Competive Feature at Penn Thursday

A runner up in her last two races, and in three of her last four, Kentucky-bred Tunka will try to at last find the winner’s circle when she breaks from the gate in Thursday’s feature at Penn National, a six-furlong allowance sprint for four-year-old and up fillies and mares. After breaking her maiden first time out way back in November of 2011, Tunka was away from the races all of 2012. She made her return to the track a year ago, and after three races where she finished up the track, she turned things around and has been second or third in six of eight.

Local runner in with a chance

She’s expected to be joined by six others in the starting gate, including the Penn-bred Deighan, 3-1 second choice in the morning line after Tunka’s 2-1. She comes in this off of two straight wins in the claiming ranks, in the last drawing clear to win by 6 3/4 lengths. She’ll also carry low weight of 113 pounds to the others 118. Breaking from the inside post, Downtown Girl is third ML choice at 7-2 in what could be a very competitive race. She’s been knocking on the door in allowance company recently, although she was only fifth last time out.

Long shot has been improving recently

Of the longer shots on the board, Tuffy Too (10-1) has hit the board in seven straight, with a win four starts back. Most of that has come in the claiming ranks, but she was second in her last start, a starter allowance race where she came from off the pace and closed well at 10-1. At 15-1, California Roll has much the same resume as Tuffy Too, with a win and a string of just-missed finishes in her recent past, although she was a well-beaten eighth last time out.