Three weeks later than originally planned, James Shannon Jr.'s Grade 3 winner That's Right is set to launch his 4-year-old campaign in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Saturday at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Trained by Parx-based Michael Moore, That's Right was scratched from the April 29 King T. Leatherbury at Laurel Park when the 5 ½-furlong turf sprint was rained off the grass. The McKay is contested at five furlongs, a distance where That's Right is undefeated in three tries.
“He's the same. He's basically just waiting to run. We wanted to run that day and unfortunately they got all that rain and took it off, but we're ready to run,” Moore said. “I think the five-eighths probably helps us. I don't know who's going to be in this one but that's what he was real good at last year. He's so quick out of the gate, so hopefully that helps us.”
That's Right has not raced since finishing fifth after setting the pace in the six-furlong Carle Place last October at Aqueduct. He went four-for-nine in 2022 including stakes wins in the 5 ½-furlong My Frenchman in July at Monmouth Park and five-furlong Turf Monster (G3) in September, both in front-running fashion.
The Turf Monster came on Pennsylvania Derby (G1) Day, the biggest event of the year at Parx. Moore isn't concerned about the atmosphere that will be surrounding Pimlico on Preakness Day.
“He's a pretty level-headed horse. That type of stuff doesn't bother him, fortunately,” Moore said. “That obviously will be a real big crowd, but I don't think that should be a factor for him.”
That's Right has fired a pair of half-mile bullet works at Parx since missing the Leatherbury, going in 47.57 seconds May 6 and 47.64 May 13, respectively the fastest of 39 and 33 horses.
“He's been doing that pretty consistently each week,” Moore said. “We've basically just waiting to run to get his season started.”
Crown's Way Racing and NBS Stable's Smokin' Jay won the six-furlong Allied Forces and ran second in the seven-furlong Carle Place on the Belmont Park turf and was third in the five-furlong Janus at Gulfstream in 2021 before kicking off 2022 in the McKay Turf Sprint, where he ran second by 1 ½ lengths to Carotari. The 5-year-old Cairo Prince gelding has won one of five subsequent starts, a 2023 season-opening optional claiming allowance triumph going five furlongs March 4 at Gulfstream.
Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher and Michael Dubb's Artemus Citylimits is a 6-year-old Temple City gelding that has been third or better in 21 of 24 lifetime starts, six of them wins, with $533,236 in purse earnings. Last fall he was second by a neck in the six-furlong Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2) and third by 1 ½ lengths to two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal in the 5 ½-furlong Woodford (G2) at Keeneland. Artemus Citylimits finished 11th after racing near the pace in the 5 ½-furlong Shakertown (G2) April 8 in his lone 2023 start.
Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and Sterling Stables' Beer Can Man won the 2020 Cecil B. DeMille (G3) going one mile in his stakes debut and has placed in five stakes since, including the 6 ½-furlong Joe Hernandez (G2) and San Simeon (G3) last winter at Santa Anita before going to the bench. Elevated to first in the 2021 Turf Monster after crossing the wire second, Beer Can Man returned from more than a year layoff to run fifth as the favorite, beaten two lengths, in a 5 ½-furlong allowance April 22 at Keeneland.
Gordon Keys' homebred Grateful Bred was also scratched from the Leatherbury in what would have been his 7-year-old debut and returns for another try in the McKay, having finished fourth by less than four lengths last year. Popular winner of the 2021 Maryland Million Turf Sprint, Grateful Bred went winless with four seconds in seven starts last year; none of his four runner-up finishes came by more than a length.
Breakthrough, winner of the 2022 Wolf Hill at Monmouth Park; multiple dirt stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion; Nothing Better, a two-time turf sprint stakes winner last year; Uncle Ernie, three times stakes-placed on dirt with one career grass start; Coppola, Fore Harp and Noble Emotion are also entered.
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