Class Leader, Charge Now poorly drawn in Sir Barton
Class Leader and Charge Now are two of the more appealing propositions in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard, but there is nothing at all appealing about their post positions.
Class Leader drew post 10, Charge Now 11, and wide draws at the Sir Barton’s 1 1/16-mile trip here at Pimlico have produced few winners in recent seasons: Since the start of the Pimlico meet in 2012, horses breaking from posts 9 and farther out at the distance have combined to go 1 for 31.
The Sir Barton, for 3-year-olds that have never won a stakes, drew 11 entrants, though Ground Control is entered in three spots here Saturday. The race conditions well suit Class Leader, who won two route races – a maiden and a first-level allowance – at the Fair Grounds meet, but failed to further progress when finishing fourth in the April 19 Illinois Derby. The first two home in that race, though, were Preakness contender Dynamic Impact and the talented Midnight Hawk, and even third-place Irish You Well returned to run third in the Peter Pan last weekend at Belmont. If Class Leader and James Graham can work out an effective trip, the Neil Howard-trained Ground Control is good enough to win.
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Charge Now, a Tiznow colt trained by Bill Mott, is a half-brother to Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who finished eighth as the favorite in the 2010 Preakness. Charge Now was a decent second making his career debut on turf last winter at Gulfstream Park, and comfortably won a maiden race second out when switched to dirt at that track.
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Six Spot, who is better drawn in post 2, could only finish an even fourth in the Northern Spur at Oaklawn last out, but trainer Steve Asmussen races the colt in blinkers Saturday, and his recent work pattern is encouraging.