BALTIMORE—With four stakes wins and 17 in-the-money finishes in 24 starts, William Branch’s Carotari is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the 17th running of the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Saturday on the Preakness (G1) program at Pimlico Race Course.
Named for the late Hall of Fame sportscaster Jim McKay, an important figure in Maryland racing, the Turf Sprint is for 3-year-olds and up going five furlongs.
Carotari, trained by Brian Lynch and to be ridden by Luis Saez, will be making his 2022 debut in the Jim McKay. He completed last year’s campaign with an allowance victory at Keeneland going 5 ½ furlongs and scored under Saez in the five-furlong Janus on the New Year’s Eve card at Gulfstream Park. The 6-year-old son of Artie Schiller drew Post 2 in the 10-horse field.
Living The Dream Stables’ 6-year-old Seven Scents, trained by Brad Cox, will be making is 40th career start in the Jim McKay. A five-time winner at the distance, he drew Post 3 and is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line.
“He’s a horse we claimed and won at Keeneland,” Cox said. “Five-eighths, I think that will suit him well.”
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Bank, a son of Bernardini for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. Bank drew the rail and is rated at 12-1 under Joel Rosario.
“We have Bank trying the turf for the first time, who pedigree-wise should excel,” Asmussen said. “He’s coming off a solid comeback race at Oaklawn.”
Gordon Keyes’ homebred Grateful Bred ran second to fellow comebacker True Valour in the April 23 King T. Leatherbury at Laurel, his first race since his popular front-running triumph in the Maryland Million Turf Sprint last October. He is 2-for-2 at five furlongs on grass, including a restricted allowance win at Pimlico in his 2021 season opener in June.
The McKay also drew Raul DelValle’s 8-year-old Arthur’s Hope; Paradise Farm Corp.’s Mr. Hustle; Crown’s Way Racing’s Smokin’ Jay; The Wolfman, making his turf debut; Hollis, the beaten favorite in the Whitmore (G3) on March 19; and C.L. Hess Jr.’s Concrete Glory.
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
Photo: Ryan Thompson
