Team Valor International's Cerro is the overwhelming favorite to win the final stakes race of the Pimlico Race Course spring meet in the $100,000 Canonero II for 3-year olds June 1.
At 6-5 on the morning line over five others, Cerro will be asked to cover 1 1/8 miles for the second time since breaking his maiden in Italy last summer. The Canonero II is the ninth race on the card with an approximate post time of 5:21 p.m. EDT,
The son of Mr. Greeley has won once in four starts this year. They include a sixth-place finish behind Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Orb in the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II) while under the care of Graham Motion. Rick Mettee took over training duties after a fourth-place finish in the Lexington Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland April 20 on Polytrack. Alan Garcia has the riding assignment from post 2.
Dynamic Strike, 3-1 on the morning line, is the only stakes winner in the field, having taken the Miracle Wood at Laurel Park in early February for trainer Richard Small.
Since then, the son of Smart Strike finished off the board in the March 9 Private Terms Stakes and April 27 Federico Tesio Stakes. Dynamic Strike put in a bullet half-mile work in :47 1/5 May 29, after which assistant trainer Dylan Smith reported the colt "came back sharper than he went to the track." Forest Boyce will ride for the seventh straight time; the duo leaves the 3 hole.
Dreaming of Jazz, who has won for trainers John Rigatteri, King Leatherbury, and Juan Vasquez, makes his stakes debut at morning line odds of 4-1. Hector Garcia is now trainer of record for the son of Woke Up Dreamin. Apprentice Victor Carrasco will be aboard from the rail.
Hanky Doodle has finished first or second in seven of 11 lifetime starts, including the Maryland Juvenile Championship last December. However, the Gary Capuano trainee failed to hit the board in his last two stakes tries, the Private Terms and Tesio. Xavier Perez has the call on the son of Cherokee's Boy, who is 8-1 on the morning line.
Recent maiden winners Midnight Cello (8-1) for Crossed Sabres Farm and Handsome Tiger (12-1) for Sagamore Farm complete the field.
$100,000 Canonero II Stakes (Race 9, approximate post 5:21 p.m. EDT), 3YOs, 1 1/8 miles (dirt)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Dreaming of Jazz (KY), V.R. Carrasco, 116, H Garcia
2. Cerro (IRE), A. Garcia, 116, R C Mettee
3. Dynamic Strike (PA), F. Boyce, 118, R W Small
4. Hanky Doodle (MD), X. Perez, 116, G. Capuano
5. Midnight Cello (KY), S. Russell, 116, M J Vitali
6. Handsome Tiger (KY), M.A. Ccamaque, 116, J Corrales
Blinkers On: Cerro