Four last-out winners will hook horns in the $150,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III) on the Preakness day undercard at Pimlico Race Course May 17.
Lemon Drop Dream, a 4-year-old Lemon Drop Kid colt, won the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park in his previous start, his first stakes score and fourth victory in his past five starts. He shares highweight of 115 pounds in the Maryland Sprint with Action Andy, a 7-year-old gelding who took an allowance/optional claimer at the $100,000 level at Gulfstream Park two races back. His most recent effort was a second at the same conditions at Gulfstream. The hard-knocking gelding has won a dozen of his 40 lifetime efforts.
Happy My Way was the victor of the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream in March and the son of Wilko has taken three of his past four races. He is an excellent 3-for-5 at the six-furlong distance of the Maryland Sprint and usually runs his race every trip to the post.
Sneaking Uponyou is coming off a 6 1/4-length victory in a stakes for Florida-breds at Tampa Bay Downs. Last year in the Turf Sprint at Pimlico he finished fifth, five lengths behind Ben's Cat. The 8-year-old gelding has won 10 of 46 lifetime, and seven of 22 at six furlongs.
Service for Ten won the Dave's Friend Stakes at Laurel Park last November and was most recently third in the Feb. 17 General George Handicap (gr. III) there. The 5-year-old Service Stripe gelding has not finished off the board in seven tries at six furlongs, and has also hit the board in his past eight races, dating back to the end of 2012.
Salutos Amigos was a steady customer in stakes races a year ago, including a third in the Amsterdam (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course, but subsequent efforts in added-money company have not gone as well. Recently he has found a home in allowance/optional claiming company, winning three in a row, the last two at the $62,500 level in New York.
$150,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III) (race five, approximate post 1:11 p.m. EDT), six furlongs, 3YO&Up
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Sneaking Uponyou (FL), Luis Saez, 112, Jamie Ness
2. Happy My Way (FL), Joe Bravo, 114, Joe Orseno
3. Lemon Drop Dream (KY), Ricardo Santana Jr., 115, Steve Asmussen
4. Salutos Amigos (KY), Javier Castellano, 111, David Jacobson
5. Service for Ten (VA), Sheldon Russell, 113, Emanual Geralis
6. Action Andy (MD) Horacio Karamanos, 115, Carlos Garcia
