Parx Racing: Expensive claim tries new track

Carlos Guerrero ordinarily shies away from making expensive claims. Of the 36 horses Guerrero, the leading trainer at Parx Racing, has succesfully claimed this season, 26 changed hands for $12,500 or less.

The 4-year-old filly Bahama Bound turned out to be a rare exception to Guerrero’s usual bargain hunting. Guerrero was willing to put up $50,000 on behalf of Farnsworth Stables to take Bahama Bound out of a winning effort at Delaware Park in late August.

After a near-miss as the 6-5 favorite in her first start for her new connections, Bahama Bound will make her first start at Parx in Monday’s featured eighth race, a second-level optional $25,000 claimer for fillies and mares going a mile.

Bahama Bound is a daughter of Empire Maker out of the California-bred mare Summer Wind Dancer, winner of the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap in 2004. Although Bahama Bound won her maiden racing for a $50,000 tag at Gulfstream Park in February 2010, four starts later her then-connections regarded her highly enough to run in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, where she finished fourth.

In her first start for Guerrero, Bahama Bound rallied to get second, beaten three-quarters of a length going a mile and 70 yards at Delaware. Her 86 Beyer Speed Figure for that effort is slightly above the par of 82 for a second-level allowance at Parx.

Among Bahama Bound’s seven rivals Monday is the much-improved 3-year-old Secret Longing. After racing exclusively on Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs from May throughy July with Beyers ranging from 37 to 55, Secret Longing has put together back-to-back wins in allowance races on dirt at Penn National and Parx. Although 0 for 5 on synthetics, Secret Longing is now 3 for 4 on dirt, but must improve upon her near-pair of 74 and 75 Beyers to challenge Bahama Bound.

Another 3-year-old, Tiz the Argument, ships in from New York following a 4 3/4-length score worth an 85 Beyer in a first-level allowance at Belmont Park a month ago.

The X factor is Maddie’s Odyssey, one of three entrants in for the $25,000 tag. Although winles in four previous tries on the main track, Maddie’s Odyssey is moving to the barn of Rudy Rodriguez, who shows a 13-for-28 record (46 percent) with new acquisitions making their first start for him following a break of 31 to 60 days.