Talk Show Man exits good finish in key race

Laurel Park has put together a nice card for Wednesday, which includes a third-level optional claiming race, a second-level optional claimer, a first-level allowance, and two starter allowance races, one for horses who have started for $35,000 and another, which includes five last-out winners, for $5,000 runners.

Four of the nine Wednesday races are carded for turf.

Race 7, third-level optional claiming

◗ Talk Show Man makes his first start since finishing second in the now famous Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park, which Hardest Core used as a springboard to his Arlington Million win. The Cape Henlopen’s third-place finisher, Holiday Star, has come back to lose two heart-wrenching nose decisions, the first in the restricted John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga and another in last Saturday’s $200,000 President’s Cup at Parx.

◗ Talk Show Man will be making his first start in 67 days in this 1 1/8-mile turf race but trainer Hamilton Smith is adept at bring horses back off layoffs.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: In the last five years, Smith is 6 for 32 (19 percent) with horses returning from layoffs of between 61 and 180 days in turf races at more than a mile.

Race 5, second-level optional claiming

◗ Dramedy won a first-level optional claiming race at Delaware in first start for trainer Mario Pino. The horse he beat by a head, Other Cheek, is a promising Lael Stable homebred son of Smart Strike.

Race 8, first-level allowance

◗ After three close-but-no-cigar second-place finishes, Onthewhistle broke through in a Parx maiden race in the mud Aug. 2. Although he has been off 46 days, trainer Tony Dutrow has put four sharp works into him at Fair Hill and he looks ready to roll in this six-furlong sprint.

Race 6, starter allowance

◗ Although five of the eight entrants in this $5,000 starter allowance are coming off wins, Robbinette should not be over looked. He was claimed for $7,500 in April by Dale Capuano and has been competitive in first-level allowance company in his last six starts.

Tight jockey, trainer races

After six days of racing, the jockey and trainer ranks are tight as this third week of the meet begins.

Trevor McCarthy, 8 for 31, leads the rider standings. Victor Carrasco is second at 6 for 33. Horacio Karamanos, 5 for 29, is third. Tied for fourth with four wins are J.D. Acosta, Forest Boyce, Julian Pimentel, and Sheldon Russell.

Michael Trombetta leads all trainers with 4 wins from 17 starters. Jamie Ness is second at 3 for 8, and 11 trainers are tied with two wins.