[boxify cols_use =”2″ cols =”5″ position =”right” order =”none” box_spacing =”5″ padding =”3″ background_color =”gray” background_opacity =”25″ border_width =”1″ border_color =”blue” border_style =”dotted” height =”255″ ]UPCOMING STAKES

SATURDAY

  • Mister Diz (PIM) — Three years old and up, Maryland-bred, 5 furlongs turf
  • Twixt (PIM) — Three year-old fillies, Maryland-bred, 1 1/16 miles
  • Dahlia (PIM) — Fillies and mares three years old and up, 1 mile turf[/boxify]

The first Saturday of the Pimlico meet features three stakes (not to mention a great online handicapping tournament!).

The fabulous Ben’s Cat will try to win the fifth consecutive running of the Mister Diz.  He’s 1-5 on the morning line in a race in which three runners, perhaps more, will likely scratch if the race stays on the turf.  On the turf, Ben’s Cat might go off at 1-9; off it, he’ll be 2- or 3-5.  If the race stays on the grass, A P Elvis figures the most likely threat; his best isn’t probably good enough, but he isn’t bad, has the benefit of three starts under his belt this year, and if for some reason Ben falters, could be the biggest beneficiary.  Capital Fellow finished about three lengths behind Ben’s Cat in last fall’s Maryland Million Turf, but that was at a one-mile distance that’s more congenial to him and less to Ben.  He’s the third best turf horse here, but he sure wouldn’t mind three extra furlongs.  Off the turf, the likely players include Mass Destruction, Stolen Love, and Won the War.  No need to overthink this race: Ben’s Cat starts his ’14 campaign in style…

Steady N Love has finished in the exacta five straight times, most recently winning the Caesar’s Wish at Laurel, and she’s even-money in the Twixt (who’s Twixt?  Find out here.).  She’s a stake winner who likes the 1 1/16 mile distance and figures to have every shot in here.  Major competition, though, may come from Charlie Renee, a $50,000 claim just a week ago by trainer Ferris Allen.  Fourth in the Wide Country (when Steady N Love was second), she’s won both her dirt tries at a mile, enters off a solid win against allowance foes, and might cause trouble here.  Look for Inspired Say Eye to make the early fractions and try to take the field gate-to-wire…

The Dahlia is the most intriguing of the trio of races, with Joy the coolest of tepid favorites at 3-1.  Our analysis says…

  1. Joy won the Christiana at Delaware last year as a three year-old, ran a credible third in the Auntie Mame at Saratoga.  The two to beat her at the Spa have acquitted themselves admirably in graded company since.  Has not raced since August but is training forwardly for trainer Graham Motion.  If ready, the now-four year-old rates a big shot…
  2. Zucchini Flower is an awfully nice horse, with four wins, two in stakes company, and over $177,000 in career earnings.  That’s the good news.  The bad?  None of those wins have come on the green stuff, where she’s winless in six tries.  Another Motion trainee, she ran just three times last year (with two wins) and has been away since May…
  3. Embarr is the race’s defending champ and the most accomplished turfer in the group.  Three-time stake winner won this race fresh a year ago and will try to reprise that effort Saturday.  Spent most of last year in graded company, and though she didn’t register any wins other than the ungraded Dahlia, she did nothing to embarrass (see what we did there?!?) herself.  Horse for course (three wins in four Old Hilltop tries) figures a major player…
  4. Game Fair, a daughter of Quiet American, suffered through a winless ’13 which included three of six starts taken off the turf.  Though eighth, she was beaten just five lengths in Grade 3 Orchid last March.  Owns three turf wins for trainer — yes, that’s right — Graham Motion, but looks to want more ground…
  5. Too Clever by Half has won nine of 21 grass starts in productive career but only stakes tries have not been promising.  Has won at distances up to 1 1/16 miles, so the trip is not beyond her, but has done best work sprinting.  If she posts, figures to look for the lead and try to take ’em as far as she can…
  6. C C Gold looks to be in deep against these.  Four year-old was a well-beaten fourth in the Maryland Racing Media, in February, and will try the lawn for the first time for trainer Larry Murray…
  7. Villette is another who will try the lawn for the first time; her one synthetic effort was inconclusive.  She’s a talented animal who owns six wins, one in stakes company, albeit against PA-breds, and has earned more than $250,000.  If she can transfer her form to the grass, or if the race comes off, she has the look of a contender…
  8. Divine Luck trainer Shug McGaughey generally doesn’t bring horses to Maryland without intending to take some cash home with him, but it would have to be considered a surprise if this mare were up to the challenge.  Five year-old has just one win from 16 starts and has lost 10 straight against first-level allowance foes.
  9. Royal Sparkle, a $25,000 claim by Hugh McMahon, paid immediate dividends, winning a first allowance in her debut for new connections.  This group is a different kettle of fish, though.  She was beaten less than five in her one turf try, against Woodbine maidens, and the winner that day returned to be mid-pack in the G3 Virginia Oaks.  Two rivals from last win have returned victorious, but this is one tough test…
  10. Misty in Malibu has won three of seven turf starts, including only Pimlico try for trainer Rodney Jenkins.  Has shown the ability to lead or to rate, and Jenkins runners often run well off the bench.  It’s a big test, to be sure, but feels like it’s not out of the question…
  11. Perique won like a good thing last out, registering her second straight win for trainer Hamilton Smith with a five-length score in allowance company.  Only turf try of her short career was in her debut, sprinting on the yielding grass at Kentucky Downs — a disappointing but hardly conclusive seventh.  Nicely bred filly has the right to like the grass and will need to show continued improvement here…

ELSEWHERE… TOP MIDLANTIC-BREDS IN ACTION

Three year-olds

  1. Noble Moon — Grade 1 Wood Memorial, Aqueduct, 12-1
  2. Gracer — retired
  3. Storming Inti — Grade 3 Transylvania, Keeneland, 5-2 (Friday)
  4. Steady N Love — Maryland-bred Twixt, Pimlico, 1-1
  5. On the Backstreets — Grade 1 Ashland, Keeneland, 15-1

No runners from the older horse category are running this weekend.