[OLD HEAD]

Preakness Weekend Features 16 Stakes Races


BALTIMORE, 05-15-08---Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin appears to be in good shape to sweep the two richest races on the undercard for Saturday, which will climax a weekend of 16 stakes races completed by the 133rd running of the Grade I, $1 million Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown. Friday’s card is topped by the Grade I, $250,000 Maryland Lottery Pimlico Special and the Grade II, $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan.

Nine of the 12 races on the Preakness undercard are stakes, including five graded stakes. In the 107th running of the Grade II, $250,000 Dixie Stakes, McLaughlin will send out the solid 3-2 favorite, Shakis, while Wow Me Free is the overnight second choice at 4-1 in the Grade II, $150,000 Allaire duPont Distaff Stakes for older fillies and mares.

The oldest stakes run at Pimlico Race Course, the Dixie was inaugurated in 1870 and first won by the horse Preakness. It annually attracts many of the finest turf specialists in the world.

Shakis, bred in Ireland, has lifetime earnings of $556,889 and is coming off his only start of 2008, a sixth in the Grade I Makers Mark at Keeneland on April 11. He had trouble in the race and traveled wide through the stretch.

Peach Flambe is listed as a slight 7-2 favorite in the duPont, but Wow Me Free has won two straight and should be well rested after nearly a two-month break following an impressive victory at Aqueduct in a Grade III event.

"She requires a little bit of time between races. She does better," said McLaughlin of Wow Me Free. "The post position (No. 9) is not great, but coming off the pace, that shouldn't be a problem."

Alan Garcia will ride both horses for McLaughlin.

The Grade III, $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs looks like a highly contested race with Lantana Mob (8-5) and Force Freeze (2-1) in the forefront. Lantana Mob is a Grade III winner at the six-furlong distance and Force Freeze is quick, having overcome a gate delay and older horses in his latest win at Lone Star.

In another other graded event on the card, the Gallorette Handicap on grass for older females, the top three picks are all on the inside with rail-sitting Valbenny, trained by Michael Matz of Barbaro fame, getting the slight nod at 3-2 odds.

Valbenny has two graded wins and two solid seconds at the Grade I level, but is making her debut this year. Edgar Prado will be in the saddle.

She is expected to receive arguments from Roshani (2-1) and Stormy West (3-1), who were heads apart in their most recent meeting.

Suave Jazz (9-5) from the Tony Dutrow barn rates favoritism in the Grade III, $100,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap while starting for the first time this year. His record last year was impeccable--first or second in all nine races, including wins in the last two.

The speedsters expected to argue are Cognac Kisses (5-2), trained by Scott Lake, second at Pimlico at the distance on April 19 and Starforaday (4-1), who won his only outing this year at Belmont Park.

Other stakes on the Saturday undercard are the $100,000 Barbaro Stakes; the $100,000 Old Mutual Turf Sprint; the $75,000 Skipat Stakes and the $35,000 Deputed Testamony Starter Handicap.

In addition to the Maryland Lottery Pimlico Special and the Black-Eyed Susan, Friday’s 13-race card features four other stakes.

The Grade III, $100,000 Miss Preakness for 3-year-old fillies headlines Friday's undercard with Todd Pletcher-trained Passion listed as the 8-5 favorite.

Seven are scheduled to compete and Passion, the highest earner in the field with more than $157,000, is expected to have stiff competition from Palanka City (9-5), winner of two straight but new to graded racing. Hadavision, trained by Mark Shuman at Fair Hill, is also on a two-race victory streak and is third choice at 9-2. Pletcher prevailed in the 2000 Miss Preakness with Lucky Livi.

In the crowded $75,000 The Very One sprint for older females on the grass, the one to beat is the hard-hitting Smart and Fancy, trained by Rick Dutrow's brother Tony. She has never been worse than third in eight lifetime starts but is making her debut this year.

Trainer Ronny Werner is seeking to capture the race for the second straight time with Cat On a Cloud after scoring last year with Unbridled Sidney.

The $75,000 Woodlawn--at a mile on turf--will feature British-bred Hatta Fort, a Grade II winner overseas, and Bill Mott-trained Prussian.

The stakes bonanza also includes the $35,000 Kattegat’s Pride Starter Handicap.

-MJC-

Good Luck Betting!