Dynamite card has four stakes and huge $1.4 million mandatory payout Rainbow 6 carryover
Horseplayers seeking Fourth of July fireworks need look no further than Sunday’s stakes-laden card at Pimlico.
Steve Asmussen saddles a couple of rockets in talented sprinters Yaupon and Mighty Mischief in the Lite the Fuse and Concern Stakes, respectively, and there will be an explosive mandatory payout in the Rainbow 6 (Races 6-11).
The Rainbow 6 carryover has a whopping $1.43 million in the pool. The Maryland Jockey Club will remove the maximum wager restrictions on Sunday’s Rainbow 6 so patrons can wager amounts greater than 20 cents.
Yaupon looms the one to beat in the $100,000 Lite the Fuse at six furlongs. A 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo, Yaupon won four consecutive races, two graded, to begin his career. Those victories propelled him into the favorite’s role in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland and the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan.
“It wasn’t his day,” Asmussen said about Yaupon’s eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup. “I got ahead of myself. It was a lightly raced 3-year-old in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”
Asmussen mentioned that the Dubai Golden Shaheen was “overwhelming” for Yaupon. “That’s why we backed up and went back to where we’ve previously had success with him. I think he’s already shown a level of ability that is exceptional, and we want to get back on track.”
As for tactics, Asmussen minced no words. “Send him. That’s what we’ve gotten away from.”
Yaupon might have company on the lead. Chateau, trained by Rob Atras, has been in front after the first call in his last eight starts. The winner of the Grade 3 Tom Fool, Chateau has tackled the likes of Mischevious Alex and Firenze Fire in his last two.
If Yaupon and Chateau engage in pace warfare, things might set up for Laki. The six-time stakes winner gets Lasix once again.
“I think it was a little bit of a factor last time,” trainer Damon Dilodovico said about Laki’s non-Lasix fifth in the Maryland Sprint. After being scoped, “they found two small specks, not even a half on a scale of zero to five.”
Stakes winners Lebda and Valued Notion, Grade 3-placed Threes Over Deuces, and Whiskey and You complete the field.
Concern Stakes
Asmussen’s other blazer, Mighty Mischief, seeks his fourth straight victory in the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. A homebred owned by L. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Mighty Mischief hasn’t been headed in his last three.
“He is definitely a take-it-to-them type of horse,” Asmussen said. “Typical of a Heiligbrodt homebred. Attitude and ability.”
Wesley Ward counters with newly gelded Roderick.
“He wasn’t a real studdy guy, but mentally he wasn’t there,” Ward said. “He showed up on the days he wanted to and when everything went his way, and we were hoping to turn him into a determined racehorse.”
Roderick has speed, but Ward mentioned that “we’re going to let him break. I think we’re going to go back to what he does best and that is as a come-from-behind sprinter.”
Jerry O’Dwyer sends out Sibelius, an 88-Beyer winner two back at Keeneland. Sibelius recently finished fifth in the off-the-turf Penn Mile around two turns.
“He jumped a puddle going down the back,” O’Dwyer said. “I don’t know if he lost his action or just scared himself. He was a little muscle sore when he came out of that race for a few days. We seem to have him back going good.”
Stakes winner Singlino and stakes-placed Alwaysinahurry and Three Two Zone round out the field.
Caesar’s Wish Stakes
One of the better betting races on the card is the $100,000 Caesar’s Wish for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. O’Dwyer trains Gracetown, an Into Mischief 5-year-old that has hit the board in her last four.
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“She’s gutsy and game,” he said. “She’s going to have to take another step forward. We’re hopeful that maybe we could get at least stakes-placed. Stretching her out seemed to be key for her.”
Mrs. Orb could be the one to deny shipping down from New York for Michael Miceli. The New York-bred makes her second start following a January layoff and has cracked the trifecta in her last eight starts. Her best race makes her tough.
His Glory ships up from Lone Star for trainer Joe Sharp after an even performance sprinting.
“We just tried sprinting her because of how much speed she showed going long,” Sharp said. “She really got outfooted going three-quarters. I think this is her preferred distance, and she ran against some salty company all year.”
Sharp expects His Glory to be close to the pace.
Landing Zone should factor making her third start of the form cycle after a stakes-placing. Trolley Ride, recent winner of the off-the-turf Lyphard, will benefit if this pace is swift. Suggestive Honor adds Lasix and drops out of the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie. Sweet Sami D completes the field.
◗ Introduced gets class relief in the $75,000 Jameela Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies and mares traveling five-eighths on the turf. Behind next-out winners Robin Sparkles and Caravel in an open stakes at Belmont, she then finished fourth in an off-the-turf race at Monmouth last time out.
Can the Queen, Quiet Company, Carolina Ice, and Spun Ice also can factor. Hello Beautiful would be an overwhelming favorite if this race is washed off the grass.