Whelen Springs Carries Momentum Into Chick Lang

The connections of Whelen Springs  have plenty of reason for optimism as the Arkansas-bred is scheduled to make his graded stakes debut in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes (G3) May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.

The Chick Lang is a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds. Also on Saturday's Preakness Day undercard is the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and older going six furlongs. There, lightly raced Disco Pharoah  will make his graded stakes debut off a clear victory in the Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes April 16 at Laurel Park.

In the Chick Lang, Whelen Springs will be starting away from Oaklawn Park for the first time. A homebred for John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable, Whelen Springs has posted three straight wins at the six-furlong distance. The Street Sense colt earned a maiden special weight win March 26 before scoring by five lengths over other Arkansas-breds in the $150,000 Rainbow Stakes April 9.

Off that effort, trainer John Ortiz entered Whelen Springs in open company in the $154,000 Bachelor Stakes April 30, where he edged 3-5 favorite Cogburn  by a neck.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has also entered Cogburn in the Chick Lang, where the son of current leading third-crop sire Not This Time   drew the rail. The speedy Cogburn, who won his two previous starts before the Bachelor, is campaigned by Clark Brewster and Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.

Each horse carried 121 pounds in the Bachelor. On Saturday, Whelen Springs has been assigned the high weight of 124 pounds while Coburn is scheduled to carry 120.

"It was a great race down the stretch," Ortiz said after the Bachelor. "I mean, this is a battle. I'm glad, even moving early, that we still got to battle Steve (Asmussen) and (jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.). I love running here at Oaklawn and competing with these great trainers. It's a great feeling."

The two Arkansas invaders will need to repel a challenge from Marablue Farm and Pegasus Stud's Old Homestead, who improved to 3-for-3 in taking last month's Lafayette Stakes at Keeneland. The quick Overanalyze  colt, trained by Brett Brinkman, should be part of the early tussle under Tommy Pompell.

Disco Pharoah will attempt to add to his fast 2022 start in Saturday's Maryland Sprint. After not racing until November of his 3-year-old season, Disco Pharoah finished fourth and then second in a pair of maiden special starts last year. This year the son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah   has hit his stride at age 4, winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race by 19 1/2 lengths March 5 at Aqueduct. Off that effort, trainer Raymond Handal entered Disco Pharoah in the seven-furlong Frank Y. Whiteley where he posted a 3 1/4-length victory.

Campaigned by Perrine Time Thoroughbreds and Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Disco Pharoah will cut back in distance as the co-highweight in Saturday's test. Awaiting lightly raced Disco Pharoah Saturday will be veteran Full Authority , making the 27th start of his career. The two horses have taken different paths to the Maryland Sprint Stakes but they enter as the co-highweights at 122 pounds.

Campaigned by Danny Brown, Charis Brenneman, and trainer Greg Compton, Full Authority enters off back-to-back scores in allowance-optional claiming races in March and April at Oaklawn.

Entries: Chick Lang S. (G3)

Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 21, 2022, Race 9

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 3:31 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cogburn (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Steven M. Asmussen	5/2
2	2Lightening Larry (FL)	Chantal Sutherland	120	Jorge Delgado	10/1
3	3Doctor Jeff (KY)	Luis Saez	120	Rudy R. Rodriguez	15/1
4	4My Handsome Man (NY)	Antonio Lopez	118	Melvin Moises Ovando	50/1
5	5Old Homestead (FL)	Thomas L. Pompell	122	Brett A. Brinkman	2/1
6	6Chasing Time (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
7	7Whelen Springs (AR)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	John Alexander Ortiz	4/1
8	8Alottahope (MD)	Xavier Perez	118	John J. Robb	15/1
9	9Little Vic (KY)	Paco Lopez	118	Juan Carlos Avila	6/1

Entries: Maryland Sprint S. (G3)

Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 21, 2022, Race 4

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 12:16 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1War Tocsin (KY)	Dexter Haddock	120	Uriah St. Lewis	15/1
2	2Sir Alfred James (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Norman L. Cash	6/1
3	3Threes Over Deuces (KY)	Maclovio Enriquez Jr.	120	Gary Capuano	12/1
4	4Disco Pharoah (KY)	Jevian Toledo	122	Raymond Handal	5/2
5	5Full Authority (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	122	Greg Compton	5/1
6	6Mr Phil (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	Rob Atras	3/1
7	7Jaxon Traveler (MD)	Joel Rosario	120	Steven M. Asmussen	3/1