Preakness Day

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Post time for the G 3 Gallorette is an ungodly 11:30 a.m.,and the next race isn’t until over an hour later? How odd. [edited to add: ah, they ran the G1 Arabians race in between]. Zagora disappointed as the favorite last out in the G1 Jenny Wiley,and I fear she needs more early speed to close into than she’ll get today.Since Javier Castellano sticks with Zagora,Ramon Dominguez picks up the ride on Laughingwho gets a nice 6-pound weight advantage off her foe. She’s a half sister tothe monster Viva Pataca, and has already won going longer—in last June’s NijinskyStakes at Leopardstown, at 200 to 1, no less! I also like Smart Sting here, cutting back and regaining the services of JohnVelazquez.
Not sure I can articulate why exactly, but I love the oldwarrior Ravalo to pop a surprise inthe G3 Maryland Sprint—it looks to be a pretty weak field overall so thuswilling to take a flyer on the old boy [blah, he's scratched!]. The James W. Murphy looks evenlycontested, though, with Easy Crossingshortening up and coming in off a break with Ramon Dominguez aboard forChristophe Clement, a potent combo. The other Clement entry is on the faroutside, Achilles; his dam Solvigwas a dual-G3 winner on turf and lots of quality turfsters in his family, soexpect him to do well moving up in class. Returning to turf should help Gold Megillah, as it should Hammers Terror who finished ahead ofhim in the G3 Lexington last out. For a price, though, I’ll risk some bucks onJimmy Toner trainee Two Months Rentwho just missed against older horses last out. Interestingly, Illinois Derbywinner Done Talking is in here,trying turf for the first time—or maybe he’ll be a scratch when the race stayson turf?
Honestly, I’m ambivalent about the G3 Allaire Dupont, asnone in here particularly thrill me. AbsintheMinded is too irregular in her efforts to inspire confidence, and newshooter Awesomemundo is a bit greenfor my taste. Love and Pride shouldlike shortening up, but I’ll probably risk some on Canadian Mistress off her form against Awesome Maria this year.
The G2 Dixie features CasinoHost coming in off two big wins this year—and there lays the problem. Thenagain, there’s not much in the way of quality turf horses these days in theU.S. so maybe this is the best we get. Oh, how I long for the days of Einstein,Better Talk Now and even Paddy O’Prado! SmartBid won the G3 Fair Grounds Handicap, and then bombed last out. Hudson Steele looks promisingsecond-up, and for a price Humble andHungry could be a contender.
Finally, the Preakness…I’ve already expressed my lack ofpassion for this field, especially the Derby winner. That said, if the trackplays like it did on Friday with early speed holding, only those who run onpace will have a chance: Bodemeisterand I’ll Have Another, naturally,but also based on prior form, CreativeCause and Cozzetti. Went The Day Well will have to staycloser than he did in the Derby (which he did when he broke his maiden), andeven with the blinkers added Tiger Walkjust has too much drama for me now with the jockey change to Ramon Dominguez.Regardless of his win last out here, I can’t take Pretension seriously based on his prior form. A longshot exoticsplay could be Teeth of the Dog if hetoo stays close early. Bottom line: I’ll be rooting for Creative Cause if Bodemeister fails to fire.