The $75,000 Wait For It Stakes might offer the smallest purse of three Pennsylvania-bred stakes on the Wednesday card at Parx Racing, but it could earn the most eyes. Shane’s Wonder, an undefeated 3-year-old gelding, will make his stakes debut as an obvious standout, and trainer Alfredo Velazquez isn’t the only one expecting another big effort at six furlongs. “He’s doing real good, and as time goes by, he’s only getting better,” Velazquez said. Jockey Eliseo Ruiz has had little to do in two starts aboard Shane’s Wonder, who has never trailed a step in commanding front-running efforts. An 11 1/2-length maiden winner in February, the sprinter stepped into open company the following month and dusted a stronger allowance field by 3 1/4 lengths, earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Bred and owned by Uptowncharlybrown Stud, the Eastwood gelding will be a towering figure in his stakes debut and has been listed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the field of seven statebred 3-year-olds. He drew the rail and will almost certainly set the pace again. “I’m telling [Ruiz] to ride him the same way he’s been riding him,” Velazquez said. “He’s got the speed. He just needs to ride him the same way, open it up in the lane and relax.” If Shane’s Wonder wears down on the front end, Connor’s Crew and Gold in My Hands could pick up the pieces. Trainer Butch Reid said he was encouraged by Connor’s Crew’s progress over the winter, while Gold in My Hands is coming off a game third in a first-level allowance for Hugo Padilla. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Presenceisapresent, who nearly won the $75,000 Miss Behaviour in her debut last year, is one of three fillies entered in the Wait For It. Eake, another filly entered, is “50-50” to run, per trainer Guadalupe Preciado. Unique Bella In his usual style at Parx, Butch Reid is loading up in the $100,000 Unique Bella Stakes, having entered three runners in the field of eight Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares. Disco Ebo, a 7-year-old mare with 14 career victories, will be Reid’s hot hand in the six-furlong sprint. After getting pressured near the front in her first two starts this year, she finally got comfortable on the front end in March and won a $55,000 allowance with an 84 Beyer Speed Figure. She will break from the rail Wednesday. “She doesn’t necessarily need the lead, but she doesn’t like to be crowded,” Reid said. “She likes to be clear, generally, so she can get things her own way.” While her stablemate tries to string together victories, 5-year-old mare Carmelina will return home to Parx after a turbulent start in the $150,000 Stellar Wind Handicap at Colonial Downs. Forced to sit through a delay before the race, the even-money favorite failed to fire off a nearly six-month layoff and finished fifth. She has four wins in five career starts at her home track, including the Unique Bella last year. Reid said he was “looking for the right spot” for Kappa Kappa, a 4-year-old filly who last ran in December. Reid’s trio will be challenged by a pair for trainer Mike Moore who will break from the outside posts coming off relatively short turnarounds. Confirmed Star, claimed for $50,000 in February, came back to win an allowance at the same level April 8, while Pachelbel finished well behind Irish Maxima in a seven-furlong sprint April 14. Page McKenney With much of the early speed potentially scratching from the $100,000 Page McKenney Handicap, the seas could part for Twisted Ride, who will return to statebred stakes company with clear intentions. “He has one way of running,” Moore said. “He goes to the front, whether somebody else is going to the front or not, he’ll go to the front and battle with him. He likes to fight with other horses, so he’ll definitely be head and head with somebody.” On March 24, the 7-year-old gelding managed to make the early lead for the first time this year, which unsurprisingly made the difference in a 1 3/4-length victory. The 2023 McKenney winner should easily handle six furlongs on Wednesday. Trainer Hugo Padilla said Factor U and Me In will likely scratch to avoid a short turnaround, while Fore Harp ran in the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury last Saturday at Laurel. Both runners were expected to challenge for the lead in the field of nine older horses. Without an early duel, several contenders could have a tougher task from off the pace. Crab Daddy will ship from Laurel for trainer Linda Albert after finishing second in the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley at seven furlongs earlier this month. “It was the race in front of us,” Albert said about his runner-up effort behind Quint’s Brew. “That’s his favorite distance. So that’s what we were working for that race. This race is logical at six furlongs, but it’s short for him.” Jamie Ness also said six furlongs was a little short for Gordian Knot, but like Albert, he will still take the chance for a statebred stakes victory. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.