Laurel Park: Late pick five play for Preakness Preview Day
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RACE 8: DONCHO has become a new horse since placed on turf and when last seen was facing much tougher Grade 2 company. He projects to be the speed of the speed and will hope to set easy fractions and then hold off the closers. HAD TO HAVE HIM has a huge late kick as seen in back-to-back Laurel turf stakes triumphs. If all the speed collapses, he will be the one picking up the pieces late. SCHWARZMEIER put it all together in his last when widening on the lead and posting a new Beyer top at this distance. (3)
RACE 9: JUMPING THE GUN has all the credentials to win this as a two-time stakes winner who became Grade 2-placed to end her superb 2-year-old campaign. She won her career debut, so going to assume she will be ready for her best right off the bench in her 3-year-old debut. A. P.’s GIRL has been a new runner since Lasix was added three starts ago. The rapidly improving 3-year-old moves into stakes company (without Lasix) after an eye-catching win versus winners. (2)
RACE 10: CRUISE THE NILE makes his stakes debut following three straight wins showing he can win on the lead or stalk from second. Turning back to mile helps his chances of keeping the win streak alive. BABY MAX has never been better, with the lone concern being if he can switch his stellar synthetic form to turf. His dam won once, and it was at a mile on turf. He should like turf. HORSEPOWER gets back on grass, and his last time on turf he just missed in a similar one-mile stakes. NEAT is a Grade 2 stakes winner at this distance who went well in his latest. He would be tough to deny on his best day. (4)
RACE 11: TAJ MAHAL looked beaten at the top of the lane in the Miracle Wood but was game to the wire posting a field-best Beyer Speed Figure. There is tons of upside as this is just the third start of his career. He rallied first time out, so he doesn’t seem to need the lead. LET’S GO LANDO was the one who lost the win photo to the top pick in the Miracle Wood. He always seems to fire, and it’s first-time Paco Lopez, which is an upgrade. WILD WARRIOR fired his best races when sent his longest, and the 1 1/8 miles should suit him well. (3)
RACE 12: If CHITCHATCHITCHAT can just repeat her lone turf start – a victory on Gulfstream grass – she will win this. She rallied strongly to get up in time while overcoming tons of trouble. The added half-furlong should suit her perfectly. WHATAREWEDOING is making her first start on turf and is out of a dam with three wins, all in turf sprints. She is a speedster who has the chance to make the lead and forget to stop. Her trainer does some of her best work with turf sprinters. (2)
THE PLAY: 4, 5, 10 / 7, 8 / 5, 7, 8, 11 / 4, 5, 10 / 4, 6 = $72 ticket
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