Sweet Abandon, Donita Ruler clash in Mistletoe Starter

Parx Racing will offer a Christmas present of sorts to some starter-allowance runners Tuesday as purses have been boosted for two races on the track’s final card before the holiday.

The $45,000 Mistletoe Starter Handicap (race 5) is a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares that have started for a claiming price of $16,000 in 2013-14. The $40,000 Gift of the Magi Starter Handicap (race 7) at seven furlongs is for horses that are winless in 2014 and have started for a $12,500 claiming price during the year. The third starter allowance on the card (race 4) is for $16,000 runners and will offer a more typical $29,000 purse.

The card also includes a second-level optional-claiming race that has lured Our Caravan from New York.

Mistletoe Starter Handicap

This race could come down to a battle of 3-year-olds as Donita Ruler and Sweet Abandon each enter on two-race winning streaks.

Donita Ruler, trained by Michael Pino, won a $16,000 starter by more than 15 lengths Nov. 15 and has since taken a second-level optional-claiming race by over the stakes quality runner Vero Amore.

Sweet Abandon, trained by Penny Pearce, defeated Vero Amore in an optional claimer in October. She came back to win a $10,000 starter in her most recent outing.

Sweet Abandon has won four of her last five starts. Pearce claimed her for $10,000 in March and in 12 starts since has earned $127,000.

** Trainer Michael Dilger ships Our Caravan in from New York for the optional-claiming feature. Our Caravan has faced stakes company in five of his seven career starts and won the Calder Derby over Ring Weekend in April. He has faced the likes of Tonalist, Wildcat Red, Cairo Prince, and Protonico this year and strictly is the horse to beat.

Trainer Cathal Lynch holds a solid hand with Lynx and Metroliner, both of whom fit nicely at this level.

Lynx was fifth last out in the seven-furlong City of Laurel Stakes in Maryland but should be more comfortable stretching back out to two turns in this mile-and-70-yard race. Two starts back, Lynx won a first-level allowance at Parx by more than five lengths.

Metroliner defeated Lynx in a first-level allowance three starts back and has faced some tough company in his two most recent races.

** Something will have to give in the Gift of the Magi Starter Handicap because as the conditions stipulate, nobody in this field has entered the winner’s circle in 2014. The 12 entrants have made between seven and 18 starts each this year.

James Lee is the most likely runner to break his losing streak. He narrowly has missed in several of his most recent races while facing $12,500 and $16,000 company.