Banner Preakness Day for Asmussen, Santana
RACE 1 In a light rain and on a sloppy track at Pimlico Race Course, favorite Hill Shadow snuck past Beeks down the stretch to win. Hill Shadow, trained by
with up, paid $3.60 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show. Beeks, with
riding, paid $7.20 to place and $3.40 to show. Flash Attack, with Sheldon Russell up, paid $2.10 to show.
One of the pre-race favorites, Autostrade, scratched before the race. Taco Supream also scratched, leaving a six-horse field. With four of the five turf races moved to the main track, a number of scratches were expected. RACE 2 Conjecture, trained by
of Howard County, breezed to victory on the sloppy track in a $52,000 allowance race. It was the filly’s fourth victory in nine starts since Abramson began training her. Conjecture also has three secondplace finishes over that span.
She paid $4.20 to win and $2.60 to place. Claire’s Dowery paid $3.40 to place. Bring Me Answers finished third, but there was no show payoff because of the very short field. RACE 3 Morning-line favorite Forge held off Pop Keenan to win the third race. Forge paid $6.20 to win, $3.00 to place and $2.80 to show. Pop Keenan was the second favorite and paid $3.20 to place and $2.80 to show. had the mount on Forge in the $55,000 optional allowance/claiming race. The race featured a 30 percent Maryland Bred Bonus, but the top two finishers did not qualify. RACE 4 Square Shooter pulled ahead of American Sailor midway through their 5-furlong race before finishing strong to win.
Just five of the 12 horses expected to race on the turf did so, with the Potts Wayne-trained 6-year-old claiming its 10th win in 30 career starts against the field of entrants 3 years old and above.
Square Shooter paid $5.60 to win. Runner-up Big Bella Brown paid $3.80, while third-place Grandiflora paid $2.80. RACE 5 Tap Daddy went from a pre-race 12-1 longshot on turf to a 3-2 favorite on dirt to a 6 1/4-length winner in Saturday’s fifth race, the Jim Murphy Stakes.
Tap Daddy pulled away as California Night faded, paying $5.80 to win.
Taking advantage of California Night's struggle down the stretch, Three Over Dueces finished second, paying $3.20, and Takedown took third, payng $3.00. RACE 6 A 1-2 favorite, Uncle Mojo hung back behind pacesetter Deal Driven for much of the 1 1/16-mile allowance race. But as the field of eight 3-year-olds and above turned into the homestretch, Uncle Mojo separated with ease.
It was just the second career win for the Todd Pletcher-trained colt in seven races. was aboard the 4-year-old, who paid $3.00.
Deal Driven faded over the final quarter-mile, with Belfour finishing second and Hollywood Strike in Third, paying $3.00 and $2.40, respectively. RACE 7 Fire Away showed his mettle in the mud, pulling ahead of a tight pack of contenders to win the Dixie Stakes by ¾ of a length.
He paid $4.60 to win. Unbridled Juan, who had a narrow lead going into the backstretch finished second, paying $2.60. RACE 8 Heavy favorite Mitole cruised to a win in the Chick Lang stakes, the eighth race on the Preakness undercard. Mitole, trained by
and with up, won by by 6¼ lengths over Still Having Fun with Clouded Judgement in third, 2 ¼ lengths back.
Favored at 2-5, Mitole paid $2.80 to win. His final time of 1:09.29 over a sloppy and sealed main track was the fastest since Lantana Mob’s 1:09.10 in 2008. RACE 9 Ultra Brat, trained by Fair Hill’s
won the $150,000 Gallorette Stakes in dominating fashion, running away from the field in the only turf race of the day.
Four of the five turf races were moved to the dirt track because of the weather, but Ultra Brat had no trouble on the grass, winning by 10 ½ lengths.
Ridden by Ultra Brat paid $5.40 to win. Blessed Silence was a distant second, followed by Brooks House. RACE 10 It’s been a banner day for Asmussen and Santana Jr.
The pair won their third stakes race of the day, the Maryland Sprint, with Switzerland. He paid $7.80 to win. It was the 10th race on the Preakness undercard.
Long Haul Bay finished second, paying $3.40 and $3, with Lewisfield coming in third. He paid $3.40 to show, RACE 11 With Girls Know Best’s win in the The Very One Stakes, it was another race, another win Saturday at the Preakness.
The 4-year-old filly trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by
earned her ninth career win in 15 starts over the 5-furlong race, besting seven other horses. The even-money favorite paid $4.00 to win at Pimlico Race Course.
Pretty Perfection finished second in the race, which is usually run on turf, and paid $5.40. Third-place Anna’s Bandit paid $5.80. RACE 12 With fog desdending on Pimlico Race Course, Ax Man went wire-towire Saturday afternoon to win the $100,000 Sir Barton.
Ax Man had a bit of a challenge from Title Ready and Prince Lucky before pulling away down the stretch to win the 1 1⁄16-mile race by 6 ¾ lengths.
Ax Man paid $3.20 to win. Title Ready paid 4.20 to place and Prince Lucky finished third, paying $4.00. RACE 13 (PREAKNESS) Justify took another step toward the Triple Crown in the mud and fog. He won the 143rd Preakness Stakes before an announced crowd of 134,487. His winning time was 1:55.93.
A hard-charging Bravazo finished second and Tenfold was third.
Justify, a 2-5 favorite when the race started, paid $2.80 to win, Bravazo $7.60 to place and Tenfold $6.80 to show. RACE 14 More than a half hour after Justify moved one step closer to the Triple Crown, another favorite ended Preakness Day with a win.
In the 14th overall race Saturday, Iredell and jockey Edwin Gonzalez claimed an allowance race in the fog at Pimlico Race Course. It was the ninth victory in 36 career races for the Jamie Ness-trained gelding.
The 5-year-old Iredell finished ahead of runner-up Union Blues and Ugottahaveheart.