Today

The prospect of a battle between Buck's Boy and Ops Smile is the main on-track attraction in the $100,000 Fort McHenry Handicap.

The Fourth of July card features jockeys racing on foot, signing autographs for the fans who can celebrate the day with picnic-style food in a holiday cookout. There will also be pony rides for the children.

Nine older horses were entered in the mile and one-quarter Fort McHenry, with Buck's Boy and Ops Smile sharing top-weight of 118 pounds each. Perhaps because of his victory in the Riggs Handicap at Pimlico and a speedy trip in the Grade I Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park, Buck's Boy is the favorite. Ops Smile, trained by Billy Boniface, won the 1997 Manhattan and will be installed as second choice.

Tomorrow

Fillies and mares take to the turf in the Lady Baltimore Stakes, a mile and one-eighth event with a guaranteed purse of $75,000. Eight distaffers, 3-year-olds and up, have passed the entry box headed by Fickle Fate, the neckwinner of Pimlico's Searching Stakes.

Pub Date: 7/04/98