Happy Preakness Day! 

We won’t have a Triple Crown winner this year as Sovereignty’s connections have passed on the Preakness. But this sets up the potential for a real nice Belmont where the Derby and Preakness winners could face off for the divisional lead. As for today, we have a very interesting Preakness with three Derby runners coming back, several stakes winners who didn’t make the Derby, a new shooter from Baffert, an overseas shipper, and a local hero. THAT is quite a collection.  

Trivia Question: Why is Pimlico nicknamed “Old Hilltop”? 

Race 12 The Dinner Party – Grade III 

One Mile and One Furlong on the Turf for Three Year Olds and Upward 

1. Divin Propos: French bred ships in from So Cal off a good second in the San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita where he got to the lead but couldn’t hold off the winner (93 Beyer). That was his best stakes performance in North America. Consistent performer. Gimmicks.
2. Crabs N Beer: Second in this race last year behind Balnikhov, who he faces again today. This year he won a restricted allowance race on the dirt at Mahoning Valley, threw a clunker on the dirt and then returned to the grass at Laurel but didn’t fire (81 Beyer). Water is too deep.
3. Signator: Had been running on the dirt but his he is two for two this with a win in the Henry Clark Stakes at Laurel (89 Beyer) since Shug moved him to the turf. Has shown he can win coming from deep or stalking. Moves to graded stakes company.  Not fast enough.
4. Neat: Had a very productive three year old year season with three graded stakes wins including the Manilla and Hall of Fame Stakes. Hasn’t been up to that level this year but ran well in the Henry Clark as he had a tough trip (85 Beyer). Rosario picks up the mount. Should sit a trip but needs to be faster. Mixed signals.
5. Abrumar: Cross entered today at Gulfstream in the 11th. In his only race this year he was very good in the Appleton at Gulfstream where he was game finishing third as he had traffic issues in the lane – he would have won with a clean trip (89 Beyer).  Working at Palm Meadows in Fla. for Saffie Joseph. Should be up on the pace. Could steal it on the front end.
6. Balnikhov: Won this race last year but hasn’t been back to the winner’s circle since. Not Much to show from his two races in 2025 where he was against some tough ones. In the Pegasus Turf he was well positioned but buried behind a wall of horses. In the Elkhorn he was last and swung wide but got caught behind horses.  Gets class relief today. Prat aboard. Possible.
7. Cash Equity: Cross entered today at Gulfstream in the 11th. Has been in marathon races recently and hit the board in both the Mac Diarmida (96 Beyer) and McKnight (99 Beyer) at Gulfstream this winter.  In the McKnight he was blocked and come running late to and lost the head bob. Has not won in almost two years but does get checks on the regular. Irad takes over. Underneath.
8. Crystal Quest: Came off a five month layoff and won a state bred stakes at Tampa in March where he saved ground and showed a nice turn of foot (95 Beyer).  Shipped north after that race and had a couple of nice works at Fair Hill on the polytrack. Possible at a price.
9. Irish Aces: Consistent performer won an allowance race last month as he wired the field (95 Beyer).  That was a new running style for him. Regularly runs in the mid to upper 90’s Beyers. Two back he was in a four way photo in the Canadian Turf after a nice trip (96 Beyer). Lasix OFF. Gets a check.
10. Fort Washington: Won the Canadian Turf last out as he went from last to first and just got his nose down in a four way photo (97 Beyer). In the Pegasus Turf he was wide throughout and didn’t have much of a chance (98 Beyer). Fits here as he has been running consistently against stakes company and is competitive against Grade 2/3 types. Player.
11. Fulmineo: Has a win over this turf course as he won the James Murphy Stakes last May. Most recent race was his first effort in seven months and he was a good third in the black type Henry Clarke Stakes as he closed late to get a piece of it (86 Beyer).  Needs to be faster.
12. Desvio:  Moved to the turf last year and showed promise with a couple of wins but has not progressed with Beyers still in the low 80s including his first effort of the year in the Henry Clark at Laurel (83 Beyer). Looking elsewhere.
13. Trikari: In his first start as a four year old where he was third in the Grade I Makers Mark Mile at Keeneland (92 Beyer) behind Carl Spackler.  Won two Grade 2s and Grade 1 last year. Today is the second race off a long layoff and Johnny V stays aboard. Will have to work a trip from the outside, but he is tactical and versatile runner. The Pick.

Picks 13–10–9-7 

Race 13 – The Preakness – Grade I 

One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Dirt for Three Year Olds 

1. Goal Oriented: Undefeated Baffert trainee won a N1X race on Derby Day at Churchill Downs on the front end (91 Beyer). He shipped back to So Cal from Churchill and then came back east. Should be sent from this inside post. Can handle off going. Baffert on the rail with a speed horse – we have seen this movie before. Lasix OFF. Beware.
2. Journalism: Was out finished in the Derby as he got to the lead but couldn’t hold off Sovereignty (102 Beyer). Got an OK trip after getting bounced around on the first turn but Sovereignty was simply better on the day. Three triple digit Beyers in a row. Should get position and sit off the speed. Can make his own trip. Legit favorite. The Pick.
3. American Promise: Had a nice pocket trip in the Derby– but Nik Juarez pushed him into a hole that didn’t exist, he then was bounced around and faded from there. Should be in an up close stalking position. Two back he wired the Virginia Derby (95 Beyer). Looking elsewhere.
4. Heart Of Honor: Spent the winter in Dubai recording two wins and three seconds which culminated in a runner up finish in the UAE Derby. The UAE Derby winner is estimated to have run a mid-80s Beyer fig. Ships in from England. Needs to be much faster. Passing.
5. Pay Billy: Local hero is in great form and comes in winning two Black Type stakes at Laurel Park including the Federico Tesio (85 Beyer). When the Tesio was run at Pimlico it was a nice angle to use the Tesio winner in exotics, but that angle is not as potent now as the Tesio has relocated to Laurel. Does his best running near the pace. Might get cooked.
6. River Thames: Stalker type ran well enough in the Blue Grass (94 Beyer) but couldn’t run down East Avenue as Burnham Square came rolling late for the win. Two back he was just nipped by Sovereignty in the Fountain of Youth after he made the lead (95 Beyer).  Should sit a good trip behind the pace setters. Irad up for Pletcher. Hits the board.
7. Sandman: Didn’t do much running in the Derby as he passed some tired horses to finish seventh. His Arkansas Derby win (99 Beyer) had him among the top Derby choices. Will come from the clouds. Johnny V up as Jose Ortiz moves to Clever Again. To win he will need the front end to collapse and all the stalkers to not fire. Don’t see it.
8. Clever Again: Asmussen trainee wired the field in breaking his maiden going two turns at Oaklawn (87 Beyer) and that earned him a start in the Hot Springs Stakes where he repeated his front end score with a 101 Beyer. Jose Ortiz stays in the irons. Should be part of the pace. Has shown real talent but will need to avoid getting hooked up. Exotics.
9. Gosger: Won the Lexington Stakes with perfect pocket trip (87 Beyer). Irad moves to River Thames so Saez gets up. Will need a similar trip and need to be faster to compete here. Passing.

Picks 2-6-8-1 

Trivia Answer: There was a rise of the ground in the infield of Pimlico which was a favorite spot from which trainers watched their horses. This infield hill was removed in 1938.