2016 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes goes down this Monday, September 19 at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania. Fillies and mares three years old and upward have come together to dash 6 1/2 furlongs on Presque Isle Downs' All Weather Track for a purse of $400,000.

A wide open field of 12 will take to the track in the Presque Isle Downs Masters - race 5 on Presque Isle Downs Monday card. Post time is 7:15 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all 12 combatants for his Monday graded stakes race.

2016 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes Race Preview at Presque Isle Downs

Living The Life 4-1 - defending two-time champion in this race - Irish bred synthetic specialist filly has 34 career starts with 10 wins (six stakes), five seconds and four third place finishes for trainer Gary Mandella and enters off a disappointing seventh in the minor Southern Truce Stakes at Santa Anita July 3. Before that was a terrific win in the Grade 3 All American Stakes at Golden Gate May 30, an eleventh in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita May 5 and consecutive third place finishes - the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes March 19 and the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes February 13. They followed consecutive off-the-board finishes in stakes races to end 2015. She also finished last of ten in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Living the Life has been a tad difficult to figure out but has placed in three of her last five starts overall. Flavien Prat will be in the saddle of the tepid morning line favorite from gate 6 in what is her absolute favorite race.

Elusive Collection 9-2 - has just six career starts for trainer Josie Carroll with two wins, a second and a third place finish. She won the minor Etobicoke Stakes at Woodbine last September in her second career start and has looked OK since. Last time out was a decent second in the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine August 27 which followed a fourth in the Grade 2 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park in April, a fourth in the minor Sand Springs Stakes on that track February 27 and a respectable third in the Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine in November. Elusive Collection has been decent in limited action and will be out to make a little noise Monday. Luis Contreras has the mount on the second betting choice from post 3.

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Birdatthewire 5-1 - three time graded winner in 2015 made her stakes debut January 24, 2014 one to remember - a win by 3 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes and followed that with a decent second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes February 21 and a good win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks March 28, 2015. She has tailed off in three starts after that. She has been better lately - a close fourth last time out in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga August 27 followed consecutive thirds - the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park July 31 and the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park July 2. Before that were three straight off-the-board finishes in graded stakes action - a fifth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff May 7, a fourth in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland in April and a fifth in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita February 13. She also had an OK second in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes January 16 and a win in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes December 26. Birdatthewire now has four wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 18 career starts and has placed in two of her last three starts. She looks for her first win in seven starts this year from gate 8 with Corey Lanerie guiding the third choice.

Cactus Kris 6-1 - has seven wins, seven seconds and four third place finishes in 23 career starts for trainer Ryan Walsh. She won the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes in October and went on to a fourth in the Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes in November and a second in the minor Giant's Causeway Stakes at Keeneland in April. Her last three starts have been OK - a third last time out in the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine August 27 followed a fourth in the Grade 3 Royal North Stakes at Woodbine July 31, a second in the minor Satin and Lace Stakes at Presque Isle Downs June 19 and a good win in the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes in May. She also had a third in last year's Grade 3 Seaway Stakes and a win in the minor Satin and Lace Stakes in June 14, 2015. Cactus Kris has placed in 10 of her last 13 starts overall - competitive virtually every time out. She hopes to continue that trend with Huber Villa-Gomez in the reins from gate 2. Cactus Kris is a coupled entry along with...

Cactus Copy 6-1 - Ryan Walsh trained filly has three wins and two second place finishes in seven career starts. She makes her graded stakes debut Monday off a second in an Allowance on this track August 30, a seventh in her only stakes action to date - the minor Duchess Stakes at Woodbine August 7 and consecutive Allowance scores on this track in June. She has been OK so far but takes an enormous step up in class Monday. Willie Martinez has been tabbed to ride from the rail.

Bar of Gold 8-1 - won her first three career starts - all at Aqueduct for trainer John Kimmel and has been up and down in 10 starts since. She enters off a seventh in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga July 27, a decent third in the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses Handicap at Belmont Park June 25, a nice win in the minor Critical Eye Stakes at Belmont Park May 30, an OK third in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct April 17, a disappointing sixth in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 19 and three straight runner-up finishes - the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes October 17, the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga last September and in the Grade 1 Test Stakes in August, 2015. She now has four wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 13 career starts. Bar of Gold looks for her first ever graded stakes score and arrives in typically inconsistent form. She departs from post 7 Monday with Joel Rosario guiding her.

Disco Barbie 10-1 - Dale Capuano trained mare has placed in 19 of 24 career starts - eight wins, seven seconds and four third place finishes. She enters on a three race win streak - an Allowance here August 30, the minor Satin and Lace Stakes also on this track in June and another Allowance here in May. She also posted four straight runner-up finishes in 2014 including the Grade 2 Matron Stakes, the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes and the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters and had consecutive runner-up finishes at this time last year including the 2015 Satin and Lace Stakes. She has placed in five of her last six starts, has been competitive against top company before and will be chasing her first graded stakes score Saturday. Antonio Gallardo rides from the outside gate 10.

Athena 10-1 - Helen Pitts trained filly has five wins, a second and two third place finishes in 14 career starts. She ended her 2015 campaign on a three race win streak including the minor Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes at Laurel Park in December and has been OK since. Last time out was an OK second in the minor West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes at Mountaineer August 6 after a win in the minor Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs June 25, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track May 20 and a third in the minor Sugar Maple Stakes at Charles Town in April. Athena makes her graded stakes debut Monday having won four of her last seven starts overall - in decent form. Brian Joseph Hernandez has been tabbed to ride from gate 4.

Meshell 10-1 - Jeff Lynn trained filly has three wins, two seconds and six third place finishes in 14 career starts. Last time out was a second in the Minnesota H B. P. A. Stakes at Canterbury Park August 27 after a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track May 28, a seventh in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park in March and an OK third in the Bayakoa Stakes on that track in February. Meshell searches for her first stakes win and first victory overall in nearly a year when she departs from post 5 with Joseph Rocco aboard.

Regia Marina 12-1 - Eoin Harty trained filly has hit the board in 11 of 14 career starts. She made her stakes debut last time out and finished a respectable third in the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine August 27 which followed a two race win streak - an Allowance at Presque Isle Downs July 17 and another Allowance at Arlington June 17. Before that was a fourth and a sixth respectively in a pair of Allowance races at Aqueduct and a maiden score to start her year - at Aqueduct in January. Regia Marina arrives in decent form and looks for her first stakes score. Pablo Morales has been tabbed to ride from post 9.

Sarah Sis 12-1 - Ingrid Mason trained filly has four graded stakes victories in her career - the 2015 Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes, the 2015 Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and the 2015 Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes included and had been largely disappointing this year before a nice win three starts back in front running style in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington June 25. She followed that result with a fifth in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap July 27 and an ugly ninth last time out in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga August 27. Before her most recent win was an eighth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff in May, a fifth in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes in March and a fourth in the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes in February. Sarah Sis now has seven wins and four second place finishes in 20 career starts and has placed in just one of her last six starts overall - the good win three starts back. She looks to gain a little consistency and for her second graded stakes score in her last four starts - from post 11 with Florent Geroux in the irons.

Unbridled Courage 30-1 - has 14 career starts for trainer Jeremiah Englehart with three wins, a second and three third place finishes. She enters off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park July 3 after failing to place in her previous five starts including a fifth two starts back in the minor Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont Park in June and a ninth in the minor Sand Springs Stakes at Gulfstream in February. Unbridled Courage hasn't been great and will be after a first stakes score from gate 10 Monday. Jose Ortiz will be in the reins.

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2016 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 5 on Presque Isle Downs's Monday card with a Post Time of 7:15 PM.