Martin Pennington
Show Bio
There is plenty of great horse racing action to look forward to across America on Friday, including at Pimlico race track. We have been in fine form with our picks for a long time, and are up +298.05 units on our race selections to our recommended stakes dating back to August 5.
Here are our favourite plays for today’s Pimlico meeting.
1:02 pm ET Pimlico (Race 4) – Affable Monarch 4/1 (2-star play)
Affable Monarch has had just 2 starts, following up an impressive 6 1/2 length maiden special weight victory over 6 furlongs at Monmouth Park in September last year with a 1/2 length 2nd in the Rocky Run Stakes over an extended mile at Delaware the following month.
He has shown up well in the mornings of late, including when delivering a 52.10 4-furlong breeze at Colts Neck Stables earlier this week, and he is taken to register a second career win.
3:36 pm ET Pimlico (Race 9) – Pizza Bianca 4/5 (3-star play)
A winner at the highest level when taking the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in November last year, the daughter of Fastnet Rock made a satisfactory return to racing when runner-up in the Listed Memories Of Silver Stakes over a mile and 1/16th at Aqueduct last month.
She has delivered some solid work on turf at Belmont Park’s training track subsequently and looks capable of returning to winning ways dropping slightly in distance and with Jose Ortiz booked for the ride.
5:10 pm ET Pimlico (Race 12) – Vindictive 2/1 (2-star play)
The winner of half of his 6 starts, this son of Uncle Mo had subsequent Grade 1 winner Speaker’s Corner 1 place ahead of him when 3rd in the Listed Discovery Stakes over a mile and 1/8th at Aqueduct in November.
He was dropped to allowance optional claiming company for his seasonal reappearance and duly delivered a length and 3/4 victory over a mile and 1/8th at the same venue. He remains open to improvement and can provide trainer Todd Pletcher with a first win in this race since 2015.
5:44 pm ET Pimlico (Race 13) – Adare Manor 5/2 (2-star play)
Adare Manor shot to prominence among California’s 3-year-old filly division when delivering a 13-length victory in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes over an extended mile at Santa Anita in early February.
She made most of the running that day and was unable to dominate when going down by a neck in the Santa Anita Oaks over a mile and 1/16th at the same venue subsequently. Now on to her third handler in Sean McCarthy, she looks up to delivering a second Graded Stakes win.
6:23 pm ET Pimlico (Race 14) – Peligroso 8/5 (2-star play)
Peligroso showed signs of ability when 5th in a maiden special weight over 6 furlongs on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park in March, but she took a big step forward when switched to turf for the first time when dropped to 5 1/2 furlongs to finish half a length 2nd in a maiden special weight on a good track last month.
A further drop in trip is unlikely to inconvenience and the daughter of Honor Code looks up to providing trainer Jack Sisterson with a winner.
Exotic
Late Pick 3
Race 12: 1, 6
Race 13: 10, 12
Race 14: 5, 7
Stake: $2
Total stake: $16
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