Robert D. Bone's Completed Pass is a neck away from being a two-time champion of the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint.
Saturday on the Preakness day card at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., the 7-year-old gelding will attempt to get back to the winner's circle in the five-furlong race when he starts in it for the third time. Named for the late Hall of Fame sportscaster Jim McKay, the Turf Sprint is for 3-year-olds and up.
After winning the Jim McKay by a length in 2019, Completed Pass lost the 2020 version by a neck to Hollis, who is also entered this year.
Trained by Claudio Gonzalez, Maryland's leading trainer for the past four years, Completed Pass is an Indiana-bred son of Pass Rush that has won two of three career starts at Pimlico, Overall, he has four wins, three seconds and two thirds in 12 career starts on grass.
In his only start this year, Completed Pass won the King Leatherbury – a race named for Maryland's legendary and still active Hall of Fame horseman – on April 24th. He was ridden in that race by Angel Cruz, who will be on board Completed Pass for the fifth straight time on Saturday.
“He came back and ran a really nice race the last time,” Gonzalez said. “He proved he still can compete with the top ones.”
Completed Pass definitely has the home course advantage with his two wins in three starts on the grass at Pimlico.
“I do believe it is an advantage because he knows the course and he likes the track,” Gonzalez said. “He proved he loves it.”
The biggest obstacle facing Completed Pass could be the post. He will start from the far outside 13 post position.
Boldor, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, has a win and a second in three career starts on grass. In his last start, on turf course labeled good April 155 at Keeneland, Boldor finished second in a 5-½ furlong allowance race.
A 5-year-old son of Munnings, Boldor has done most of his running on dirt. In 13 starts on dirt, he has four wins, two seconds and a third. Six of his starts have been on off tracks where he has two wins and two seconds.
“He tries hard every time,” Asmussen's assistant Scott Blasi said. “Hopefully, he gets a good trip.”
Ricardo Santana Jr. will ride Boldor from Post 1. He is the fourth different rider the gelding will have this year.
Also entered for the Jim McKay are 8-year-old Dubini, based at Parx Racing with six wins in 24 starts on the grass; Ron Moquett-trained Firecrow, who has shown speed on the dirt but is winless in two starts on grass; first-time turf starter Grab the Gold, another that has shown speed on the dirt; Hollis, who gets the services of three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.; Laurel Park based 7-year-old Jammer, a winner of five of 22 career starts on grass; 7-year-old Love You Much, winless in his last seven starts over two years; Push To Start, making his grass debut after two wins and three thirds on dirt; Robey's Boy, fifth in the King Leatherbury in his second start of 2021; So Street, a non-factor when finishing eighth in the King Leatherbury; The Connector, winner of four of nine turf tries; and The Critical Way, a winner of three of nine starts at the Jim McKay distance.
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