Plenty of Pace in Miss Preakness

Ten sophomore filly sprinters–many with early zip–line up Friday at Pimlico for the GIII Miss Preakness S. Repole Stable's Lost Raven (Uncle Mo) boasts two wins and a runner-up effort at this six-furlong distance, including a score in Laurel's Smart Halo S. last November and second-place finish in that venue's Marshua S. in January. Third when stretched to an extended mile for Aqueduct's Busanda S. Jan. 31, she was fifth in the Busher S. to stablemate Mo d'Amour (Uncle Mo) and cut back to this trip to take the Cicada S. box to wire back in Ozone Park Mar. 26. R Girls a Charmer (In Summation) was acquired privately by Gary Barber and transferred to Mark Casse from Alfred McIntosh off a romping maiden score at Gulfstream Jan. 2. She ran away with Tampa's Gasparilla S. in her first attempt for new connections Jan. 23, but faded to a distant fourth behind GI Kentucky Oaks one-three finishers Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) and Lewis Bay (Bernardini) in Gulfstream's one-mile Davona Dale S. Feb. 27. The chestnut was last seen setting a fast pace en route to a fourth-place run in Keeneland's GIII Adena Springs Beaumont S. over about seven furlongs Apr. 17. Among those who figure to benefit from heat up front is 7-2 morning-line favorite Banree (Macho Uno). Runner-up in last July's GIII Schuylerville S., the Wesley Ward trainee checked in sixth in the GI Spinaway S. in early September. She bounced back to take a Keeneland allowance Oct. 7 over GII Black-Eyed Susan S. runner Midnight On Oconee (Midnight Lute), and was third in the on-mile GIII Tempted S. at Aqueduct Nov. 3. A disappointing sixth as the favorite facing males on the Polytrack in Turfway's WEBN S. Feb. 20, she was fifth of five in a strong running of the 1 1/16-mile GI Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 9.