Baime a short price off long layoff in statebred allowance

Baime clearly looks like the best horse among 12 New York-bred sprinters in a $20,000 restricted allowance on Tuesday’s program at Finger Lakes. But whether he’s worth backing at a short price while breaking from post 12 and making his first start in 6 1/2 months is a question handicappers will have to weigh.

The 5 1/2-furlong sprint, which goes as the fifth race at 2:58 p.m. Eastern, is for New York-breds who have never won a statebred race other than maiden, claiming, or starter.

Baime remains eligible for the condition even though he won three allowance events during his 4-for-8 campaign as a 3-year-old in 2013.

One obstacle he must overcome is post 12, which has produced just two wins from 25 starters in 5 1/2-furlong races at Finger Lakes over the past five years.

The long layoff may not be as much of a problem. His trainer, Michael Ferraro, is 6 for 24 (25 percent) with allowance runners returning from a break of more than 180 days in a sprint. Ferraro’s record in short sprints of five to 5 1/2 furlongs following long layoffs, however, is just 1 for 8.

Those looking for a better price than Baime is sure to offer might gravitate to Master Splash from the barn of perennial leading trainer Chris Englehart.

Master Splash, third against similar company two starts ago, lost all chance when he broke last of 11 on June 2 and was beaten nearly 11 lengths as the even-money favorite. He gets a rider change to J.M. Rohena, whose record with Englehart trainees returning in 15 days or fewer is 6 for 19 (32 percent).

The field also includes My Way Or Dubaiway, who moves into statebred company following a nine-length victory over $5,000 claimers May 27. He was claimed out of that race by Jonathan Buckley.

Meet the Mets upset an allowance for nonwinners of four lifetime at 14-1 odds, by far his best performance in four starts since he was claimed for $12,500 by trainer Sal Iorio in February.

Crashing Colby was competitive for a half-mile in his first start since October against open-company $10,000 claimers. He is capable of showing improvement with a drop to statebreds. He was a good second at the same level as Tuesday’s race in his last start of 2013.