Saturday Previews
A cracking day of racing action with 2023 Champions At Attention, Sunbird, Infinite Patience and Air Force all slated to make their seasonal reappearances
DRILL BABY DRILL missed the board just once in 12 starts last season and put on a typically bold display two weeks ago to win on her season debut. She’s easily capable of following up again here, although it may not be as straightforward. NINE OCLOCK CEASER made quite the statement on her career debut, winning gate-to-wire by more than five lengths last June. Despite running well subsequently, she didn’t win again until dropped to this level on her final outing in October, when she beat Drill Baby Drill by a head. She represents the very much in-form barn of Steve Henson and looks a serious threat. Henson also saddles DUXONTHEPOND, who has not been seen since finishing third in a better race than this last May. However, if she’s fully recovered from whatever kept her off the track, the well-bred mare should be in the mix. There’s little between VISENYA and ISLAND LIVING, who finished second and third to C C Sunrise on opening day.
DREAMB and LICORICE couldn’t land a blow when second and third, respectively, behind the impressive Hoax on their season debuts earlier this month. Licorice was in close attendance with the winner and was only caught late by Dreamb, who rallied from further back under a patient ride from Amadeo Perez. ALOBRAH makes her season debut but has been working well enough in the mornings to suggest fitness shouldn’t be an issue, while AMERICAN TSUNAMI, who has enjoyed a winter campaign in Arizona, runs for the first time at Hastings after being claimed out of Turf Paradise in February.
A quality contest, featuring some of the best older male horses of the last year or two. AT ATTENTION returns to the fray in a bid to confirm his status as Champion Older Male in BC, although it’s been a while since he’s even run over this short a distance and should be seen to better effect when he goes longer. SUNBIRD, meanwhile, was last season’s Champion Three-Year-Old and, while his highlight-reel moments came over longer distances, (he was beaten just a head in the BC Derby) he did win first-time up last year over six furlongs. BIG UNION proved a revelation last season, capturing the George Royal and SW Randall Plate Handicap for first-season handler, Nicole Rycroft, after connections had shrewdly snagged him out of an optional claiming contest the previous autumn. He also has winning form at the distance and won over 6-furlongs on his 2023 debut. SOARINGFORTHESUN also won first-time-out last season, beating the speedy Cascade Billy by a head over 6½ furlongs, while former BC Derby winner UNCHARACTERISTIC makes his first start for more than 18 months and is entitled to need the race.
With plenty of pace in the race, this 6½-furlong contest may set-up well for the class-dropping QUEEN OF ATTITUDE. Her trainer Steve Henson has made a blistering start to the campaign and he drops his charge significantly on the class ladder here. She has been off since last July, but that break followed a victory over better opponents than she faces today and, while she’s entitled to come on for the race, she looks the one they have to beat. ARIKARA goes for a fifth win in seven starts since she was claimed by last season’s leading owners, Rob and Sheena Maybin. She put on a fine gate-to-wire performance on her reappearance earlier this month and should be thereabouts again. SILK STILETTOS won a similar contest to this on her reappearance last season and she’s been working well in the mornings.
A fascinating contest, featuring the very best fillies and mares in British Columbia as they bid to set a winning tone for the season ahead. There’s little left to say about INFINITE PATIENCE, who again carried all before her last season. She will be a short price to take this, although it’s no straightforward task and she did come unstuck on her return to action last season when shut-in behind a wall of horses with no exit possible. AIR FORCE landed a similar contest to this on her first outing last year before enjoying a superb campaign that ended with her being crowned BC’s Champion three-year-old filly. She runs well fresh, has been working well in the mornings and will exploit any weakness shown by her rivals. ABOVE AVERAGE beat Air Force when they clashed in the BC Oaks in September, but that was over nine furlongs and she finished behind her rival on three occasions last season when they ran over shorter distances. MISS UNION, who was running at Turf Paradise less than a month ago, makes her Hastings debut. She’s not easy to appraise but did win a $25k Allowance in Arizona in March and, if her ratings translate to the East Van bullring, is not without a chance. Finally, VIVA LA VINO didn’t miss the board in all six of her races last season and, while this looks like a tough start to her year, she takes her chance on the back of some solid morning work.
This looks an eminently more achievable challenge for both BC CHRISTIE and MISS ACCELERATE, who both drop several rungs on the class ladder after bumping into a hot field of opponents last time. Preference just goes to BC Christie, who finished ahead of ‘Accelerate’ two weeks ago and who also beat today’s morning line favourite PETERSON LANDING when they met in a $20k Maiden Claimer last July. PENALTY TO RANGERS ran well enough behind Peterson Landing when they chased home Drill Baby Drill earlier this month to suggest she’ll soon be winning at this level, while NOTHINGBUTSUNSHINE, from the in-form Steve Henson barn, would be close to a sure thing if repeating her best form from 2022, but who lines up here having missed the whole of last season.
BORROWED EQUITY had a few of these behind when chasing runaway winner Home Run Girl in a similar event two weeks ago and has to go on the shortlist in what is a typically confounding finale. This looks an easier challenge than CHABI has been facing of late, although she remains a 5yo maiden after just nine career starts and may not be the most straightforward horse to manage. She raced exclusively in Alberta last season but did run twice at Hastings in 2022, where she mixed it with rivals who would make short work of this field. LUCKY COWBOY missed the whole of last season and ran just once as a 2yo the previous year. There’s not enough evidence to be even remotely confident that he can break his maiden here, but he’s flying the Willow Creek/Steve Henson flag and they are unlikely to have persevered with him if they didn’t think he could at least win one of these.
Lisa & Mike’s Picks
Mystik Dan is New Preakness Favourite
Kentucky Derby Winner Set at 8-5 for Middle Jewel of Triple Crown
Courtesy preakness.com
BALTIMORE – Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mystik Dan has been installed as the 8-5 favorite on the revised morning line for Saturday’s 149th Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.
Mystik Dan, who scored an 18-1 upset victory at Churchill Downs May 4, had been rated second at 5-2 behind 8-5 favorite Muth on the original morning line set by Maryland Jockey Club handicapper Brian Nadeau after entries were taken Monday for the $2 million Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Thursday’s revised morning line was made necessary following the Tuesday morning scratch of Bob Baffert-trained Muth, who was discovered to have an elevated temperature.
Kenny McPeek-trained Mystik Dan, who is owned by the Arkansas partnership of Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing LLC, Daniel Hamby III and Valley View Farm LLC, will face seven 3-year-olds in his bid to add the 1 3/16-mile Preakness to his 2024 Triple Crown resume.
SF Racing LLC and partners’ Imagination, who finished a close-up second in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), is rated second at 3-1. The son of Into Mischief is trained by Hall of Famer Baffert, who will seek a record-extending ninth Preakness victory., who will seek a record-extending ninth Preakness victory.
Albaugh Family Stables LLC’s Catching Freedom, who closed from 15th to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is rated third at 7-2, followed by William Lawrence, Walmac Farm and Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Tuscan Gold (9-2), MyRacehorse’s Seize the Grey and BC Stables LLC and Henry Schmueckle’s Just Steel (12-1), Average Joe Racing Stables LLC and Dan Wells’ Mugatu and Michael Milam and LC Racing LLC’s Uncle Heavy (20-1).
Preakness 149
1: Mugatu 20-1
2: Uncle Heavy 20-1
3: Catching Freedom 7-2
4: Muth SCR
5: Mystik Dan 8-5
6: Seize the Grey 12-1
7: Just Steel 12-1
8 Tuscan Gold 9-2
9 Imagination 3-1
Mike’s Preakness View
by Mike Heads
The 149th Preakness from Pimlico Racecourse lost a little of its luster when the morning line favourite # 4 MUTH came down with a temperature following his flight from Los Angeles to Baltimore and had to be treated, thus necessitating the scratch. The race will now see the Kentucky Derby winner # 5 MYSTIK DAN go off as the prohibitive choice.
I liked MYSTIK DAN in the Kentucky Derby for a few reasons, previous success at Churchill, ability to handle an off-track, versatility in running style, better spacing between races, best race puts him close and most importantly his price was going to be fantastic. This time around four of those key factors are not in play which makes him far less appealing in the Preakness.
I like the Bob Baffert runner # 9 IMAGINATION. He’s one of only a couple of true speed horses in the lineup so I expect him to get a perfect trip under Frankie Dettori from his outside draw and be given every chance to win. He has excellent company lines, winning twice and losing to STRONGHOLD (was compromised by a terrible post in Ky Derby) by a neck in the Santa Anita Derby and was also a narrow loser to the highly-touted Baffert pupil, MAYMUN, in an allowance test. He is a fresh and improving horse and will possess decent value at 7-2 or 4-1.
To complete the Exactor and Trifecta I will use three runners that are coming back in just 14 days :
# 3 CATCHING FREEDOM who hasn’t run a bad race in his brief career for trainer Brad Cox and is the best off-the-pace chance if there is a decent pace on up front.
# 5 MYSTIK DAN while I did love him in the Derby I can’t pick him on top as the 8-5 favourite.
# 6 SEIZE THE DAY ran huge on the undercard on Derby day winning the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile while chasing an extremely sharp pace and did well to re-rally for the victory.
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Saturday, May 16
