For the first time in several weeks, there was little movement in the Fantasy Ownership Challenge standings as the Laurel Park winter/spring meet came to a close May 7.
That could change when Maryland racing moves to Pimlico Race Course for the 12-day Preakness meet beginning May 11. On opening day, two horses in the top 10—Supervisor and Professor Zoom—are set to square off in Thursday's eighth race, a starter/optional claiming event at six furlongs.
Victor Santiago's Supervisor, trained by Faith Leatherman, would come back on short rest; the standings leader with $30,077 finished seventh in a tougher entry-level allowance race at Laurel May 5. Big Bertha Stable's Professor Zoom (ninth in the standings with $16,273 in earnings) won a $16,000-$12,000 claiming race at Laurel April 21 in his last start for trainer Damon Dilodovico.
Two other contest horses are entered on opening day at Pimlico: Maryland City Racing's Gethot Stayhot ($2,145), trained by Richard Sillaman, has a chance to make some headway in the standings in race two for $5,000-$4,500 claimers, while owner/trainer Brandon McFarlane's Tiz Majesty ($1,810) is on the also-eligible list for race three, a turf race for maiden claimers.
The Pimlico meet will be 12 days this year, with live racing May 11-14, May 18-20, and May 25-29. All the stakes will be held May 19-20 headed by the grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Friday and the grade I Preakness Stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday.
If you haven't done so, be sure to sign up for Virtual Stable at Equibase.com to get regular updates on when your fantasy horse is entered, as well as information on scratches, results and workouts. We will continue to send individual emails when horses are entered.
And remember, earnings count when fantasy horses race elsewhere. Some have competed and made some money at Parx Racing and Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Pennsylvania and Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia. You could also see a few compete at Monmouth Park, the New Jersey track that opens May 13, and Delaware Park, which begins its meet June 3.
There is a short break in the action in Maryland after the Pimlico meet concludes on Memorial Day, as Laurel opens for its summer meet June 9.
(Photo by Tom LaMarra)