More than a year since becoming a stakes winner last spring over the same track, Robert D. Bone's Completed Pass returns to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., with sights set on a repeat victory in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Thursday, Oct. 1.
The 15th running of the McKay for 3-year-olds and up and the 21st renewal of the $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares 3 and older, both sprinting five furlongs on turf, join the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) in opening a spectacular Preakness weekend of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses featuring the 145th Preakness (G1) Saturday, Oct. 3.
Post time for the first of 10 races Thursday is 12:40 p.m.
Completed Pass joined trainer Claudio Gonzalez's string for the 2019 season and promptly won three of his first four starts for the new connections including a one-length victory as the favorite in last year's McKay over Tempt Me Twice, who also returns Thursday.
Gonzalez is confident that familiarity with the track as one of just three horses in the field of 10 to have run at Pimlico, along with Tempt Me Twice and 2019 allowance winner Love You Much, will serve to benefit Completed Pass.
“It helps that he raced there last year because he knows the track already and especially good because he won,” Gonzalez said. “It would be really nice if he could win it again. He's doing really good. I believe he's doing the best he ever has.”
Completed Pass enters the McKay off an effort in the 5 1/2-furlong Laurel Dash Sept. 7 where he clipped heels at the five-sixteenths pole and nearly went down but recovered quickly and went on to a three-quarter-length win under Angel Cruz, who returns to ride from Post 6.
“Last time was a big race because when stumbled I was like, 'Yikes,'” Gonzalez said. “In that one second, you think of a lot but to come back and win the race was amazing. Not just any horse can do that. They need to have a big heart.”
Lynch Racing's Francatelli has put together three straight front-running victories including an Aug. 15 off-the-turf allowance at Laurel and the five-furlong King Corrie Stakes Sept. 12 on the Woodbine turf. Based at Laurel, the 3-year-old City Zip gelding went unraced at 2 and debuted running second June 5 over his home course.
Joe Bravo has the call on Francatelli from outside Post 10.
Altamira Racing Stable, Rafter JR Ranch, STD Racing Stable and A. Miller's well-traveled Texas Wedge, winner of the Joe Hernandez (G2) at Santa Anita and World of Trouble Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park in January, has since run third in the Jaipur (G1) at Belmont Park and 10th last out in the Shakertown (G2) July 11 at Keeneland. Paco Lopez rides for trainer Peter Miller.
Texas Wedge will carry topweight of 125 pounds including jockey Paco Lopez from Post 2.
Michael Hui, Hooties Racing and WSS Racing's 7-year-old gelding Tiger Blood, trained by Mike Maker, owns 19 wins from 49 lifetime starts and goes after his third career stakes victory and first since April 2017 in the McKay. In his last race, he was beaten only four lengths when ninth in the Turf Sprint (G3) Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.
Trevor McCarthy rides Tiger Blood from Post 8.
Love You Much, third in the Laurel Dash, Axtell, Dr. Feelgood, Fair Catch and Hollis complete the field.
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