Closer Look: Pimlico's six graded stakes Preakness Saturday

The Preakness Stakes takes center stage at Pimlico on Saturday, but it is far from the only important race. Pimlico offers a fantastic all-stakes card with eleven stakes, six of which are graded. Below is a look at the entires for each graded stakes race at Pimlico on Saturday.

Gallorette

G3, $150,000, Fillies and Mares 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf

Juliet Foxtrot will likely be a heavy favorite in this race for Brad Cox. The class of the field exits a solid 4th place finish behind Beau Recall and Newspaperofrecord in the Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs.

There are no such beasts in this spot. Steve Margolis' hard-knocking She'sonthewarpath exits a second-place finish at Kentucky Downs and is the one Juliet Foxtrot has to fear most.

2020 Gallorette (G3)

Miss Preakness

G3, $150,000, 3-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs on dirt

The Miss Preakness drew an outstanding field led by Mundaye Call, Wicked Whisper and Ain't No Elmers. Expensive yearling Mundaye Call looked like she was putting it all together with two impressive victories in a row before getting fried in an intense speed duel in the Eight Belles last time. She will be tough if she is able to shake free early, but upset Charles Town Oaks winner Fly on Angel should keep her company.

Wicked Whisper brings Grade 1 credentials to this field, but she has failed to progress as a three-year-old. She will look to call on her back-class to prevail here. Ain't No Elmers has the tactical speed to keep Mundaye Call in her sights early and brings upside to this field following a strong Allowance victory against older foes. 

2020 Miss Preakness (G3)

Dinner Party Stakes

G2, $250,000, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 mile on turf

This race is filled with underrated horses in the Turf division. Factor This will be the likely favorite following his strong second place effort in the G1 Turf Classic behind Chad Brown's Digital Age. Prior to stepping up into G1 company, he had won four stakes races in a row for Brad Cox.

True Valour and Somelikeithotbrown did not run well in the Turf Classic, but they are both multiple graded stakes winners who are capable of turning the tables on Factor This on their best day.

2020 Dinner Party Stakes (G2)

Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash

G3, $200,000, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs on dirt

This is one of the best betting races on Saturday's card. Landeskog's 108 Beyer Speed Figure that he received in last year's Gallant Bob at Parx stands out, but he has only raced once since that September 2019 effort. If he is back to his best then the speedy colt will take some running down. Nitrous did just that when the two met in Oaklawn's Bachelor Stakes last year, but the pace-dependent runner has not won since.

Admiral Lynch (104 Beyer Speed Figure) and Stan the Man (93 Beyer Speed Figure) are coming off strong wins at Saratoga last time out. Stan the Man improved while removing blinkers and Admiral Lynch continues to move forward in the Michael Maker barn. Admiral Lynch and Laki should keep Landeskog honest early on.

2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3)

Black-Eyed Susan

G2, $250,000, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/8 mile on dirt

Though this race lacks a star, the eleven fillies in this race are very evenly matched and the wide-open affair could be won by any number of horses. Bonny South will be the likely favorite following her second place finish to Swiss Skydiver in the Alabama. Grade 1 winner Perfect Alibi will try to recapture her two-year-old form with the addition of blinkers.

Landing Zone, who was claimed for $25,000 by Claudio Gonzalez, has won three Allowance races in a row against older in impressive fashion and could be a wild card in this spot. Monmouth Oaks winner Hopeful Growth and Delaware Oaks winner Protest Whiskey have already proven they are capable at the stakes level under the right scenario. Bonny South is the class of the field, but this race has the look of an upset.

2020 Black-Eyed Susan (G2)

Preakness Stakes

G1, $1,000,000, 3-year-olds, 1 3/16 miles on dirt

This year's final leg of the Triple Crown could be even more exciting than the Kentucky Derby in many ways. Art Collector is out for redemption after being denied a chance at the Kentucky Derby with a minor injury. Trainer Thomas Drury, who had not won a graded stakes race before Art Collector came along, will try to upend Bob Baffert as he goes for his eighth Preakness win with favored Authentic.

If that was not enough of a David vs. Goliath story, Kenny McPeek's star filly Swiss Skydiver will try to beat the boys and Thousand Words, the 'other' Baffert, will try to make up for his poor behavior in the Derby Paddock that led to him being scratched. Authentic is the horse to beat, but Art Collector and Ny Traffic, who almost defeated Authentic in the Haskell, look poised to give him all he can handle.

2020 Preakness Stakes (G1)