Maryland Sprint may line up for reluctant Bourbon Bash

BALTIMORE – His penchant for running second notwithstanding, Bourbon Bash could be well spotted to finally break through and win his first stakes race in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico.

Drawn on the outside in a field of seven, Bourbon Bash appears to have plenty of pace to close into as his trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, seeks his fifth victory in this race, and first since 2012.

“I like the outside when you’re going six furlongs, especially if there’s a lot of speed,” Lukas said. “He’s pretty good right now.”

Bourbon Bash has only two wins from 22 starts, but he’s finished second eight times. Since being gelded last fall, Bourbon Bash has a win, two seconds, and a third from four starts. He won a first-level allowance March 30 at Oaklawn Park and, most recently, finished second behind O Besos in the St. Matthews Stakes on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Joel Rosario rides Bourbon Bash from post 7.

Jaxon Traveler loves Pimlico. He won his maiden by 10 here in his career debut in 2020. He was second in the Chick Lang on Preakness Day in 2021 before winning a Maryland-bred stakes here that August. In 2022, Jaxon Traveler won the Maryland Sprint.

“As well as he’s run here before, anxious to try it again,” said Steve Asmussen, trainer of Jaxon Traveler.

Jaxon Traveler won the Grade 3 Whitmore Stakes at Oaklawn in March before finishing fifth behind stablemate Skelly – arguably the best sprinter in the country – in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 13.

“In his old age, he’s getting to be a little more finicky,” Asmussen said of Jaxon Traveler. “Flavien [Prat] I think knows him really well now and has an idea of what he needs and what we want to do with him. On his best day, he’s capable of this.”

Jaxon Traveler will break from post 4. The speedy Super Chow won both the Grade 3 Toboggan and Grade 3 Tom Fool at Aqueduct before finishing third in the Grade 2 Carter, also at Aqueduct, on April 6. His strength is his speed, and he will appreciate the turnback to six furlongs.

Super Chow has run twice at Pimlico, winning an allowance in the fall of 2022 and finishing fifth in last May’s Chick Lang.

Coastal Mission beat Prince of Jericho by a nose in the Frank Whiteley Stakes on April 13 at Laurel Park, the West Virginiabred son of Great Notion’s 12th victory from 19 career starts.

“He ran just a super race, he lugged in a little bit in the stretch which hurt him a little bit, but he ran real well,” trainer Jeff Runco said.

Most of Coastal Mission’s wins have come at seven furlongs. He is only 1 for 3 at six furlongs.

“He’ll be okay three-quarters,” Runco said. “His ideal distance is seven, but you don’t get ideal every time.”

Conversely, Prince of Jericho, trained by Brittany Russell, may be better suited to six furlongs. He is 2 for 3 at that distance, with a runner-up finish in last year’s Chick Lang.

“He’s the kind of horse I think he can handle what we throw at him one turn, but I think three-quarters is what he wants,” Russell said.

Prince of Jericho has run twice this year, winning an allowance race by a nose before losing the Frank Whiteley by a nose in a throwdown stretch duel that he was unlucky not to win.

“Coastal Mission is no joke,” Russell said. “They were on their bellies dogging it out. He was really unlucky not to win the race. There was a point where I thought he was going to yield and he never did.”

Prevalence ended an eight-race losing streak when he won a high-caliber allowance race April 6 at Keeneland. He finished a well-beaten second to Straight No Chaser in last year’s Maryland Sprint.

Longshot Little Roo Roo completes the field.

COADY MEDIA Bourbon Bash is well drawn outside in the Maryland Sprint and an expected quick pace would work in his favor. Bourbon Bash is 2 for 22, however, with eight seconds.