BALTIMORE, Md.—Live racing returns to historic Pimlico Race Course Saturday with a nine-race program featuring four grass stakes worth $500,000 in purses led by the $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G3).
Three Diamonds Farm’s Field Pass, a Grade 3 winner on both grass and synthetics trained by Mike Maker, is the 8-5 program favorite in the BWI Turf Cup, carded as Race 8 for 3-year-olds and up going one mile. The 4-year-old colt was most recently fourth, beaten two lengths, in the June 26 Wise Dan (G2).
Other graded winners in the BWI Turf Cup are Pixelate (2-1), coming off a victory in the July 4 Prince George’s County at Pimlico, and English Bee (10-1), seventh by five lengths in the PGC. Stakes winner Ramsey Solution (5-2) is making his graded debut for trainer Wesley Ward.
Stakes action kicks off in Race 2, the $100,000 Bald Eagle Derby for 3-year-olds contested at 1 ½ miles. Wootton Asset, second by a nose in the 2020 Laurel Futurity and third by two lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Kent (G3) July 3 at Delaware Park, is a narrow morning line favorite over multiple stakes-placed Indian Lake (2-1) and Experienced (5-2), a professional debut winner June 21 in his lone start.
Race 4 is the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting five furlongs, which drew a wide-open field of seven including Dendrobia and Can the Queen, respectively second and third in the July 4 Jameela at Pimlico and Golden Can, a winner of two straight over the Pimlico turf.
Fillies and mares 3 and up will stretch out to 1 1/8 miles in Race 6, the $100,000 Big Dreyfus, where Feb. 6 Endeavour (G3) winner Counterparty Risk ships in from Monmouth Park as the 6-5 program favorite in a field of six. No Mo Lady, third in the 2020 Gallorette (G3) at Pimlico, and Sister Hanan, third in the 2020 Honey Fox (G3) and 2021 The Very One (G3) at Gulfstream Park, are among the top rivals.
First race post time Saturday is 12:40 p.m.
The extended Preakness Meet at Pimlico runs through Sunday, Aug. 22. Live racing shifts to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium from Aug. 26 through Labor Day, Sept. 6.
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
