Good betting races spice up Laurel card

Laurel Park has put together another interesting midweek card for Wednesday. The nine races include second- and third-level optional-claiming races, a first-level allowance, and a pair of 2-year-old maiden races.

The second-level optional claimer will be run at six furlongs, and the other four races are all 5 1/2-furlong turf sprints.

The fifth race, a maiden for 2-year-old fillies, and the eighth, the third-level optional claimer, are two of the day’s more playable races.

There are several nicely bred first-time starters in the fifth race, especially those trained by Graham Motion and Arnaud Delacour. But there also are a couple of noteworthy fillies who have already started.

Grecian Star, trained by Gary Capuano, raced greenly in her debut but finished a hard-trying second to Miss Bullistic, who came back last Saturday to win the $100,000 Selima at Laurel.

Grecian Star drifted well out in the course entering the stretch of her turf-sprint debut while chasing the leaders. She quickly came back in and then drifted down to the rail while trying to run down Miss Bullistic in the final furlong. She should benefit from the outing and gets a jockey change from seven-pound apprentice Carlos Gutierrez to Victor Carrasco, who is tied for second in the Laurel standings to begin the week.

Another filly to consider is Secret Or Not, who is now trained by Vernon Allinson, who has won four races from 20 starters this year. In her debut, Secret Or Not was second in a Charles Town maiden race. Last time out, she was third in the Jamestown, a turf sprint for Virginia-bred or -sired 2-year-olds. She was trained in those races by Joan Reynolds, who is 28 for 132 on the year.

Despite the Jamestown being restricted, the top two finishers are promising 2-year-olds. The winner, Hooligan, is owned and trained by Wesley Ward and won the Jamestown at odds of 3-10. The runner-up, Bay Finn, was making his debut for Capuano and finished well in a belated bid.

◗ The day’s featured race, a third-level optional claimer, could come down to Winter Lady, who has improved markedly since being claimed by Jamie Ness four races ago, and Stoupinator, who two starts back was second to Quality Lass in an optional claimer at Delaware Park. Quality Lass has since won the $200,000 Turf Amazon at Parx.