Friday, May 16 Pimlico - Black-Eyed Susan (race 10) COMMENT: Stopchargingmaria gave trainer Todd Pletcher his 4th win in this race, but it wasn’t easy. She sat midpack as Image of Anna set a very slow pace. She moved closer while staying outside in the clear, came abreast of tiring Sloane Square and a stubborn Vero Amore, couldn’t get past Vero Amore for some time but wore down that rival in the final yards to get the win. Vero Amore did everything right but came up just short. She dogged pacesetter Image of Anna through slow splits, moved up to take over from that tiring rival turning for home, was immediately tackled by the eventual winner, gamely rebuffed that girl’s challenge through most of the stretch run but finally succumbed in the final yards. Fortune Pearl, an impressive winner here a few weeks ago, lagged well back and finished smartly but was never really a threat to the top two. Joint Return was very slow away from the gate (her rider actually cracked her with the whip a couple times under the wire the first time to get her going), bided her time toward the back, came with an eager wide run going down the backside, remained very wide coming into the lane and finished decently. America lagged back after a troubled start and put in a solid sustained rally. Sloane Square, the tepid 3-1 favorite, seemed in a great spot stalking in 3rd, loomed a big threat turning for home but then gave way. Saturday, May 17 Belmont - Vagrancy (race 10) COMMENT: Not often you see a 2-5 shot in a field of 4 run out of the money but that’s what happened here and Merry Meadow took full advantage of Kauai Katie’s dud. Merry Meadow stalked in 3rd in the small field, moved closer going to the turn, moved up to challenge pacesetter Jane of All Trades, got the better of her and drew off to win easily. Jane of All Trades shot out to a clear lead, still had the advantage turning for home, tried to fight back when hooked by the winner into the lane, was no match for that foe but finished far clear of the other two. Five Star Momma chased Jane of All Trades from the start but couldn’t keep up. Kauai Katie, the heavy favorite, got squeezed back at the start and then didn’t really respond when asked for run turning for home in a very disappointing outing. Pimlico - Maryland Sprint (race 5) COMMENT: Happy My Way dominated the proceedings as the 3-5 favorite, making it 3 straight wins and 4 in his last 5. He proved quickest from the gate, outsprinting fellow speed-type Action Andy early, began to open up going to the far turn and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. He’s likely ready for deeper waters as this was also his 5th straight triple-digit Beyer. In fact, trainer Joe Orseno hinted as much when saying he hoped this horse likes Santa Anita, an obvious reference to the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Lemon Drop Dream, the 2nd choice, bided his time early, came with a steady run but was no threat to the winner. Service for Ten was last early and finished decently. Pimlico - Gallorette (race 9) COMMENT: Somali Lemonade, once a deep closer, showed her newfound speed again and continued her ascent with a 2nd straight win. She broke alertly from the inside to grab the lead but was immediately challenged by Daydream Gracie. Those two raced together through solid splits, well ahead of the field, before Daydream Gracie fell away on the turn. At that point Somali Lemonade opened up a clear lead, looked long gone but then obviously tired from her early work and despite drifting out considerably through the lane got to the line before hard-charging Watsdachances. Watsdachances broke decently but opted to tuck in last behind the field, well behind the dueling leaders. She bided her time, steadily advanced going to the far turn, moved down to the rail for the stretch run, doggedly went after the winner but just couldn’t quite get there. Still, a pretty darn nice first run of the year. Triple Arch sat midpack, came with a steady run but was no real threat. Daydreaming Gracie moved right up to challenge Somali Lemonade from the start, dueled with that foe while to her outside, and continued to hound her going to the far turn but then fell away. Pimlico - Dixie (race 11) COMMENT: Utley used his late kick to post his first win in over 13 months. He bided his time toward the back as Fredericksburg set a solid pace, moved closer on the turn, swung wide into the lane and put in a smart sustained rally to get up in the final yards and take the blanket finish. Hey Leroy got a great trip stalking the pace, came with a run into the lane to be quite threatening but couldn’t quite finish with the winner. Chamois dogged Fredericksburg from the start, took over from that tiring rival into the lane, couldn’t quite finish with the winner and got nipped on the line by Chamois to lose 2nd in a fine try. Charming Kitten sat midpack, made a threatening run turning for home but couldn’t sustain it. Up With the Birds, last year’s Canadian Horse of the Year and the favorite here, was no real factor for the 2nd straight race as he lagged back and could pass only a couple tiring rivals. [bc_video_id:324849:] Pimlico - Preakness (race 12) COMMENT: It’s on to New York for a shot at the Triple Crown as California Chrome showed again he’s the dominant 3-year-old male. Again, it’s his Affirmed-like ability to make his own racing luck and get a great trip that separates him from the others. He broke very sharply, but once Pablo Del Monte surged to the lead he moved off the inside some to get clear sailing, and fell into a great spot stalking in 3rd as the filly Ria Antonia also rushed up to press the pace. California Chrome sat just off those two, moved closer when rival Social Inclusion to his outside made his move, grabbed command turning for home with Social Inclusion at his throatlatch, dispatched with that foe, opened up and had enough left in the tank to keep hard-trying Ride On Curlin at bay through the final furlong. For whatever reason the Derby was slow but the naysayers need readjust their opinion of California Chrome because his time here was smart (fastest since Curlin, 2007). Of course, the Grade 1 Belmont June 7 presents some big hurdles, namely distance and some other big 3-year-olds lying in wait. Ride on Curlin, a troubled 7th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, lagged well back off the brisk pace, came with a  smart wide run turning for home, briefly looked very threatening to the winner but just couldn’t get to him. Social Inclusion was washy and a bit fractious before the start, and then got outbroke when most expected him to be on the lead. He settled decently just behind California Chrome while outside that rival, moved up nicely going to the far turn, engaged California Chrome but couldn’t keep up with that foe while still plugging along well to keep 3rd. General a Rod stalked the pace and stayed on decently. Bayern got squeezed back at the start, got bounced around going into the first turn, was still able to establish position by the far turn but then came up empty. Ria Antonia inexplicably rushed up from the outside to duel with Pablo Del Monte but fell apart by the far turn. Back to the drawing board – and hopefully back to facing fillies – for her. [bc_video_id:324834:] Monmouth - Red Bank (race 11) COMMENT: Hard Enough was pulled up in his last start at Gulfstream March 29, but showed no ill effects from that debacle as he came back firing to win this. He showed good speed from his rail draw to stalk in 3rd while Two Notch Road set a modest pace. He moved closer going to the far turn, took command in midstretch from favorite Slim Shadey and was edging clear at the wire. Winning Cause, back to turf after running 7th in the Grade 3 Ben Ali on Keeneland’s Polytrack, sat 5th early, not far behind the eventual winner, didn’t accelerate as quickly as Hard Enough and had some work to do to get to that foe once straightened away, finished nicely to close the gap but just couldn’t quite get to him. Slim Shadey, a Grade 1 winner out West and now based on the East Coast, dogged pacesetter Two Notch Road from the start, took over on the turn as if he might put the race away but then flattened out in the lane. He’s not the horse he once was. Santa Anita - American (race 4) COMMENT: Race complexion changed considerably when morning-line favorite Winning Prize scratched. The pace picture may have been altered, too, when Pure Tactics, who was coming out of sprints, also scratched. That left the race in complete control of speedster Obviously and he took full advantage. The top-class miler, who won this race last year at Hollywood and was making his first start of this year, went right out to the lead, as expected, set fast splits, took some early pressure from Silentio, dispatched with that rival on the far turn, opened up and was never in any danger. He actually won geared down. The Shoemaker Mile here June 14 and a meeting with Winning Prize, the current top miler out West, is next. Chips All In sat 3rd, well back of the eventual winner, kept on steadily but was no real factor. Silentio was asked for speed so as not to allow Obviously to get away. He chased that foe early, tried to apply more pressure going to the far turn but couldn’t keep up and then weakened a bit from those efforts. Can’t blame ‘em for at least trying to beat Obviously. But speed just isn’t really his game. A Grade 1 winner on this course, Silentio figures to come back in the Shoemaker as well and rates a chance with a return to his usual waiting tactics.   Sunday, May 18 - Santa Anita Adoration (race 8) COMMENT: Let Faith Arise continued her strong season but it wasn’t easy. Coming off a 4th in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom last month, she likely appreciated returning home and the class drop. She also showed versatility with a change of tactics. From her rail slot she was expected to be on or near the lead. Instead she sat 3rd as Yahilwa and Eblouissante charged out to set a brisk pace. She bided her time while staying on the fence, swung out for the stretch drive, looked poised to easily go by Yahilwa but instead had to fight hard to just edge past that stubborn foe. The Grade 1 Vanity here June 14 figures next. Yahilwa ran splendidly. She charged out to set the pace, dueled with Eblouissante, dispatched with that and gamely battled the winner to the wire, finishing far clear of the others. The Vanity would figure next for her as well. Irish Presence was last early and put in a steady rally to get 3rd though she was never a danger to the top 2. Eblouissante, the much-ballyhooed sister to Zenyatta, pressured Yahilwa early but fell apart in the lane and was eased. She just hasn’t progressed since winning her first two starts.