Late runners fared well on soft footing on Pimlico’s turf course Preakness weekend. But the forecast is for sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 80s and firm footing this Friday, May 24. A full field of 12 is scheduled to go to the post in a 1-1/16-mile starter allowance and $20,000/nw3 claiming race at 5F – both on the turf and both part of a 50-cent Late Pick 3 that shapes up this way:
PIM 6th race (3:10 p.m. EST) -- WORKIN ON A DREAM ‘eagerly’ pulled away from a pair of follow-up, front-end winners at one mile. He led a long way and finished second at Pimlico the last time he ran on the lawn a year ago. He could take some catching on the class rise for his new barn. THE LAST SCIP rallied but flattened out in a fast-paced grass mile when last seen in November, settling for third behind Colbaloaf and King’s Honor, who are a combined 12-36 on turf with $290,000 in earnings. Earlier in the year, he won off a four-month layoff and re-claim by this barn, then repeated in a triple key grass mile. (If #14 Bailout draws into the race, add him to the Pick 3 ticket.)
PIM 7th race (3:43 p.m. EST) -- UNCAPTURED STORM is a $255k earner on a fast track, 6-11 at today’s distance and a five-time photo finish victor in his last nine starts. SHIVAREE, who four years ago ran second to Tiz The Law in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, appears rounding to a good race off the re-claim as he seeks his first victory since a Florida-bred stakes in 2021. BRILLIANT CHASE, plagued by poor starts in his last two races at Park, tries to recapture his top form since the re-claim by Ness. His :47-1/5 bullet workout a week ago is an encouraging sign. GOLDEN GULLY won his last three starts at this distance and will try to improve trainer Gary Capuano’s 5-for-11 record over the last three years with class-dropping route runners off 180-plus day layoffs.
PIM 8th race (4:16 p.m. EST) -- SWITZER is the one to beat off his prior two turf sprints and a return to his level of claim. He won a $40,000 claimer at Laurel Park in August, though his four closest pursuers are a combined 17/1-1-2 since then. He broke last and rallied widest when third in a blanket finish two starts ago in allowance company. FLASH IS BACK is a live longshot to use on the Pick 3 ticket. He ran his best race off a layoff, finishing second to next-out allowance runner-up Tall Order and, two starts later, ‘closed well’ to spring an 18-1 upset on the Laurel Park lawn. He diverted from off-the-pace tactics last out and tired in the stretch after battling for the lead. KBCYA later out-dueled FLASH IS BACK and got beat a half-length the last time he ran on turf. He showed speed but faded in a comeback turf-to-dirt sprint. BARONS LEGACY has front-end wins on fast and sloppy tracks and led a long way in the mud last out, sprinting clear in mid-stretch before the troubled favorite passed by. He tries turf for the first time off the claim. PARK PLACE escaped traffic and rallied to a mid-stretch lead in his lone turf attempt, finishing second to a 12-1 first-time starter. He’s another price play to use off a comeback win for his new barn.
Suggested 50-Cent Ticket
PIM 6th Race: 7, 11 (#14 if he draws into race)
PIM 7th Race: 2, 3, 4, 7
PIM 8th Race: 3, 4, 6, 8, 11
Cost for 50-cent ticket: $20
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