Pimlico – 05/18/13 - Belmont Park

The Chick Lang         Post Time – 1:50 EDT

#9 UNDRAFTED is poised to move forward cutting back in distance and returning to dirt for trainer Wesley Ward.  This barn is 34% with dirt starters cutting back in distance over the last five years ($2.61 ROI).  He finished third in two graded stakes at Gulfstream this winter and will get a huge pace to run into today.  He also figures to offer value in a contentious race.  #7 CITY OF WESTON will try to bring his game outside of Florida, as he has been quite successful in the Sunshine State thus far in his career.  The pace is also going to help this son of Holy Bull, as he does his best running late.  The presence of Javier Castellano is a good thing.  #2 ZEE BROS is a speedy son of Brother Derek who figures to mix it up from the start.  He has the early foot to potentially serve as “speed of the speed” and trainer Bob Baffert is 34% with dirt starters cutting back from routes to sprints ($2.20 ROI). 

The James W. Murphy         Post Time – 2:33 EDT

#1 NOTACATBUTALLAMA is returning off a lengthy layoff for trainer Todd Pletcher, and he’ll return to turf this afternoon.  This NY bred son of Harlan’s Holiday won three times on the weeds during his juvenile campaign, and he figures to get a great setup from an advantageous post position today.  If he runs back to his best races, they’re all running for second in here.  #10 REDWOOD KITTEN has been facing very solid company in recent starts and will be close to a spirited early pace in this field.  The outside draw is hardly ideal in a bulky group, but he has the right pilot to overcome a potential tough trip.  His pace stalking effort last time out looks much stronger when you consider where the other early runners wound up when all was said and done.  #4 HEAT PRESS is trying the turf for the first time for a high percentage barn.  This colt is by a 10% turf sire, and his dam has dropped two turf winners.  He has the tactical speed to stalk and pounce today.

The Allaire DuPont Distaff (GIII)                 Post Time – 3:14 EDT

#7 BRUSHED BY A STAR has been ridden quite passively in recent starts.  She now gets a major upgrade at pilot and lands in a field that’s a bit short on early zip.  This filly burst onto the distaff scene last year as a speed horse who found her way in the middle of the summer.  The desire to turn her into a late runner has led to numerous dull trips for this daughter of Eddington.  If able to use her natural speed, her fortunes will change today.  #6 SUMMER APPLAUSE is the only other legitimate win candidate in this field.  She was too close to the pace in the Apple Blossom last time out at Oaklawn and stands to improve if able to lay back early today.  Johnny Velazquez won on her in March at Aqueduct, and he has the call again today.  If the pace is moderate, she can lay close enough to pounce in crunch time.  #3 MOON PHILLY has been off since late February when she won the Maryland Racing Media at 1/5.  She has the speed to get involved early, but this daughter of Malibu Moon benefited from chasing slow paces in her last three starts.  It doesn’t look like she’s quite at Brushed by a Star or Summer Applause’s level.

The Gallorette (GIII)              Post Time – 4:00 EDT

#3 PIANIST has shown flashes of graded stakes ability on numerous occasions.  She has failed in both opportunities against graded stakes foes, and she was bet heavily in both tries.  Trainer Chad Brown freshened her after she finished a dull 5^th in the Honey Fox, pointing to either the Beaugay at Belmont or this race.  The scratch of the runner just to her inside will pave a clearer path for her to the front end, and she looms a threat to go the distance from there.  #4 SAMITAR is a stablemate of the top pick.  She exits the Jenny Wiley, which was simply too tough of a race for this British-bred daughter of Rock of Gibraltar.  This filly’s late closing style leaves her vulnerable to the pace scenario, but she should get a good setup courtesy of her stablemate.  #9 SILVER SCREAMER is another potential pace horse, as she returns off a layoff today for Rudy Rodriguez.  She failed in the Claiming Crown Tiara to end her 2012 campaign, and that performance foreshadowed the tough winter that Rudy Rodriguez suffered through at Pimlico.  He’s turned things around since and will have her ready to roll.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  The Maryland Sprint Handicap (GIII)                     Post Time – 4:42 PM EDT

#7 CANDYMAN E returns to dirt today after finishing a game 3^rd in the Commonwealth last month at Keeneland.  He was close to the pace that afternoon and finished with interest, but he’ll be farther back today due to the expected early tempo.  This gelding’s best races certainly make him competitive in a race like this, and he is going to offer value in a highly competitive affair.  #4 HARDENED WILDCAT is going 2^nd off a layoff after winning a N3X optional seller at Aqueduct.  He was closer to the early pace that day because of the race shape, and he finished strongly under today’s rider.  The distance of this race is ideal, as he is 4-5 at six furlongs and 0-4 at seven panels.  If the pace heats up in here, he’ll be hard to hold off late.  #8 LAURIE’S ROCKET is returning on short rest for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who won this race in 2012 with Hamazing Destiny making the exact same fast turnaround.  The outside post this son of Bluegrass Cat gets today will help his cause, as he prefers to be uncovered early.  The price you’ll get is also going to be quite solid.

The Dixie (GII)                       Post Time – 5:25 EDT

#9 SWIFT WARRIOR returns off a brief layoff today after winning his first two races of 2013.  After scoring in wire-to-wire fashion at Sam Houston Race Park, he took the Tampa Bay 3 weeks later from just off the pace.  The trip he endured in Oldsmar was hardly ideal, as he ended up covering the 8^th highest amount of ground in a 9 horse field.  His versatility will give jockey Rosie Napravnik options in the opening stages, as he can be close to the lead or take back if the tempo is solid.  #1 WILLCOX INN is a late runner who has run a couple of credible races thus far in 2013.  He improved considerably in his last start, as jockey James Graham took him back to make one run.  This is his favorite distance, and he has drawn a cozy inside post, which makes him a major threat.  #2 OPTIMIZER is the deserving favorite, as he was a clear 2^nd to the reigning Horse of the Year, Wise Dan, two weeks ago at Churchill Downs.  He has Joel Rosario in the irons once again, and two of this colt’s best races have been with him aboard.  He was close to the front last time and can be once again if Rosario so chooses.

The Preakness (GI)               Post Time – 6:20 EDT

All signs point to #1 ORB clearing the 2^nd hurdle on the Triple Crown trail, as he is in razor sharp form for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.  He should get some pace to run at today and jockey Joel Rosario should be able to negotiate a clean trip from the inside in this spot.  Though he benefited from a huge pace setup in the Kentucky Derby, this son of Malibu Moon reached the front in upper stretch that afternoon.  That makes him significantly less vulnerable from a pace perspective, and only adds to the thought that he’ll be exceptionally tough to beat.  #9 ITSMYLUCKYDAY did not handle the wet track at Churchill Downs two weeks ago and will appreciate the return to a dry strip.  His tactical speed could potentially give him a serious jump on late runners like Orb.  While he is 0-2 against the big favorite, there are enough reasons to think he can improve today to take a fair price.  #4 DEPARTING is the wild card in this field of nine, as he did not compete in the Kentucky Derby, and is a lightly raced yet improving three year-old from a strong barn.  He overcame a wide post to take the Illinois Derby four weeks ago, and his trainer has pointed him here ever since.  That’s enough to give him serious consideration in his biggest opportunity to date.