Lynch represented in McKay and The Very One

Francatelli is an improving 3-year-old who is unbeaten in turf sprints, including a stakes win last time out, and he drew the advantageous outside post while figuring to be among the fancied runners for the biggest race of his life thus far on Thursday at Pimlico in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes.

Giggling is a 3-year-old filly who has lost both her turf sprints thus far and must overcome the rail as a likely longshot in the $100,000 The Very One Stakes.

Both listed stakes, usually run in the spring, are scheduled for five furlongs on turf on Thursday as Pimlico kicks off Preakness week.

Cal Lynch trains both Francatelli and Giggling. In Francatelli, Lynch has a lightly raced horse who may be one of the fastest-rising stars in the turf sprint division. In Giggling, he has a filly who has had her three scheduled turf starts this year all rained off, but she’s adjusted quite well, having won twice. They run an hour apart on Thursday in the stakes that precede the day’s biggest contest, the Grade 3 Chick Lang.

Rain was in the forecast for both Tuesday and Wednesday, so even if both races remain on turf it’s likely there will be some give in the ground.

Jim McKay Stakes

Francatelli is among 10 who were entered in the Jim McKay, race 6, in which he will try to extend his winning streak to four.

He comes off a dynamic win Sept. 12 in the King Corrie at Woodbine, where he set a sharp pace while cruising to a 4 1/4-length victory in course-record time of 55.46 seconds for five furlongs on turf. It was the second straight race in which he got a Beyer Speed Figure of 94, following an off-the-turf allowance win at Laurel.

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“He’s 16-3. He’s a big, big dude,” Lynch said Monday. “For him to get away from the gate as quick as he does, that’s the scary part.”

Francatelli hasn’t had to take his track or rider with him. This will be his sixth start and marks the fifth different track at which he has competed. Joe Bravo will be the sixth different rider employed by Lynch, in large part owing to restrictions placed on jockeys this summer and fall related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He’s never had the same guy ride twice,” Lynch said.

Francatelli looks to be the fastest horse early in the race. To prevail, he’ll have to hold off such talented older runners as Texas Wedge and Tiger Blood, both seeking class relief after running in graded stakes, and Completed Pass, the defending race winner who overcame significant trouble to capture the Laurel Dash last time out going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

The speedy Dr. Feelgood would be all right if it rains. He’s entered main track only.

The Very One Stakes

The best chance Giggling might have in the The Very One would be if it comes off the turf, because she’s won two of her last three in that scenario. Lynch said Giggling will run either way. He’s wanted to run her on the turf this year.

“We’ve been trying to get her on the turf. But she’s been very effective on off tracks,” he said. “We’ve probably got to go [having] drawn [post] one. Not a lot of options.”

The The Very One, race 8, is restricted to females. It drew an overflow field of 16, including one main track only (Never Enough Time) and one also-eligible (Philipine Cobra).

The race’s marquee name is seven-time stakes winner Chalon, who would be making her first start on turf following 22 dirt races. She is less than $9,000 shy of $1 million in earnings.

“It’s nice to be near that milestone,” said her trainer, Arnaud Delacour, who said running on turf has “always been on the back of our mind.”

He cautioned, though, that Chalon would not run on soft turf. As for moving to the main track, “It would depend on what kind of track it is,” he said.

There are numerous win candidates, including Jo Jo Air, winner of the Daisycutter at Del Mar last time out; Hear My Prayer, Ode to Joy, Peaceful, and defending race winner Wild About Star.