In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…

First post time: 12:00 p.m.

Carryovers: 
Chesapeake Jackpot Pick 6 (races 7-12) — $0
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6) — $2,771
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5) — $0
Late Pick 5 (races 8-12) — $0

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RACE 1: MAIDEN CLAIMING $35,000, 3-6-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

9-11-4-3

Happy Preakness Preview Day to all! #9 Christmas Jones (3-2) will be a short price in the opener, but deservedly so. She showed speed and held her own on numerous occasions last year, losing by a length or less three times while running brisnet figures in the 70s twice in that stretch. She’ll almost certainly make the lead, and from there prove too tough to catch. #11 Lucky Lis (10-1) also has dangerous early speed and gets Lasix for the first time. She might have a hard time clearing Christmas Jones from her outside, but if that rival breaks slowly or can’t make the front for whatever reason, this one will be in a prime position to pull the upset. #4 Queen of Wands (3-1) showed promise in both of her starts last summer at Colonial Downs, but was unable to complete the winning move both times. We’ll see how much she’s matured since August. 

RACE 2: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

4-2-3-5

#4 Palacios (7-2) has run back-to-back figures in the 90s, including an impressive 94 in his first start off a two-month break last out where he swooped the group and won easily. Third-place finisher Our Day Will Come returned to beat a field at this level on March 27 for his fifth victory against winners. #2 Big Cuddle (7-5) gobbled up ground to win the Maryland Million Nursery, and makes his first start since that big win. Gary Capuano is very sharp first off of long layoffs, with his runners winning at a 31% clip making their first start in at least 90 days. Yedsit Hazlewood, who rode him to victory in the Nursery, keeps the mount; his success on Capuano runners is well-documented. He’s a serious contender, but the morning line price is a turn-off. Fellow Capuano trainee #3 Buds Notion (2-1) was second to Our Day Will Come last out, and finished second to Cairo Surprise, who ran a huge race against older rivals on Sunday, two starts back. This one might be ready to put it all together third off the bench. 

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $12,500, 3-6-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE

1-8-4-5

#1 Vino Bella (8-5) didn’t fire as the favorite last out at Colonial, but adds blinkers and faces easier in her third start off an eight-month layoff for Mike Stidham. #8 Valerie Street (7-2) ran a subpar 59 in her first race off a 3 ½-month break last out, but consistently ran in the 60s and 70s towards the end of last year. Those numbers make her a contender at an interesting price. #4 Fastfeld (5-1) has been pounding on the door, finishing second or third in her last five races. Her two best figures, a 58 and a 63, have come at today’s distance.

RACE 4: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE

8-2-7-6

#8 Enigmatic (5-2) has won three of her last five starts, two of them in gate-to-wire fashion. Last out, she took advantage of a contested pace and won going away, but has run big races with more honest setups as well. With the best early pace figures in the field, look for her to clear to the front and not look back. #2 Especially (9-5) ran well against better first-level foes last year in Kentucky, including a third-place effort to eventual Cotillion Stakes champion Clicquot last May. She joined Birittany Russell’s barn over the winter and has worked well for the past three months, but is bound to be overbet in her first race in 245 days. #7 Lord’s Lady (6-1) has hit the board in her last nine starts, including a runner-up effort to runaway winner Bell’s Beach last out. She’ll hope for a somewhat contested early pace to set up her strong closing punch.

RACE 5: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES (GRASS)

11-10-6-3

#11 Protective Custody (6-1) rallied from off of moderate fractions to break her maiden on this track last October. She matched her career-best mark with an 82 at Gulfstream Park last out when fourth in a first-level field there, and has by far the best late pace figures in the field. #10 Coach Mazzula (9-2) wired a maiden field on this track last November, and gets very brave when allowed to set the fractions she wants. She’ll be at her best if she’s able to make the lead, but she ran a strong second from off the pace on debut in September. #6 Sharmin (5-1) makes her season debut following three consecutive wins on this course last year, including an impressive score in the Maryland Million Turf DIstaff Starter Handicap. She’s had some time off since a flat effort on dirt to cap her season, but she’s worked well since mid-March, including a workout on the lawn on Sunday. She’s also bound to be sent for speed.

RACE 6: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

7-6-1-4

#7 Mizner (9-5) improved 20 points in his first start off a six-month break last out at Colonial, finishing third in a merry-go-round four-horse field. He could do lots of damage with a more honest setup. #6 Bruno (7-2) ran a huge race on debut last out. He battled for the early lead in the two-path, sent his dueling partner into a sound defeat, and finished a clear-cut second to a rival who got a perfect trip. #1 Tax and Tags (8-1) is an intriguing first-time starter for John Salzman. The barn tends to do well with first-time starters and has a very sharp recent worktab, including a bullet drill on April 4 where he went five furlongs in one minute. Watch the board and make a decision from there.

RACE 7: DAHLIA STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 1 MILE (GRASS)

5-1-4-2

We’ll head back to the grass for the first stakes race on today’s card, named for the champion grass mare of the mid-1970s. #5 Summerintahoe (2-1) makes her first start since last September at Kentucky Downs, when she took a second-level allowance field gate-to-wire. The layoff is a bit of a concern, but she still has very sharp early speed and may be in a position to walk on the lead even if she isn’t quite 100%. #1 Calamity (8-1) hasn’t raced on grass before, but showed improving form on the Turfway Park synthetic over the winter. She rallied well and just got up to win a first-level allowance route there last out, and hasn’t missed the board in her last eight starts while showing increasing late speed. #4 Ribaltagia (5-2) hasn’t raced since August 30, when she led almost the whole way in the Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park and finished second to Breath Away, who returned to win the Dance Smartly Stakes next out. This one has run well from on and off the pace so far in her American career, and Graham Motion is, as usual, off to a strong start with his grass runners at the meet.

RACE 8: KING T. LEATHERBURY STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

1-5-11-10

The late pick 5 begins with a tribute to the legendary Maryland trainer. Perhaps the best horse he trained was the great Maryland-bred Ben’s Cat; it’s therefore fitting that the race named for him is a grass sprint. #1 Eamonn (30-1) closed well for third in the Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream last out. He’s put in similarly strong rallies going five furlongs in his last few races, but today’s distance, coupled with a potentially hot pace, should suit him well. Of the early speed horses, #5 Doncho (9-2) looks the most dangerous. He lasted through blindly fast fractions to win the Da Hoss Stakes last September, defeating Alogon, who won the Belmont Turf Spring Stakes next out. He has a good draw and blazing fast early pace figures, so if anyone’s going to wire this field, it will most likely be him. #11 Determined Kingdom (5-1) disappointed as the odds-on favorite in this race last year. While he didn’t win last year, he was in improving form throughout the season and should get first crack at the potentially embattled leaders.

RACE 9: WEBER CITY MISS STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 1 1/16 MILES

6-8-7-5

This race, named for the great Maryland-bred filly of the early 1980s, ensures its winner a spot in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes starting gate. #6 Miss Fulton Gal (6-1) showed heart in winning the Beyond the Wire Stakes last out. She made up tons of ground in the last eighth and split horses to win, following a first-level allowance victory at today’s distance. She’s been in steadily improving form for a while, and looks like she’ll provide some value, especially in comparison to #8 Jumping the Gun (7-5). She was a two-time stakes winner last year, and while she hasn’t won around two turns, she was second in her two route tries to Dazzling Dame and Zany; no shame in that. She also hasn’t raced this year, with her runner-up effort to Zany in the Demoiselle Stakes her most recent outing. If she recaptures her form from last year, she’ll win, but she has too many question marks for me to take on top at a short price. #7 A.P. ‘s Girl (10-1) is also a multiple winner around two turns. She raced on a slow pace last out at Fair Grounds and kicked away to beat a first-level allowance field easily. She could slide through the cracks and go off at a very attractive price.

7-8-1-11

We’re going back to the grass for a stakes race named for the Maryland-based Hall of Fame trainer. #7 Cruise the Nile (7-2) gets his biggest class test yet following three victories in a row at Gulfstream Park. He beat a very salty second-level allowance field on the lead last out, defeating a bevy of graded stakes winners or graded stakes-placed runners. That win was further validated at Keeneland on Thursday, when Chapman’s Peak, who was third that day, came back to win a second-level allowance route. He has tons of upside, and further improvement would easily beat this field. #8 Neat (5-1) is a tricky type to figure. He had major traffic trouble virtually every time out last year. Did he just get unlucky, or is he the type who finds trouble? He closed well despite an overland trip in his first start of the year last out at Fair Grounds, a race where he didn’t have to deal with much other traffic. If he can stay out in the clear again, he could improve second off the bench. #1 Vote No (6-1) ran in the 90s consistently last year, and looks for a bounceback after finishing well-beaten in his last few races.

RACE 11: FEDERICO TESIO STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS, 1 1/8 MILES

10-5-9-1

The local winter/spring stakes slate culminates in this historic contest, named in honor of the legendary breeder. The winner of this race is guaranteed a spot in the Preakness Stakes. The top two finishers in the Miracle Wood Stakes, #10 Taj Mahal (7-2) and #5 Let’s Go Lando (5-1), were both supplemented to the Triple Crown to ensure they could take advantage of the potential free spot. The former held off the latter to win in just his second career start with a very impressive 97. He missed a few weeks from late March to early April, but has put in two very strong recent workouts and looks primed for a big effort. The latter returned to finish a respectable third in the Private Terms Stakes around two turns last out, a race where he didn’t have room up the inside until the final eighth. He’s already won around two turns – which Taj Mahal hasn’t done yet – and looks like the type who will get better with experience. The same is true for #9 Code of Silence (5-1), who has hit the board twice in stakes company this year. He led briefly in the Private Terms after a wide trip and managed to hold second, beaten a neck.

RACE 12: CLAIMING $30,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

4-6-9-2

#4 Chitchatchitchat (5-1) broke her maiden from off the pace on the Gulfstream grass two starts ago. She’s lightly-raced, having raced only five times, and drops in for a tag against winners for the first time. #6 Whatarewedoing (6-1) led all the way to break her maiden at Charles Town last out in her first start off a 5 ½-month layoff. She hasn’t raced on grass before, but with her dangerous early speed, she doesn’t have to love the surface to wire them. #9 Ballykeefe (5-1) broke her maiden on the lawn in gate-to-wire style last summer at Delaware, and most recently outran her odds when beaten only 2 ¼ lengths against first-level rivals last November. She’ll add Lasix for her sophomore debut.

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