Laurel: Two intriguing maiden races within pick five sequence
Two of the more interesting races on the Friday card at Laurel Park are for 2-year-old maidens. Both races fall within the late pick five, which will be offered on races 5-9 and has a 12 percent takeout.
Trainers Rodney Jenkins and Michael Trombetta have contenders in both of the six-furlong sprints.
Jenkins will send out the first-timer starters Censure in race 5 and Icelake in race 9. Both are owned by the Hillwood Stable of Ellen Charles.
Censure, a gelded son of Blame, was purchased for $335,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton July sale in Lexington, Ky. He was the third-highest-priced buy at the auction.
Icelake, a gelded son of Ice Box, was purchased for $200,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training in Timonium, Md., in May.
The last five works for Censure and Icelake have come on the same days. Victor Carrasco, who rides often for Jenkins, has the mount on Censure. Steve Hamilton gets a chance on Icelake, who enters off two bullet drills.
Jenkins can win with first-time starters, but his runners often improve the second time out. In the last five years, he is 5 for 32 (16 percent) with 2-year-old first-timers and has a return on investment of $1.31.
During the same time span, he is 7 for 21 (33 percent) with 2-year-old second-time starters. His ROI with them is $2.79.
Trombetta has the second-time starter Dharmaster in race 5 and the second-time starters Alive and Somekindofmagician in race 9. All three have a chance.