Friday, May 20, 2022
By Jeff Siegel, 1stbet.com Handicapper & Analyst
Pimlico – Second Race. Post time: 12:01 ET
1-Run Raegan Run (8/5)
Maryland-bred sophomore finally makes it to the post almost exactly a year after being purchased for $87,000 at the 2021 Timonium sale, where she was quite impressive breezing a furlong in 10 1/5 seconds (galloped out a quarter mile in 21 4/5 seconds). Quick-actioned filly had put together a healthy series of recent workouts for a barn that has impressive stats (24%) with the first-time starter angle, so we’re going to assume that she’s fit and ready. The stable’s go to-rider (J. Toledo) takes the call, so with a clean break from the rail the daughter of Golden Lad should be hard to beat in this waiver $40,000 six furlong sprint.
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Pimlico – Fourth Race. Post time: 1:02 ET
7-Affable Monarch (4-1)
Promising colt won his debut sprinting by six and one-half lengths last summer at Monmouth Park, so we know he can fire fresh, but then was stopped on and turned out after finishing an unlucky second while probably best in the subsequent Rocky Run S. over a mile at Delaware Park the following month. This talented son of Arrogate returns as a first-time Lasix user with a series of easy breezes at the Colts Neck Stable training center that hopefully will have him fit and ready. The long winded son of Arrogate has a chance to develop into a very useful type and based on his two runs last year could easily outclass this 3-year-olds only first-level allowance middle distance affair.
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Pimlico – Eleventh Race. Post time: 4:38 ET
1-Phantom Vision (6-1)
This Michael Maker-trained filly drew the far outside in the 13-runner Giant’s Causeway Stakes at Keeneland last month and never really had much of a chance after racing wide throughout and then winding up eighth (beaten nine lengths) against a much tougher field than she’s facing today. She’s beautifully drawn on the rail today in this five furlong dash while switching to Flavian Prat, so we’re expecting to see the daughter of Declaration of War revert to her best form, which based on speed figures is good enough to win. There is excellent value available in the win pool and in the various exotics at or near her morning line of 6-1.
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Pimlico – Twelfth Race. Post time: 5:10 ET
6-Capacostello (6-1)
Morning line favorite (2-1) Vindicative may be the one to beat in this year’s renewal of the Pimlico Special-G3 and should be included in the exotics but let’s go for price in the win pool with this former Panamanian champion, who had a couple of promising outings earlier this year at Gulfstream Park and seems primed to produce a significant forward move. After finishing a distant fourth behind the top class Olympiad in January, the Kentucky-bred son of Cross Traffic rallied strongly but too late when second to the multi-stakes winner Fearless in the Ghostzapper S.-G3 last month. Today, with an extra furlong to work with and with the switch to Flavian Prat, the four-time South American Group-1 winner has a legitimate chance to pull off a mild surprise.
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Pimlico – Thirteenth Race. Post time: 5:44 ET
10-Adare Manor (5/2)
Lost a toughie at odds-on when out-photo’d by Desert Dawn in the Santa Anita Oaks last month but was flattered when ‘Dawn returned to finish an excellent third in the Kentucky Oaks-G1 behind Secret Oath. This daughter of Uncle Mo has trained in sensational fashion in the last few weeks and appears ready to regain the form that had produced back-to-back wins by a combined 25 lengths and speed figures that are good enough to handle this assignment. She projects to be on or near lead throughout and will offer plenty of wagering value at her morning line of 5/2, if you can get it.
