Betting With, and Against, Beer Can Man in the McKay Turf Sprint

A dozen turf dashers will go five panels on the Pimlico green in Saturday’s $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint S. Defending champ #12 Beer Can Man (5-2) was assigned the widest post in the field for conditioner Phil D’Amato, and he could be vulnerable at short odds. 

Beer Can Man – With

• $10 exacta 12 with 1,6,10,11 ($40)
• $2 trifecta key 12 with 1,6,10,11 ($24)

Beer Can Man – Against

• $20 win and place #1 Grooms All Bizness ($40)
• $2 exacta box 1,6,10,11 ($24) 

The six-year-old gelding is a very good turf sprinter who has kept excellent company over the past few seasons, but after winning six of his first eight races, the son of Can the Man is just 1-for-9 since. I respect the talent of the bay and wouldn’t be surprised to see him win the heat, but I feel compelled to find others with more value in the event. The morning-line choice will stalk the tempo while in the clear throughout under Flavien Prat. 

#1 Grooms All Bizenss (8-1) is my top pick in the race in his 2024 debut for conditioner Jorge Duarte. The Fed Biz five-year-old has been a strong turf sprinter over the past two seasons and owns a 4-for-8 mark at the trip. The Colts Neck homebred topped a solid cast in the Get Serious S. at Monmouth in June and shows six morning drills leading up to his return. Jorge Ruiz will have the stalker tucked in behind the early ones to the top of the lane before taking command late. 

#6 Smooth B (12-1) is 0-for-14 on the lawn in his lifetime, but his last pair of dashes on the green have been very good. The 2023 Turf Monster (G3) runner-up is difficult to back on top, but the nine-year-old is far from impossible in the dash at a nice price. 

Tom Morley’s #10 Charging (5-1) is very inconsistent, but the chestnut can be quite good on his best day. The Candy Ride four-year-old was a close third at Laurel Park last time out and could peak in his third run off the shelf. Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding is always a plus. 

Multiple stakes winner #11 Witty (9-2) dons a 5-3-2-0 mark at the distance and could be moving best of all in the latter stages of the race with Tyler Gaffalione taking the reins.