Parkers Delight goes for three in row
Parkers Delight will try to win her third race in a row when she runs in a $15,000 conditional-claiming race at Emerald Downs on Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares drew eight horses and is restricted to horses who have never won two races. However, maiden, claiming, and starter races for $12,500 or less are not considered in determining eligibility.
Parkers Delight, trained by Alan Bozell, is stepping up in price but is not necessarily facing tougher horses after winning an open $10,000 claiming race June 12. The runner-up, stakes winner Seattles Best Copy, has won six times and earned $70,617. Seattles Best Copy had won all three of her races at the meet prior to losing to Parkers Delight by three lengths.
In her first start this year, Parkers Delight came from a stalking position to romp by 5 1/4 lengths in a key $7,500 claiming race restricted to nonwinners of two. In her previous win, she used her good speed to force the issue early.
Jose Zunino retains the mount, and with the quick Tiz My Cherrie in the field, he likely will put her into a stalking position after she breaks from post No. 4.
Tiz My Cherrie had been off for more than a year when she romped in a $12,500 claiming race for nonwinners of two May 27. Her bullet four-furlong move June 19 is a strong indicator that trainer Blaine Wright has her primed for another big effort.
KEY CONTENDERS
Parkers Delight, by Parker’s Storm
Last 3 Beyers: 72-62-52
◗ As indicated by her rising Beyer Speed Figures, she is certainly trending in a positive direction. The versatile 4-year-old should get a nice trip stalking what figures to be a fast and contested pace.
Tiz My Cherrie, by Tiz Wonderful
Last 3 Beyers: 65-7-54
◗ The speed of the speed has been given enough time to recover from her blowout win coming off a lengthy layoff and could be tough to run down if she can shake loose early.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years at Emerald, Wright shows a 28 percent strike rate with horses making their second start following a layoff.
Winninginfashion, by In Excess
Last 3 Beyers: 62-67-61
◗ Trained by Dan Markle, she won back-to-back conditional-claiming races on Tapeta before finishing third in a $12,500 open claimer in her last start at Golden Gate Fields on June 12.
◗ She has won on dirt, so the surface switch shouldn’t be an issue, and she won’t mind the shape of the race.