Last-out winners stand tall

Only two of the eight runners in the $75,000 Autumn Leaves at Mountaineer Park on Tuesday night come in off victories in six-figure races. And one of them, Pyramyst or Afleet Angel, probably will win the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares 3 and up.

Afleet Angel won the $100,000 HBPA Stakes at Presque Isle Downs last out on Sept. 27 by a neck in a big field of 11. And she always fires, as evidenced by her record of 3 wins, 2 seconds, and a third in 6 starts this year.

Wilfredo Lozano Jr., who rode her at Presque Isle, will ride her again Tuesday.

Pyramyst won the $102,000 George Rosenberger Memorial at Delaware Park on Sep. 6, and is also a model of consistency, with 5 wins and 2 seconds in 7 starts this year.

Her trainer, Peter Walder, is a solid 26-percent winner this year, working mainly at Delaware, Arlington, Calder, and Gulfstream. Pyramyst will be his first starter at Mountaineer in the past five years, according to DRF Formulator, but not to worry. He shipped into Laurel Park just four times since 2004 and won twice.

Champagne Taste, still 3, won a second-level allowance/ optional claimer last out by 10 1/4 lengths with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 84. She also looks like the speed of the race. Trainer Akiko Gothard has run a horse in a race worth $60,000 to $100,000 only once in the past five years, according to Formulator Nakayama Arashi on Sept. 13 at Turfway Park, and she ran second at 24-1.

Over Under has a shot, based on her 3 wins in the last 7 starts and the fact that her last two starts were for bigger purses than this. Also, her trainer, Dallas Stewart, shows a positive return on investment ($2.13) since 2004 running horses on dirt off 31-to-60 day layoffs.

Limitless also comes in off a win and with the top last-out Beyer Figure by far (96). But she is stepping up from a second-level allowance/optional claimer and stretching out from six furlongs. On top of that, trainer Scooter Daviss record is poor with starters coming in off top last-out Beyers going 10 for 61 with a return of 91 cents per $2 win bet.

Ifonlyyoubelieve, Clerys Magic, and Coffee Can complete the field.