Inflexibility Faces Half to Country House in Gallorette
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Photo: Michael Burns
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Inflexibility wins the 2017 Carotene Stakes at Woodbine
Trainer Chad Brown has built his reputation on being able to fire fresh off the bench with his turf stars. That's one reason his Inflexibility, owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the May 18 Gallorette Stakes (G3T).
The Gallorette at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, goes as race 10 on the Preakness Stakes (G1) undercard May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. Inflexibility, a 5-year-old Scat Daddy mare bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms, won only one time last season—her seasonal bow—but flexed her muscles with several graded stakes placings from Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Belmont Park to Woodbine.
Among the field of nine fillies and mares entered in Saturday's race is Mitchell Road, a half sister to Country House, winner of the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, early running Mitchell Road will likely draw more interest than her 6-1 morning line odds.
The 4-year-old English Channel filly is owned by Mrs. Maury Shields and her nephew Guinness McFadden. A winner of three straight dating back to early December, Mitchell Road beat allowance optional claiming company going a mile in January and won the Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
She's out of classic producing Quake Lake, by War Chant. Joel Rosario will ride and don the now famous yellow and brown silks of Mitchell Road's breeder, the late Joseph V. "Jerry" Shields Jr.
It's early enough in the season for another first-out mare to be the second-choice on the morning line: Lael Stable's I'm So Fancy at 7-2 in her United States debut. Florent Geroux has the call from trainer Arnaud Delacour on the bay mare who won three stakes in Ireland last season including the Snow Fairy Stakes (G3) going nine furlongs at the Curragh in early September.
Another potential threat comes in the form of Merriebelle Stable's Viva Vegas, trained by Ignacio Correas IV. The Argentine horsemen was stabled in Maryland for years before relocating to Kentucky and has a true feel for the local layout. His 5-year-old mare by The Factor was third in a blanket finish April 20 in Laurel Park's Dahlia Stakes and last year hit the board in Monmouth Park's Violet Stakes (G3T). She will break from post 8 under Jose Ortiz.
Also on the under card is the $100,000 The Very One Stakes at five furlongs on the turf that drew a cast of nine fillies and mares. The headliner is Andrew Farm and Debbie O'Connor's Jo Jo Air, a sophomore filly from Scat Daddy's final crop that won opening night at Churchill Downs. She won the five-furlong William Walker Stakes in :58.86 as a 14-1 chance, defeating Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Bulletin. Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez rides for turf sprint guru Wesley Ward.
Speed is dangerous at five panels and the heat figures to come from Jo Jo Air's immediate outside in Angel At War (post 7). The 5-year-old Shakleford mare makes her third start of the season and is nearing the form she held last fall.
Triton Stable's Ickymasho, winner of Keeneland's 12-furlong Bewitch Stakes (G3T) April 26, is the 8-5 selection for the $100,000 Searching Stakes at 1 1/2 miles.
A danger appears to be the Jonathan Thomas-trained Osare (5-1), by Medaglia d'Oro —Bubbler, by Distorted Humor . The half sister to Arrogate was a $300,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Bridlewood Farm and she rewarded her owners with a score in last year's Fifth Third insurance Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs.
Pimlico Race Course, Friday, May 18, 2018, Race 10Entries: Jim McKay Turf Sprint S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Rocket Heat (KY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
118
Carlos F. Martin
6/1
2
2Field of Courage (ON)
Javier Castellano
118
Rudy R. Rodriguez
12/1
3
3Imprimis (FL)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Joseph F. Orseno
3/1
4
4Oak Bluffs (NJ)
Paco Lopez
118
Mary E. Eppler
6/1
5
5Vici (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
118
Ben Colebrook
10/1
6
6Unbridled Daddy (KY)
Jose C. Ferrer
118
Gregory D. Sacco
30/1
7
7Hogy (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
122
Michael J. Maker
2/1
8
8Pool Winner (KY)
Jevian Toledo
118
Alan E. Goldberg
15/1
9
9Triple Burner (NY)
Ricardo Chiappe
118
Linda L. Albert
20/1
10
10Dubini (KY)
Daniel Centeno
118
Kathleen A. Demasi
12/1
Pimlico Race Course, Friday, May 18, 2018, Race 9Entries: Pimlico Special S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Irish War Cry (NJ)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
H. Graham Motion
3/1
2
2One Liner (KY)
Luis Saez
118
Todd A. Pletcher
7/2
3
3Rated R Superstar (KY)
Javier Castellano
120
Kenneth G. McPeek
8/1
4
4Discreet Lover (FL)
Manuel Franco
118
Uriah St. Lewis
20/1
5
5Hedge Fund (KY)
Mike E. Smith
122
Todd A. Pletcher
7/2
6
6Papa Zulu (KY)
Emmanuel Esquivel
118
Kelly Rubley
30/1
7
7Afleet Willy (KY)
Jomar Torres
118
Claudio A. Gonzalez
10/1
8
8Something Awesome (ON)
Edgar S. Prado
124
Jose Corrales
5/1
9
9Untrapped (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
10/1
Pimlico Race Course, Friday, May 18, 2018, Race 7Entries: Adena Springs Miss Preakness S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Happy Like a Fool (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Wesley A. Ward
5/1
2
2Bootsy's Hadenough (KY)
Paco Lopez
116
Kellyn Gorder
30/1
3
3Artistic Diva (IL)
Javier Castellano
116
John W. Sadler
6/1
4
4Purrfect Miss (KY)
Manuel Franco
116
Jeremiah C. Englehart
12/1
5
5Buy Sell Hold (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
20/1
6
6Lezendary (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Rudy R. Rodriguez
4/1
7
7I Still Miss You (NY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
120
Jeremiah C. Englehart
15/1
8
8Almond Roca (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
116
H. Graham Motion
5/1
9
9Good Move (KY)
Luis Saez
116
Brad H. Cox
3/1
10
10Limited View (MD)
Edgar S. Prado
118
John E. Salzman, Jr.
10/1