Gabby Gaudet's race-by-race analysis for Saturday's Preakness Day race card at Pimlico Race Course:
Race 1, 10:30 a.m. post time
Selections: No. 6 Double Whammy, No. 2 No Brakes, No. 8 Start Jumping
Double Whammy meets much easier company Saturday than the last few races. Looks like he'll be poised to rebound. No Brakes needs a hot pace and a well-timed move, but he loves Pimlico and this distance is his best. Start Jumping will be able to press the pace from the outside.
Race 2, 11:05 a.m.
Selections: No. 8 Queen Caroline, No. 12 Double Espresso, No. 5 Tapit Together
Queen Caroline has the speed to sit close to the pace but probably isn't fast enough to make the lead. I think she'll be able to stalk behind Reggae Song and Double Espresso and let the race unfold in front of her. Tapit Together comes from a beautiful pedigree. The only hindrance is her running style but she should get the right pace flow Saturday.
Race 3, 11:41 a.m.
Selections: No. 2 Good Luck Gus, No. 8 Dothat Dance, No. 7 Big House
Good Luck Gus cuts back to a more appropriate distance and meets easier than the Grade 3 company last out. Although many of his races were against restricted NY-breds, this seems like a questionable field of horses stepping up from claiming races in the past.
Race 4, 12:16 p.m.
Selections: No. 14 Truly Together, No. 13 Silverville, No. 1 Rachel Wall
Truly Together continues to do no wrong, out of the Champion turf mare Forever Together. Her turn of foot is impressive, and I like the outside post given her running style. She should be able to be in the clear for her late run into a solid pace. Silverville comes back to a course where she had success last season. That wasn't an easy spot off the layoff last out either. Rachel Wall could get the jump on the field and have speed from the rail post.
Race 5, 12:51 p.m.
Selections: No. 4 Cinco Charlie, No. 7 Salutos Amigos, No. 3 Always Sunshine
Cinco Charlie will have to hold off the late bid by the talented Salutos Amigos, but he can use his speed to his advantage and perhaps dictate here. Always Sunshine is as consistent as they come but how will he turn the tables on Salutos Amigos Saturday?
Race 6, 1:28 p.m.
Selections: No. 7 Marengo Road, No. 5 Conquest Windycity, No. 4 Ousby
Marengo Road has found recent success on the dirt. He goes back to where he won against quality maiden special weight company as a 2-year-old. Look for improved figures. Similar case goes for Conquest Windycity who debuted on the turf at Saratoga. Any improvement from that effort will make him tough. Ousby may be Vitali's best claim of the year. His most recent win should have him geared up for this spot Saturday, and he has the proven turf form.
Race 7, 2:04 p.m.
Selections: No. 1A Old Upstart, No. 2 Chief Istan, No. 8 Troubled Waters
Old Upstart has proven himself locally and this will be his third start off the long layoff since last spring. I think the cutback to 6 furlongs is preferred. Chief Istan has speed from the rail but will have to prove he can take pressure off the year plus layoff. Troubled Waters could be aggressive out of the gate and soften up the heavy favorite early.
Race 8, 2:40 p.m.
Selections: No. 12 Lady Shipman, No. 9 Exaggerated, No. 10 Joya Real
Lady Shipman may be your best shot of a single in the Rainbow Pick 6 sequence. She's extremely fast, draws outside and is by far the class of the field. Exaggerated is no slouch and she seems to continue to improve. She is versatile and can win on the lead or closing. She may have to do the latter against the very quick favorite. This distance is a specialist's distance and that's just what Joya Real is.
Race 9, 3:21 p.m.
Selections: No. 5 Never Gone South, No. 6 Counterforce, No. 1 Justin Squared
Justin Squared will be heavily favored here and must go from the rail. He's one to respect but I do think there are others that have room for improvement and a better post. Never Gone South is one of them. The connections dabbled with trying to stretch him out and see if he'd be a potential classic-distance horse. He looks better cut for sprinting and he should be ready to roll on the cutback. Counterforce really has done nothing wrong. His last race was key as we saw the second- and third-place finishers come back to win impressively against stakes company including the Grade 3 Lazero Barrera.
Race 10, 4:02 p.m.
Selections: No. 12 Heath, No. 6 Nisharora, No. 3 Tiger Ride
Heath can run well on a firm turf or a turf that has give to it as she proved last out on the soft going at Keeneland. The key is for her to manage her speed and it looks like she's been doing just that lately, relaxing early and closing late. Nisharora had zero chance to run last out for the majority of the stretch. She was bottled up from the quarter pole and onward but showed she was agile enough to regather and finish strong. Tiger Ride isn't meeting any shooters like the one she faced last out. I think this is more of her class level and she'll be hoping for a strong early pace.
Race 11, 4:40 p.m.
Selections: No. 7 Dazzling Gem, No. 5 American Freedom, No. 4 Voluntario
American Freedom looks to have a bit better racing luck than last out in the Pat Day Mile and should be respected. However, I'll try to beat him with Dazzling Gem. The connections were considering running him in the Preakness, but I like this placement not only because it's a lighter field but also the cutback in distance. Voluntario put in the dirty work against a strong contender last out at Aqueduct and could be finding his stride now.
Race 12, 5:39 p.m.
Selections: No. 2 Za Approval, No. 7 Grand Arch, No. 11 Force the Pass
Za Approval will be hoping for a not-so-boggy turf. Maybe he'll get it, maybe he won't, but he's proven fresh against graded stakes company and he's as honest as they come. Grand Arch is a very strong miler. There's no doubt he can win at this distance though, and he's a Grade 1 winner on a yielding course. Force the Pass may have been a little short off the layoff in the Appleton but he was game in defeat. That sets him up nicely for this spot today.
Race 13, 6:45 p.m., PREAKNESS
Selections: No. 3 Nyquist, No. 5 Exaggerator, No. 11 Stradivari
Two of the most appealing attributes that Nyquist has in a race are his natural quickness and ability to be tactical. Last year all eyes were on American Pharoah from the rail post in the slop. With the potential of similar conditions this year, Nyquist unfortunately will not be able to make a move like that on the inside. There are simply faster horses. So, the ability to be tactical is most key for him in the Preakness. Exaggerator moves up on an off track, and even on a fast track last out in the Kentucky Derby, he was fearfully closing the gap on Nyquist. He'll get the pace he wants for the ideal situation, and he really does look like a horse that continues to get better. Stradivari clearly has some raw talent. You don't win an Allowance race at Keeneland as he did without that raw talent. I liked how he rated early, took pressure and effortlessly edged away from the field. He has a rating gear and can control where he wants to go from the outside post.
Race 14, 7:35 p.m.
Selections: No. 7 Hardly Home, No. 10 Chris Krispy Kreme, No. 11 Map Room
I don't think we've seen the best from Hardly Home just yet. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is strong with maidens making their second start on the turf. Chris Krispy Kreme was squeezed out of the gate from the start last out. I like the stretch-out in distance Saturday. Map Room was bumped slightly early last out but I don't think that cost him the win. Will use protectively but doesn't have to win.
Best bet: Race 8, No. 12 Lady Shipman
Price play: Race 9, No. 5 Never Gone South