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Funny Cide should repeat
By NOEL MICHAELS
Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide will try to make it two in a row when he takes on a field of nine rivals in Saturday's 128th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Pulling off the Derby-Preakness double is a difficult assignment, but Funny Cide's task will be made easier by the fact that the majority of his challengers seem more well suited to run in the Sir Barton Stakes in the undercard than they do in the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown.
Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby thanks to a perfect pace-pressing trip under jockey Jose Santos. Funny Cide was well placed entering the stretch and was able to kick clear from Bobby Frankel's Peace Rules and then hold off Frankel's Empire Maker all the way to the wire. A repeat of that effort seems likely in the Preakness with another stalking trip planned behind Peace Rules and a host of inferior front-runners including New York Hero and Cherokee's Boy.
Another horse who should sit a perfect stalking trip in the Preakness is Scrimshaw, who gets a rider switch to Gary Stevens for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Scrimshaw ran a disappointing 11th in the Kentucky Derby, but he should improve off that effort and is still one of only three horses in the Preakness, along with Funny Cide and Peace Rules, who has earned a triple-digit Beyer speed figure. He earned a Beyer of 104 in a six furlong allowance last December, and a Beyer of 101 (upgraded from 99) in last month's Lexington Stakes victory at Keeneland.
The most obvious upsetter in the Preakness is second-choice Peace Rules, who comes off a huge effort in the Derby where he raced on the pace the whole race and still held on for third. The effort was so big, however, that it may have taken too much out of Peace Rules, who now must return in two weeks and try to do it again in a race that figures to have more pace. Instead of turning the tables on Funny Cide, another Derby-like performance where Peace Rules sets the pace and tires to third seems more likely.
Of all of the many longshots entered in the race, the most interesting for exotics purposes looks like Kissin Saint, who has been off five weeks since finishing third behind Funny Cide and Empire Maker in the Wood Memorial. Prior to that race, Kissin Saint had been a perfect 3-for-3 in route races on fast tracks.
Other exotics possibilities include Ten Cents a Shine, and Senor Swinger, who will all be trying to rally late for a share.
SELECTIONS:
128th Preakness Stakes
Pimlico, Saturday 5/17 - Race 12
Purse: $1,000,000 added, Distance: 1 3/16 miles
1) 9-Funny Cide
2) 1-Scrimshaw
3) 7-Peace Rules
4) 4-Kissin Saint
$100 PLAY
There's no value in playing both of the favorites, and Peace Rules seems a lot more vulnerable than Funny Cide. Therefore, play 9-Funny Cide on top of some other horses who make sense in exactas and trifectas including 4-Kissin Saint, 5-Ten Cents a Shine, and the 1-entry of Scrimshaw and Senor Swinger. Limit use of 7-Peace Rules to the back of trifectas.
$20 exacta: 9 over 1 = $20
$10 exactas: 9 over 4,5 = $20
$5 trifectas: 9 / 1,4,5 / 1,4,5 = $30
$10 trifectas: 9 / 1,4,5 / 7 = $30
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