Switzerland draws rail for Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash

The 1 hole is not a neutral draw in six-furlong sprints. It hurt Switzerland in the Vanderbilt Stakes on July 28 at Saratoga, and Switzerland drew the fence again Wednesday when entries were taken for Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 De Francis Dash.

Nine were entered in the De Francis, the headliner at Laurel Park on a seven-stakes, 13-race card. The De Francis had been scheduled for Sept. 15 but was moved back a week because of the threat (which never materialized in Maryland) from Hurricane Florence.

Switzerland, trained by Steve Asmussen for Woodford Racing LLC, was a well-backed 3-1 in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt after a good win in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico. That race was contested over sloppy going, but there is just a 30 percent chance of Saturday showers at Laurel, with clear conditions forecast for Thursday and Friday. In the Vanderbilt, Switzerland broke a touch slowly, was sent up into a scorching pace, and faded to fifth in a race dominated by closers. Feargal Lynch, who never has ridden Switzerland, will be tasked with working out a trip Saturday.

The venerable 6-year-old Always Sunshine, who has won two stakes in a row, could be favored over Switzerland after drawing favorably in post 5. Jevian Toledo has the mount on Always Sunshine, who should still be fresh after just four starts during 2018.

The rest of the De Francis field, from the inside out, consists of Sweetontheladies, Colonel Sharp, Laki, Mr. Crow, The Man, Lewisfield, and Arthur’s Hope. Post time for the feature is set for 5 p.m. Eastern; the card starts at 12:30.

The $100,000 Laurel Futurity, for 2-year-olds at six furlongs on turf, is carded as race 4, the first of the stakes, and should have Thatwouldbegrand and Market Bubble at the head of the betting. Race 6, the $100,000 All Along for older fillies and mares over a route of ground on turf, starts a sequence of six straight stakes races. The All Along drew a full field of entrants and appears to be very evenly matched.

After the All Along comes the Laurel Dash over six furlongs on turf; the 1 1/2-mile Laurel Turf Cup, which will have Hello Don Julio as a strong favorite; the Sensible Lady Turf Dash for older females; the De Francis; and then the $100,000 Selima for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on turf.