Hanson: Handicapping the Preakness Day Late Pick 5

The Late Pick 5 at Pimlico on Saturday is an intriguing, all-stakes sequence that ends with the Preakness (G1). My top three selections for most of the races in the Pick 5, along with those of my colleagues, can be found inside the TwinSpires 2020 Preakness Stakes Betting Guide, and the horses I'll use on the ticket will be a variation on those selections submitted earlier this week.

Race 7 -- Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) -- 2:42 p.m. ET

If able to clear away from the less-classy #6 Midtowncharlybrown, #5 LANDESKOG (5-2) looks the horse to catch in this 6-furlong dash. However, #1 ADMIRAL LYNCH (7-2) will be within striking distance in a ground-saving position and looks a must-use off an impressive allowance tally at Saratoga last out.

Race 8 -- Laurel Futurity -- 3:22 p.m. ET

#6 ARREST ME RED (6-1) won impressively on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Laurel turf and is certainly bred to step up successfully to 1 1/16 miles here. A beautifully-bred maiden, #8 HIDDEN ENEMY (4-1) is by Galileo and out of Grade 1 starlet Acoma. Seemingly compromised a little by soft fractions in his first two but appears headed in the right direction as is another maiden, #1 PIVOTAL MISSION (3-1), who adds blinkers after narrowly missing in a stakes at Kentucky Downs last month.

Race 9 -- James W. Murphy -- 4:02 p.m. ET

Perhaps the most wide-open race in the sequence, so we'll use our top three selections here as well. #7 VANZZY (8-1) likely detested the bog-like ground at Saratoga in the Saranac (G3). Two back, he had beaten his Saranac conqueror in the Jersey Derby and three back was third in a deep renewal of the Kent (G3). #10 DON JUAN KITTEN (9-2) unlucky to get caught in the final strides of the Saranac. Outside of the no-show at Gulfstream in May, his form has been consistently excellent. #9 MONDAY MORNING QB (8-1) is a quality horse trying the turf for the first time, which he's bred to handle being by Imagining, who won the Man o' War (G1) and two other graded turf events.

Race 10 -- Black-Eyed Susan (G2) -- 4:41 p.m. ET

This is a good-sized field, but #5 BONNY SOUTH (7-5) looks a stickout from a class perspective. She beat eventual Kentucky Oaks (G1)-winning stablemate Shedaresthedevil in an allowance in February and later won the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and placed second to Swiss Skydiver in the Alabama (G1).

Race 11 -- Preakness -- 5:36 p.m. ET

Standing against Kentucky Derby (G1) winner #9 Authentic in this final leg of the Triple Crown. I shared my thoughts on #2 MR. BIG NEWS (12-1) earlier this week on the TwinSpires blog and he's an interesting candidate at a price. #3 ART COLLECTOR (5-2), also alluded to in the aforementioned blog, is another viable alternative and logical threat.

Here's the 50-cent ticket:

• 1,5 with 1,6,8 with 7,9,10 with 5 with 2,3 = $18.