Parx Racing: Opposites collide in feature

Piquant and Escrow Kid, one moving up in class and the other taking a steep drop, clash for the first time in Tuesday’s $53,000 feature at Parx Racing.

The seventh race, scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track, is open to third-level allowance runners and $40,000 claimers. Three of the six entrants, including Escrow Kid, are entered for the $40,000 claiming price.

The 5-year-old Piquant was winless in 10 lifetime starts when he was transferred from Jonathan Sheppard to Lupe Preciado. In 7 starts for Preciado since February, Piquant has picked up 3 wins and 3 seconds. Most recently, Piquant cleared his second allowance condition by a length going seven furlongs on July 13. The 87 Beyer Speed Figure he earned was one point off the career-high 88 he registered twice between April 13 and June 17 and is the best last-race number in Tuesday’s field.

The 6-year-old Escrow Kid ships in from New York for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. He has been given a two-month freshening since finishing seventh while running for an optional $62,500 price at Belmont Park.

On the bright side, Escrow Kid registered a 100 Beyer winning a six-furlong optional $62,500 claimer at Aqueduct in March and registered an 86 Beyer two starts ago at the same level. But it may be a red flag that Rodriguez is willing to risk losing Escrow Kid for less than the $50,000 he was claimed for last summer at Saratoga. In addition, Rodriguez is 1 for his last 22 with horses returning after a break of 61 to 180 days in an optional claimer.

The 3-year-old Res Judicata looks like a contender if trainer John Servis elects to run him in this spot. Res Judicata, who beat a field that included older horses in a second-level optional $25,000 claimer at Penn National in June, was cross-entered in the $50,000 Hard Spun for 3-year-olds on Monday at Delaware Park.

High On Candy was a dull fourth making his first start following eight months on the sidelines. But he is a five-time winner at Parx, and his trainer, Scott Lake, shows a 9-for-39 record (23 percent) with a $2.36 return on investment with horses making their second start following a long layoff in an optional claiming sprint.

Phil Dancer and Dixie Notion, both stepping up in class, complete the field.