Preakness Undercard Hits

Maryland Sprint (G3)

The Super Screener’s two “A” horses in this race comprised the winning Exacta with Switzerland foreshadowing with this victory that he will be a key player in the Sprint division this year.  Rated nicely off the pace leader, Red Dragon Tattoo, and then drew away for an easy win. Long Haul Bay was a clear 2nd while the local favorite, Lewisfield, rounded out the Trifecta.  The Super Screener Top Long Shot pick, Irish Colonel, got up for 4th to complete the Superfecta at 20-1.

“#6 Irish Colonel offers a similar energy distribution profile and certainly performs well on the off going.  Went to the sidelines for a month with no action and resumed training on May 5th submitting two sharp works.  Offers value here and has only missed the Superfecta once in his last 10 starts.”

Though chalky, the Super Screener Trifecta and Superfecta wagers did hit to generate a decent return of $326 considering the top three favorites comprised the Trifecta.

 

The Very One Stakes

What was originally a very competitive 14-horse field of turf sprinters turned into an okay race when switched to the dirt and, in the process, losing 6 horses from the race. Another odds-on favorite in Girls Know Best won this race pressing swift fractions with Pretty Perfection the only real late threat. Thanks to long shot, Anna’s Bandit, the suggested Super Screener $3 Trifecta wager hit for $300.

Sir Barton Stakes

This was yet another race that was decimated by scratches which reduced the field from 11 to 6 runners.  This made Ax Man an even stronger conviction play as a horse that would take the easy lone lead and draw away with ease.  It was no contest.

“Bob Baffert-trained #8 Ax Man looms big here and he could capture that late double with a win from Justify in the Preakness Stakes.  #8 Ax Man is the one to beat in here and the only thing that could deny him the win would be the track condition at post time.  He possesses dominant pace power over this field. He’ll sit the perfect pressing trip outside the speed. His last work prior to shipping was quite stunning and he should move forward in big way 2nd off the layoff under the guidance of jockey Mike Smith.”

The suggested Exacta wagers hit but once again the result was very chalky on this rain-soaked, reduced-field day.

 

Gallorette (G3)

The Super Screener Top Win pick, Cambodia, scratched and with the scratch of the only other pace leader, this race set up perfectly for the lone speed horse, Stallion Heiress, who indeed, opened up on the field and took a commanding open-lengths lead on the very soft turf but at the ¾ pole those soft turf conditions must have taken their toll as she fell back dramatically despite setting the easy fractions.  We used Ultra Brat in 2nd but she just didn’t score well enough to be considered a win contender, and, of course, she wins by 10 lengths as the Super Screener Top Long Shot pick last out.

Speaking of long shots, the Super Screener Top Long Shot pick in this race completed the Trifecta as the 2nd longest shot on the board at 18-1.  This happened on a day in which it was hard to get a double-digit odds horse into the Trifecta in any race.  Here’s what the Super Screener said about Brooks House prior to the race:

“#2 Brooks House will certainly get overlooked here as she takes a big step up facing the toughest field of her career.  It took her a long time to break her maiden and then after that win at Del Mar, she was unimpressive until that good-looking 2nd place finish two races back followed up by a much better-than-it-looks win in a very slow paced race on a Keeneland turf course that was more yielding than good on that day. Not a threat for the win spot but the Top Long Shot pick to use on the bottom of Trifectas and Superfectas.”

 

As we await the Belmont Stakes, there is plenty of stakes racing action to take in this upcoming 3-day Memorial Day Holiday Weekend.  Churchill Downs, Arlington Park, Woodbine and Belmont Park headline the stakes racing calendar this weekend and we’ll select the best of the bunch.

We salute the men and women who served this country and look forward to the tributes and remembrances that will be featured at race tracks across the nation this weekend.

Until this weekend, Go Fast and Win!

 

Mike