Pimlico Friday Funday!
Pimlico’s card on Friday has my pockets burning and my heart racing! It promises to be an action packed day from start to finish. While the main event may be on Saturday, we must pay respect to the ladies and elders of Friday. Here are a couple of things I am keeping my eyes on.
Trainer Larry Jones and jockey Kerwin Clark have the potential to pull off a stakes hat trick on Friday with runners in the Miss Preakness Stakes, Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes and the Pimlico Special. This duo is fresh off victory in the Kentucky Oaks and appear poised to continue their domination. The first race of the day, Miss Preakness Stakes, may be one of the best on the card. I am really looking forward to the rematch between Divine Dawn and Miss Ella. These two were dueling for the lead late in the Grade II Beaumont, with Ella pulling away late. But there is one less furlong in the way of Divine Dawn this time around. She appears best suited for this distance and may get revenge on her foe. Race 10 is the Allaire DuPont Distaff, where Jones/Clark will be sending out a very game Blue Violet. I got to see her earlier this year in the Lady’s Classic at Sam Houston Race Park. She ran into a buzz saw named Cassatt in that race, but keep in mind Cassatt is her stablemate and had Clark aboard that night. She just missed last time out and appears to be getting better with each start.
The final Jones/Clark runner will be Albano in the much anticipated Pimlico Special. Albano has always been one of my favorites and I was fortunate enough to see him win the Maxim Cup here in Houston this year. His stretch run in that race leaves me little doubt that this distance will be no problem for him, but he will have some stiff competition. Baffert and Espinoza would love to steal this race with Cat Burglar and set the tone for the weekend. They very well could as I think he needed that last race off the layoff. The other horse that I am excited to see is Page McKenney. The horse is having the best year of its career and trainer Mary E. Eppler is looking for her first graded stakes win since 2002.
Finally, you can’t talk about Friday and not mention the Black-Eyed Susan. Todd Pletcher has dominated this race in the last decade, winning 4 of 10 and 2 of the last 3, but he will not have any runners in this year’s edition. I am looking for a bounce back from Include Betty, who really disappointed me in the Kentucky Oaks. She had a really rough trip and could not get through the traffic so I am willing to give her a second chance. Drayden Van Dyke has not had much success outside of California and a victory in this race may be spark he needs.
These races will help set the tone for a great weekend of racing, so sit back and enjoy as the storylines unfold!