Photo: Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography

This Saturday is the rematch between Bodemeister and I’ll Have Another in the Preakness Stakes, but there is some great racing at Old Hilltop on Friday with the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for three-year-old fillies.

A day before trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith take Bodemeister to the gate looking for a front-running score in the Preakness they will try to do the same with Mamma Kimbo, who is a perfect two-for-two in her career.

Mamma Kimbo, pictured, started off with a dazzling maiden win at Santa Anita going six furlongs then came back two months later to score an equally as impressive win in the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park.  The Discreet Cat-filly was held out of the Kentucky Oaks to run specifically in the Black-Eyed Susan.  She is the pace of the race and should be able to make an easy lead.

Those wanting to upset the favorite should look to a pair of NY-based fillies, Welcome Guest and In Lingerie.

Welcome Guest exits a game second place finish to Broadway’s Alibi in the Grade 3 Comely at Aqueduct.  Welcome Guest was never going to catch the loose-on-the-lead Broadway’s Alibi in the Comely and may face a similar pace scenario on Friday.  Broadway’s Alibi came back to run second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks after the Comely.

In Lingerie was possible for the Kentucky Oaks after her front-running score in the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park, but trainer Todd Pletcher had a couple of other starters for that race so decided to point the Empire Maker filly to the Black-Eyed Susan. 

The one caveat about In Lingerie is that, even though she is bred to run well on conventional dirt, her best two starts have come in slow-paced races over a synthetic surface.  Her lone dirt start was a second to Zo Impressive, who came back to run second, beaten six and one-half lengths, in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks.

Pletcher also brings Disposablepleasure to Pimlico to run in the Black-Eyed Susan, but needs to regain the form she had as a two-year-old.  In two starts this year she was fourth in the Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park behind Yara and Grace Hall then was third, beaten nine lengths, in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks to subsequent Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can.

In Disposablepleasure’s second career start she finished second to Glinda the Good, who is also entered in the Black-Eyed Susan.  Glinda the Good is coming off a visually impressive win in the $100,000 Instant Racing Stakes at Oaklawn Park, but based on speed figures would need to improve by leaps and bounds to upset the top choices.

The local hopes will rest on the shoulders of trainer Rodney Jenkins and his filly Plum.  A daughter of Pure Prize, bred in Maryland, Plum has won four of six races with her biggest win coming in the state-bred Juvenile Filly Championship at Laurel last December.  She won by a half-length in her last start, but was all out to do so.  She too needs to improve if she will carry the colors of the state in the winner’s circle.

Rounding out the field are Oaks Lily, Wildcat’s Smile and Zucchini Flower.

First post on Friday is 12:00 ET with the Black-Eyed Susan scheduled to go to post at 4:46.  It is the second leg of the pick-4, which starts with the Turf Sprint Stakes and also includes the Very One and Pimlico Special.

Related posts:

1. Black-Eyed Susan
2. Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan
3. 2012 Kentucky Oaks

The world’s top-ranked horse, Frankel, makes his eagerly-anticipated reappearance in Saturday’s Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and is likely to be joined in the field by stablemate Bullet Train. The four year old Galileo colt is undefeated in 9 career starts and boasts Cartier Champion status as a two and three year old.

2010 Cartier Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in Europe.
2011 Cartier Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Europe

Frankel’s win in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in April 2011, a performance which has been described as “one of the greatest displays on a British racecourse”.

After his win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October 2011, Frankel was given a rating of 143 by Timeform, the highest mark awarded by the organisation in over forty years and their fourth highest of all time behind Sea Bird, Brigadier Gerard and Tudor Minstrel.

Frankel will remain in training as a four year-old before being retired to stud. British bloodstock agency McKeever Bloodstock has suggested that Frankel has a valuation of £100 million, an estimate which may be “conservative”.

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1. Race Preview: The 2012 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico
2. Breeders’ Cup Saturday – Turf Sprint, Juvenile & Mile
3. Keeneland Graded Sunday

Race four, post time 5:34 ET, is the first leg of the sequence and is for maiden special weight runners going two turns on the main Cushion track.  Anabaa Premium is the morning line favorite making his first start at Hollywood Park after a good second place finish at Santa Anita.  Jockey Garrett Gomez is likely to take his mount straight to the front and the way the track has been playing he may never look back.  Death Star has promised more than delivered in his four starts to date and will be running late.  Stratify is by A.P. Indy out of a Storm Cat mare and has been running against some tough competition.

The fifth race is an allowance, optional claiming race at six furlongs on the turf course with Nofty the tepid 5-2 morning line favorite.  Nofty comes out of a third place finish down the hill at Santa Anita and will appreciate the return to the Hollywood Park turf course where he has his only win.  Blue Jay Attack is also fond of the course and distance with two of his three wins coming at Hollywood Park.  La Mano Nera is the third choice on the morning line dropping back down to face state-bred competition after a fourth place finish against open company at Santa Anita.

Full’s Kris S. and Langfurs Lightning are the ones to beat in race six dropping from the maiden special weight ranks to face maiden claimers.  Swiss Game is winless in his nine starts to date, but has run some races that will make him competition here.

The feature of the day is up next, the 4^th running of the twelve furlong Round Table.  The turf stakes drew a field of nine led by Dhaamer, who is exiting the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita.  Quaintly, Dynamic Host and Porfido look best if the favorite fails to fire.

The start of the late daily double is a claiming sprint race and it may be the spot where most people single.  Ranchero dropped to a high level maiden claiming race in his last and responded with a half-length victory.  It wasn’t a flashy win, but a repeat of that effort would crush this field.  The one curious aspect about the horse is that Martin Pedroza, not Martin Garcia, is named to ride.

Some crazy things have happened the last couple of days in the last race at Hollywood Park with a $46.00 winner yesterday and a $33.40 winner on Friday night.  Wild Truffles is 20-1 on the morning line and is coming off a layoff of seven months after two attempts as a maiden against Grade 1 company.  In the Del Mar Debutante she beaten just over two lengths by Weemissfrankie.  She’s the long shot play, but will need to be at her best to upset Eileen’s Dream, Pourquoi Pas, Shelley Beach, Special Charm, More Chocolate and Personal Sunset.  Truth is, it’s a tough, tough way to end the day.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there and good luck in the Pick-6!

Related posts:

1. Santa Anita Sunday Pick-6 Carryover
2. Hollywood Park Sunday Pick-5 Carryover
3. Hollywood Park Gold Rush Pick-6

The opener is a claiming race going six panels on the main track with Choco Ale the 9-5 morning line favorite. Choco Ale was bred in Kentucky, but began her racing career in Mexico. After two wins in three starts there she showed up last month for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and finished third in a $75,000 claiming race. Down the ladder she is the one to beat. Anna You’re Up returns from the claiming ranks and is the looks best if the top pick does not fire.

Older claiming horses are up next in race two with five of the seven horses between 5-2 and 5-1 on the morning line. The favorite is Mythical Power from the Bob Baffert barn and was last seen running ninth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes one year ago. This looks like a race to use as many as the budget allows.

Race three is the Laz Barrera and the four horse field is deep with each horse analyzed in this week’s BetAmerican Newsletter. After seeing the workout report, Gun Boat is the top pick and he is the third choice on the morning line.

The fourth race is a maiden claiming racing for fillies and mares going five and one-half furlongs on the Cushion track. Courageousandbold was the favorite in her last race, but clipped heels and fell. She returns with two workouts since that last race and is the filly to beat on the drop in class. Ralphy Girl may be inside speed and jockey Chantal Sutherland will gun her mount to the lead when the gates open. Devoted to Shark is a first time starter for trainer Brian Koriner with several quick works on the tab. Warren’s Performer and Agreed Upon are the two if the pace collapses, which often happens at this short distance.

The final race in the pick-5 is the only turf race in the sequence. Donato drops back down to the class level of his last win, which was the best race of his 19-race career. Agapito Delgadillo sent his charge out to grab the early lead and was never challenged en route to an easy score. Back down in class the five-year-old gelding will be tough to run down. One horse in the race that needs a fast pace is Clearance Clarence. The gelding has no early speed, but has a nice late kick. Arcodoro may put pressure on the favorite first off the claim for Jack Carava as could the Turf Paradise shipper Southern Sculptor. Life Is a Rock is an interesting horse returning to the turn after the claim by trainer George L. Lopez. It has been several months since an effort that would beat this field, but the four-year-old does have some back class. Gothic Samurai is going to eventually catch a field that he is going to be able to beat. Second start off the layoff and going sprint to route are two positives for the gelding.

It should be an interesting pick-5 with some vulnerable favorites along the way.

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1. Hollywood Park Sunday Pick-5 Carryover
2. Hollywood Park Friday Night Carryover
3. Calder’s Saturday All-Stakes Pick-5

The Flower Alley colt is expected to once again take on a full field, which could include seven others from the Derby.  Headlining that group is the second place finisher, Bodemeister, who may have run one of the best Derby’s even in defeat.

Bodemeister out-broke the sprinter Trinniberg and took the early lead through fast fractions.  Jockey Mike Smith kept about a length margin between him and Trinniberg at all times before opening up in the stretch only to be run down late by I’ll Have Another.

For more proof on just how well Bodemeister ran check out where his other pace rivals finished.  At the half-mile pole Trinniberg was second, followed by Hansen, Daddy Long Legs, Gemologist and Take Charge Indy.  The best result of that group was Hansen, who finished ninth.  Gemologist checked in at 16^th with Trinniberg 17, Take Charge Indy 19 and Daddy Long Legs 20.

Should Bodemeister go on to the Preakness then expect him to break from the gate as the post-time favorite.  Trainer Bob Baffert is no stranger to a loss in the Derby with a favorite only to come back and win the Preakness.  Baffert’s Lookin At Lucky won the 2010 Preakness after a disappointing Derby run from the rail while his massive colt Point Given came back to win the 2001 Preakness after a questionable Derby ride.

Baffert may also send Liaison, who finished a very good sixth in the Kentucky Derby as well as Paynter, who finished second in the Derby Trial on opening day at Churchill last week.  Paynter and Bodemeister are both owned by Ahmed Zayat so expect only one to run.

The others expected to run in the Preakness from the Derby are Dullahan, third in the Derby, Went The Day Well, fourth, Creative Cause, fifth, Hansen, nine, and Optimizer, eleventh.

The new shooters expected to take down the Derby winner are Brimstone Island, second in the Canonero II at Pimlico last Saturday; Cozzetti, fourth in the Arkansas Derby behind Bodemeister; Hierro, winner of the Derby Trial; Pretension, winner of the Canonero II; Teeth of the Dog and Tiger Walk, the third and fourth place finishers behind Gemologist and Alpha in the Wood Memorial; and Zetterholm, winner of the Patysprospect at Aqueduct in early April.

The draw for the 137^th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is on Wednesday, May 16, but it’s never too soon to start handicapping.

Related posts:

1. Race Preview: 2012 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico
2. Kentucky Derby Top 15 – Round 6
3. 2012 Kentucky Derby First Look

Last year Mucho Macho Man was part of all the three-year-old racing wars with races in the Triple Crown preps at Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds as well as running in all three legs of the Triple Crown. After a disappointing seventh in the Belmont Stakes, MMM went for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Since coming back to the races last November he is a perfect three-for-three including a win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap in mid March. He is the horse to beat and will run a very good race.

Those looking to beat the favorite will look to MMM inside with Nate’s Mineshaft, Successful Dan and Fort Larned. Nate’s Mineshaft has never been better winning four straight at Fair Grounds, but is a speed horse in a race that will be highly contested early on. Fort Larned used near front-running techniques en route to a track record at Gulfstream Park in his last race and he too is peaking at the right time. Successful Dan made a winning return to the races at Keeneland last month after a 17 month layoff. He is proven over the track with two wins, three if you count the Grade 1 Clark where he was disqualified from first, and is the likely second choice in the Alysheba.

The expected fast pace helps both Mucho Macho Man and Successful Dan as well as long shots Golden Yank and Apart. Of the two, Golden Yank is preferred coming off a good second place run to Successful Dan. The last time Golden Yank won was with jockey Rafael Bejarano, who will be in the irons on Friday.

It should be a great race and may provide some needed depth to the older horse division.

Post time for the Alyshba is 3:52 ET.

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1. Sunshine Millions Classic
2. Older Horse Stakes Saturday
3. The Forward Gal and Holy Bull

The Edgewood drew a full field of 14 with Stephanie’s Kitten the 2-1 morning line favorite. She was the winner of the Grade 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over the Churchill turf last November and came back to be a better than looked third in the Ashland in her last start. The ultimate goal for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey is a race at Royal Ascot in England so the Edgewood may be a stepping stone to that prestigious meet.

Should the favorite not be up to 100% then there are plenty of options to go. More Than Love didn’t run a step in her last race, but trainer John Terranova is no stranger to the Edgewood. In 2009 he won with Laragh, who was coming off a similar disappointing effort. Run a Risk won her allowance race at Keeneland stylishly and two back she was sixth behind Dame Marie, who is also in the Edgewood, but encountered trouble in that race and galloped out past the winner. Treasured Up and Anna Sophia are closers in a race that should unfold at a quick early pace while Disposablepleasure returns to the turf after five straight races on the dirt. She’s not really bred for it, but runs for top connections.

Two races later is the American Turf for three-year-olds going a mile and one-sixteenth. The lineup of fourteen is a deep one with Silver Max, How Great, Coalport, Gung Ho and Star Channel all expecting to take support. Just like the filly race the American turf should unfold with a hot early pace and with a firm turf course expected the closers will have everything in their favor. Finnegans Wake is the ultimate closer and will probably be trailing the field early as will Travel Advisory, who was closing well to finish second to loose-on-the-lead Silver Max in the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland. Two interesting horses are Look At the Time and Flasher Dresser. The fields that Look At the Time has been beating are questionable, but the manner in which he has compiled his three-for-four record has been impressive. Flashy Dresser is making his first start on turf with no turf breeding to speak of; however, he is just like Look At the Time in that his wins have been outstanding and may be good enough to hand the surface switch.

The other race in the sequence is the Grade 3 Alysheba for older horses. Come back to the BetAmerica blog tomorrow for analysis of that race.

Post time for the Edgewood on Friday is 3:02 ET with the American Turf off at 4:44.

Related posts:

1. 2012 Kentucky Oaks
2. Grade 1 Hollywood Derby
3. Santa Anita Sunday Carryover

This year’s post position draw created some drama going into the race on Friday with the likely top two betting choices drawing posts one and two.  Also two other fillies that are expected to take a lot of support are drawn in three and four.

Before we get to the favorite’s the two fillies that got the best of the post assignments are Broadway’s Alibi and Sacrity, who are both 4-1 on the morning line.

Broadway’s Alibi will be breaking from post six in the Oaks and is making her first start around two turns.  She has been nothing short of impressive in her five career starts with the only defeat coming in the first start of her career.  She exits a front-running win in the Grade 3 Comely and has been in front by a length or more in his last four starts.  With her post position; however, she is likely to stalk the early pace.  Trainer Todd Pletcher has won this race twice in the last 10 years including Ashado in 2004 with jockey John Velazquez, who gets the mount on Broadway’s Alibi.

Sacristy was drawn right next to Broadway’s Alibi in post seven and with the switch to jockey Mike Smith will definitely be doing her best running late.  She is making her first start around two turns and first start at greater than seven furlongs.  In January she finished nearly 19 lengths behind Broadway’s Alibi in the Grade 2 Forward Gal at Gulfstream Park.

The favorite on the morning line for the Oaks is Grace Hall for trainer Tony Dutrow and owners Michael Dubb, Bethlehelm Stables and The Elkstone Group. 

Grace Hall was done no favors drawing post two, which could force her hand in the early going.  On her past performances she appears to be a better filly with a target in front of her.  One of the biggest obstacles that she will try to overcome is the history of the fillies coming out of the Gulfstream Park Oaks.  Since 1992 only one filly has won the Oaks at Gulfstream Park then came back to win the Kentucky Oaks.  Eleven of those winners failed to make the Kentucky Oaks and that’s a list that includes R Heat Lightning, Justwhistledixie, My Flag and Inside Information.

Getting the worst of the draw with post position one was On Fire Baby.  The Smoke Glacken-filly has won four of six lifetime starts including a perfect two-for-two at Churchill Downs.  She has only run twice this year and may be keyed up in the early stages.

Looking over the race it would appear to have a lot of early speed.  Not only will On Fire Baby, Grace Hall and Broadway’s Alibi be pushing the pace, but there is also Eden’s Moon, Believe You Can, Amie’s Dini and Yara who are all expected to show speed.  The trainer/jockey combination of Bob Baffert and Martin Garcia for Eden’s Moon won the Oaks last year in style with Plum Pretty, who coincidentally is entered in the La Troienne in race six earlier in the day and will be the heaviest favorite on the card.

With the expected pace the closers are going to have dead aim on the front-runners heading into the stretch.  Summer Applause finished a neck behind Believe You Can in the Fair Grounds Oaks and with the switch to Garrett Gomez, winning jockey in the 2007 Kentucky Oaks, should be motoring late.

Jemima’s Pearl is the “other” Bob Baffert filly in the race and just finished third behind Mamma Kimbo and Amie’s Dini.  Mamma Kimbo may have been the favorite if she entered the Oaks, but trainer Bob Baffert will wait until two weeks from now to run her in the Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico.  Jemima’s Pearl won her U.S. and dirt debut at Santa Anita in early March and has been working with probable Kentucky Derby favorite Bodemeister.

Rounding out the field are Hard Not to Like, And Why Not, Karlovy Vary and Colonial Empress with Oaks Lily on the AE-list.  And Why Not may have more upside of these fillies if you can forgive the non-effort in the Gulfstream Park Oaks in her last.

Post time for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday is 5:45 ET.

Stay tuned to Bet America all week for analysis of the undercard on Kentucky Oaks day as well as the Kentucky Derby.

Related posts:

1. Race Preview: 2012 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico
2. Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks
3. Kentucky Oaks

Nereid is making her four-year-old debut for trainer John Shirreffs after a campaign last year that saw her win three of five starts. She starter 2011 with a maiden win then won the Grade 1 American Oaks in only her fourth start before finishing third in a pair of Grade 1’s at Del Mar and Keeneland. She is the class of the field and is a perfect three-for-three over the Hollywood Park turf course. If there is one knock on the Rock Hard Ten filly, and it’s a small knock at that, is that she has not run since October.

The fillies with some seasoning on their side are Wild Mia, Up In Time and Go Forth North. Wild Mia is not exactly a win machine with four wins and eight seconds in 18 career starts, but her last win was over this course and she is coming off a good second in the Grade 2 Santa Ana to Vamo a Galupiar. Up In Time is also coming off a second place finish in the Grade 2 Buena Vista and has a win over the track. Go Forth North also has a win over the track, winning the Grade 3 Ramser Handicap last year and just finished a closing third in an $82K stakes race at Santa Anita in April.

The pace of the race is a little bit of a tossup as several of the mares in the race may be getting a little long in the tooth and have lost some of their early zip. Briecat and Antares World from the two inside posts should vie for the early lead, which may leave Quiet Oasis with the run of the race.

They are all going to need to run a career top if Nereid comes back on her game.

First post on Sunday is 4:00 ET and kicks off with a two-year-old race. The Wilshire goes as race eight on the card with a post time of 7:40.

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2. Prairie Stakes Saturday
3. Grade 2 Palomar Handicap

The pick-6 starts with the Grey Memo in race five, post time 6:06 ET. Caffeine High looks like the horse to beat, but could find seven furlongs a bit too far. He will be even-money on the line, but faces other pace in the race. Closers include Panettone, Memphis, Gatheratthealter and Relentless Heat.

Willa B Awesome exits a win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and out classes the field in the Melair in race six. If any filly is going to beat her it’s the two-for-two Starry Skies for trainer Marty Jones.

Race seven is a claiming race going six furlongs on the turf and drew a field of eight. The main contenders are My Summer Slew, Streakin’ Mohican, Blue Jay Attack and Inuit Fisher.

The feature Snow Chief Stakes is up next in race eight and there are six horses between 3-1 and 8-1 on the morning line. Stoney Fleece is the morning line favorite for top connections John Sadler and Joel Rosario with Unusual Heatwave the second choice at 7-2. This race could be the separator in the pick-6 sequence.

Race nine is the Tiznow Stakes going seven and one-half furlongs on the cushion track. M One Rifle has a ton of back class, but has not won since taking a five furlong stakes over the track last May. Italian Rules will try to take them gate to wire, trying to improve his one-for-eight record at Hollywood Park. Red Defense was just claimed by John Sadler, trainer of Italian Rules, and will be running late. Red Defense has three wins in four starts over the course. Mobilized exits a game win on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita and will be running late. He finished third in this race last year behind Amazombie and Quick Enough.

The finale is the NTRA for maiden colts and gelding and the full field of 14 is a tough way to end the card. Top contenders with experience are Swift Eagle, Valentine Boy, Night Wind, Raya Roja and Enduring Promise. The first-time-starters to consider are Bertrando Falls, Sizzlin’ Joe and Jaco Red.

Even with a win by Willa B Awesome this Pick-6 will pay very well and could carry over into the Sunday card.

Related posts:

1. Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes
2. Hollywood Gold Cup
3. Monmouth Park Sunday Pick-5 Carryover