Up With the Birds Heads Dixie Stakes

Canadian Horse of the Year Up With the Birds takes on highweights Hamp and Hey Leroy May 17 in the $400,000 Longines Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) at Pimlico Race Course, while looking to rebound from a disappointing season debut last time out.

The Sam-Son Farm homebred was sixth and last of all April 5 at Keeneland in a 1 1/8-mile turf allowance contest, his first start since winning the Oct. 5 Jamaica Handicap (gr. IT) with a brilliant run at Belmont Park last fall. That victory capped his award-winning season, in which he took the Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the Marine Stakes and the Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine, and finished second in Woodbine's Queen's Plate and in the Transylvania (gr. II) at Keeneland.

Joel Rosario rides Up With the Birds, a 4-year-old Stormy Atlantic   runner, for trainer Malcolm Pierce from post 8 as part of a 118-pound assignment.

Sagamore Farm's homebred local contender Hamp comes in off a driving head victory in the April 19 Henry S. Clark Stakes going a mile at Pimlico, his first stakes score and first win of the season for trainer Ignacio Correas IV. Javier Santiago retains the mount from post 5. Maryland-bred Hamp, a 4-year-old Sky Mesa   gelding, carries 120.

That highweight assignment is shared by Florida shipper Hey Leroy, who came up with Preakness Stakes (gr. I) contender and stablemate Social Inclusion. Trained by Manny Azpurua for Rontos Racing Stable, the 4-year-old gelded son of Any Given Saturday   won the Appleton Stakes (gr. IIIT) going a mile on the Gulfstream Park turf in March with a nick-of-time move, and rebounded from a troubled 10th in an off-the-turf edition of the April 19 Miami Mile (gr. III) to win a May 3 allowance race at the Dixie distance by 1 3/4 lengths edging away.

Javier Castellano picks up the mount on Hey Leroy, who seems poised to claim his first grade II score from the 6 hole.

Another interesting contender in the field of 10 older runners is Ellendale Racing's homebred Roadhog, who came knocking at the door in his season debut in the Henry S. Clark at Pimlico. The 7-year-old Pennsylvania-bred gelding actually took the lead with a five-wide move after being steadied early in that start, but was nipped by Hamp's flying late move on the line.

Trained by Elizabeth Merryman, Roadhog is the 2013 Maryland Million Turf Stakes winner. The Bowman's Band runner has not notched a graded triumph, however, though this may change from post 4 in the Dixie under Kendrick Carmouche and 118 pounds.

Also seeking a breakthrough victory is Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Charming Kitten, who has been graded stakes-placed on multiple occasions but has not yet sealed the deal. Last year, the Kitten's Joy   runner had second-place finishes in the Hawthorne Derby (gr. IIIT), Virginia Derby (gr. IIT), Penn Mile Stakes, and Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) along with a third in the Toyotal Blue Grass (gr. I) and a ninth on dirt in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent the 4-year-old colt to an April 24 allowance score going 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland Polytrack by half a length over Code West last time out under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who returns in this spot from post 3 as part of a 118-pound assignment.

Michael Bruder's Quick Wit could score his first grade II since an off-the-turf upset of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes (gr. II) back in August of 2012. Since then, the 5-year-old Sharp Humor runner has only one win after missing much of the 2013 season. He came back to the winner's circle in March with a neck allowance score on the Gulfstream turf. 

Completing the field are Wertheimer & Frere's homebred Nutello—who was third for Graham Motion last time out in the Henry S. Clark and who last year ran third in the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (gr. IT); Jon and Sarah Kelly's homebred Chamois, making his season debut for Christophe Clement off a Nov. 17 victory in the Duluth Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack; Ramona Bass's homebred allowance winner Fredericksburg for Michael Matz; and Augustin Stable's homebred Utley for Jonathan Sheppard.

$400,000 Longines Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT, Race 11, approximate post 5:27 p.m. EDT), 3YOs & Up, 1 1/16 miles (turf)

PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer

1. Fredericksburg (KY), L. Saez, 118, M R Matz

2. Nutello (KY), T. McCarthy, 118, H G Motion

3. Charming Kitten (KY), J.R. Velazquez, 118, T A Pletcher

4. Roadhog (PA), K. Carmouche, 118, E M Merryman

5. Hamp (MD), J. Santiago, 120, I Correas, IV

6. Hey Leroy (KY), J. Castellano, 120, M J Azpurua

7. Chamois (KY), J. Bravo, 118, C Clement

8. Up With the Birds (ON), J. Rosario, 118, M Pierce

9. Utley (KY), E.S. Prado, 118, J E Sheppard

10. Quick Wit (KY), V. Espinoza, 118, D L Romans