The Late Pick 5 at Pimlico on Preakness Day includes a quintet of stakes races, beginning with the Chick Lang S. (G3) in Race 9 and concluding with the $1.65 million Preakness S. (G1) in Race 13.
Below we examine the top contenders in races 9-13 and build a few Pick 5 tickets to play Saturday, May 21, at Pimlico.
Race 9: Chick Lang S. (G3), six furlongs, three-year-olds
No. 1 Cogburn (5-2) was a neck short of winning his third straight for trainer Steve Amussen last out in the six-furlong Bachelor S., won by race rival, No. 7 Whelen Springs (4-1), at Oaklawn. Asmussen is a 25% winner with horses beaten as the favorite in their previous race, and Cogburn drew the rail post, which produces winners at a 20% clip.
Cogburn will be in the mix against a tough field, but a few other horses should be used in the first leg of your Pick 5 ticket. Whelen Springs just posted a sharp half-mile workout in :47.80 at Churchill Downs on May 14 and will have three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the first time.
Unbeaten No. 5 Old Homestead (2-1) is another dangerous speedster who clocked a 100 Brisnet Speed figure in the seven-furlong Lafayette S. at Keeneland on April 8, while No. 2 Lightening Larry (10-1) is a worthy longshot who hit a 99 Brisnet Speed figure the last time he raced six furlongs, on Jan. 1, but under the guidance of a different trainer.
Race 10: James W. Murphy S., one mile on turf, three-year-olds
No. 5 Ready to Purrform (5-2) failed as the favorite last out, finishing seventh of nine in the one-mile Golden Mile at Del Mar in November. Conditioner Brad Cox is a 39% winner when adding Lasix for the first time and a 24% winner with horses coming off a long layoff.
No. 10 Joe (3-1) can also contend for trainer Michael Trombetta, a 20% winner (5-1-0-1) to start the Pimlico meet and a 16% winner with horses transitioning from dirt to turf. Regular rider Victor Carrasco has gone 5 2-1-0 at Pimlico and has guided Joe to a 6 4-1-0 lifetime record, including a win in the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio S. on Laurel’s main track last out, in which the War Front grandson posted a 95 Brisnet Speed figure.
Race 11: Sir Barton S., 1 1/16 miles, -year-olds
No. 1 Ethereal Road (3-1) scratched from the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field, which opened the door for Rich Strike to enter the fold and make history. Now the Quality Road colt will drop in class and drew a favorable inside post in the Sir Barton.
The well-bred No. 6 Mr Jefferson (6-1) lost by a head in the Federico Tesio S. and could pull off an upset for trainer Trombetta, a 20% winner with horses making their second start off a long layoff. Jockey Jaime Rodriguez is 3-for-10 in the last seven days, and has one second-place showing and two third-place finishes.
For a longshot, keep your eye on No. 4 The Addison Pour (15-1), who makes a move up in class. The chestnut gelding flashed a 96 Brisnet Speed rating in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer, and jockey Jevian Toledo has gone 10-7-1-2 when pairing up with Brittany Russell over the last 14 days.
Race 12: Jim McKay Turf Sprint, five furlongs on turf, three-year-olds and up
No. 2 Carotari (9-5) is the one to beat for trainer Brian Lynch, a 27% winner in non-graded stakes races. The bay gelding is coming off back-to-back wins, including a five-furlong turf sprint at Gulfstream Park in December, but has not raced in more than four months.
No. 7 Grateful Bred (6-1) hit a 94 Brisnet Speed figure at 5 1/2 furlongs on Laurel Park’s turf when finishing a half-length second in the April 23 King T. Leatherbury S.
No. 3 Seven Scents (4-1) could excel at the shorter distance, as well. The Goldencents gelding won by a neck at 5 1/2 furlongs in an allowance at Keeneland on April 24, and trainer Brad Cox is a 28% winner with horses who won their previous start. Florent Geroux will retain the mount and is a 22% winner when pairing up with Cox in the last two months.
Race 13: Preakness S. (G1), 1 3/16 miles, three-year-olds
Out of Steve Asmussen’s barn, No. 8 Epicenter (6-5) is a heavy favorite after placing second in the Kentucky Derby to 80-1 longshot Rich Strike.
However, No. 5 Early Voting (7-2) — who earned enough points to enter the 2022 Kentucky Derby field but was withdrawn from consideration — could get trainer Chad Brown his second Preakness victory. Brown’s first Preakness win came in 2017 with Cloud Computing, another horse who could have run in the Derby but skipped the race.
Early Voting’s only loss of his career came in the Wood Memorial (G2), where the Gun Runner colt led throughout the 1 1/8-mile race, until Mo Donegal caught him in deep stretch to win by a neck.
Late Pick 5 wagers:
50-cent Pick 5 ticket: 1,5 with 5,10 with 1,6 with 2,3 with 5,8 ($16)
