Laurel Play of the Day: A Friday 1st-timer

Thanks to Horse Racing Nation's first-time power ratings, there is no need to fear debut runners, and I’m certainly willing to put my pen where my mouth is by making our Laurel Park play of the day a first-time starter.

Race 5 on Friday in Maryland is a maiden special weight race, and two things give us confidence to back the Mike Repole homebred Agreed.

None of the seven entrants who have run have come close to par for the level via Brisnet Speed Ratings. And Agreed has a five-star, out of five, rating on the aforementioned first-time power ratings.

And why not? Agreed is by 15% debut sire Uncle Mo out of the Bernardini mare Bambalina, whose lone runner to date won second-time out. Trainer Brittany Russell is 28% when debuting in maiden special weights with a near break-even return on investment. All systems point to go on this one.

As the fifth of eight races, this race is a part of both Pick 5s on the Friday Laurel card, and each of those sequences, races 1-5 and races 4-8, have just a 15% takeout rate. Even though Agreed is the morning-line favorite, there could be value singling him in the early Pick 5 in particular as the wagering public is sometimes reticent to single a first-time starter.

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