Pimlico: Wind Caper could benefit from defection of Sweet Goodbye in Primonetta Stakes

New York shipper Wind Caper could be the beneficiary of a key defection from a field of seven female sprinters entered for Saturday’s $75,000 Primonetta Stakes at Pimlico.

Two of the prime contenders in the Primonetta, Sweet Goodbye and Five Diamonds, are cross-entered in the $250,000 Sugar Maple, a seven-furlong stakes at Charles Town. Sweet Goodbye is committed to the Sugar Maple, while Five Diamonds are likely to remain in Maryland.

Without Sweet Goodbye in the lineup, the Mike Hushion-trained Wind Caper would become a solid favorite for the six-furlong Primonetta.

Wind Caper has been off since finishing a close third to Five Grand Girl in an overnight stakes on Aqueduct’s inner track in late February. Although there were only five horses in that field, both the winner, Five Grand Girl, and the fourth-place finisher, Purrfect Bluff, returned to win their next starts with Beyer Speed Figures of 83 and 90, respectively.

Even without Sweet Goodbye, trainer Chris Grove still has a capable backup in the 4-year-old Snap Happy, who has had ample rest to recover from a career-best 80 Beyer earned in a second-level optional $25,000 claimer on Feb. 21 at Laurel.

With Sweet Goodbye headed to West Virginia, trainer John Salzman Jr. said Five Diamonds would more than likely run in the Primonetta.She has finished first or second in 10 of her 13 starts, including a win in the 2009 Twixt Stakes at Laurel Park. She started her 5-year-old campaign by finishing second in the What a Summer Stakes and then delivered a dominating, 7 1/2-length score against optional claimers at Laurel on Feb. 18 before a sixth-place finish in the Conniver Stakes.

“She has done pretty much everything we have asked of her,” Salzman said. “I was disgusted with what happened the other day," referring to the Conniver. "No excuses but she has been training really well since and she deserves another chance. The Charles Town race isn’t that tough but with Sweet Goodbye going there it makes this race a little easier.”

All Night Labor is 10 for 40 lifetime, but has done most of her racing around two turns. The last time she sprinted, making her first start off nearly a six-month layoff, All Night Labor missed by a nose in a high-priced optional claimer at Delaware. The 7-year-old All Night Labor will be making her first start since November.

Tough Talkin Lady steps up in class after winning two of her last three starts by a combined 13 lengths. She most recently was third, beaten a half-length, with a career-high 79 Beyer.

Miss Fleetfoot, claimed for $7,500 in February, also has won two of her last three, including a victory over Tough Talkin Lady on March 9. She will be coming back just eight days after finishing a rallying third over a sloppy track at Pimlico.