulous Strike.

Although Marvalous Mike won his most recent start on the lead, he has the tactical speed to sit behind a projected quick pace.

Trainer Bruce Kravets sends out the uncoupled entry of Memory Bouquet and Jumpmaster. Memory Bouquet has won three of his last four, including a second-level allowance June 11. All three of those wins came in gate-to-wire fashion, and Kravets said Wednesday that jockey Frankie Pennington will likely “send him out of there.”

Conversely, Kravets believes Jumpmaster, third in this race in 2019 behind Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire, can rate. The 7-year-old gelding had a three-race win streak snapped when sixth in the Chocolate Town on June 17.

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Kravets was pleased with that performance and noted the class drop should help Jumpmaster’s chances.

Trainer Kimberly Graci reclaimed Venomous State for $8,000 on March 29, and the barn has been rewarded with three wins and a second from four starts. A 20-time winner, Venomous State went gate to wire in a statebred allowance July 6.

Newstome beat Venomous State in a statebred allowance June 9, then ran third in the Hard Spun around two turns over Tapeta on July 26.

Although a three-time stakes winner, trainer Michael Trombetta wonders where Newstome fits.

“I think he’s got a chance,” he said. “I’m running out of places where I can run him. He’s a little bit better than a claiming horse and hopefully we can get him running good in a stake again.”

Heros Reward has won his last three dirt sprints for trainer Felix Flores-Coba.

Bourbon Music has won three of his last four, including a career-top 89 Beyer in a statebred allowance June 29.

Studio B, Martinkelly, and Dollarization complete the field. Prince of Rain is on the also-eligible list.

Lebanon Valley

You Must Chill, stakes-placed the last time he raced on turf, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the Lebanon Valley for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on grass.

A 6-year-old gelding by Winchill, You Must Chill returned from a year-plus layoff to win 4 of 8 in 2021 for trainer Jamie Ness.

You Must Chill continued his winning ways in 2022, including a 99-Beyer victory in a Laurel Park allowance on April 22.

His only turf run this year came when third, beaten 11 1/2 lengths, in the With Anticipation over a boggy course on June 3. Seventeen days later, he finished second in a dirt allowance at Parx Racing.

Highway Bound, a pacesetting winner of a second-level allowance on June 29, is expected to utilize similar tactics.

Helms Deep and Unconquered Spirit also are in-form speed-types.

Midnight Hauler repeats the dirt-to-turf angle that resulted in his rallying victory over yielding going in a second-level allowance June 16. Wired on dirt last time, he should get a more beneficial race flow.

Penn Ladies Dash

Kravets sends out 8-year-old Timely Tradition in the Penn Ladies Dash for fillies and mares at six furlongs on dirt.

Claimed for $25,000 out of her most recent start, a neck win when entered for the $25,000 claiming option, Timely Tradition has pleased Kravets with her work. She’s breezed two half-miles and appears in good form.

Golden Tabby regressed when third in a $25,000 starter July 13 at Parx. Her prior form is good, and she earned a stakes placing over course and distance when second in the New Start on June 3.

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My Beautiful Bell looked sharp winning a first-level allowance July 8, then acquitted herself well despite trouble when second in a second-level event over muddy going Aug. 1. She’s a pace presence.

Fort Indiantown Gap

Klayton’s Kandy seeks her third consecutive victory in the Fort Indiantown Gap for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Klayton’s Kandy began her current streak with a rallying win over five furlongs on June 22 when entered for the $28,000 claiming option. Eight days later, she took a two-turn field gate to wire and was taken by trainer Mark Salvaggio.

Her uncoupled stablemate, Mucha Mezquina, exits a sprint victory when entered for the $30,000 claiming option on July 17. Mucha Mezquina finished third, three lengths behind Klaytons Kandy, in that June 30 race.

Bella Prima, unbeaten in two turf-routes, can attend the solid pace while late-runners My Thoughts, Trolley Ride, and Swan Point would appreciate quick splits to attack.