How to bet the Sir Barton Stakes

A total of 10 sophomores will go postward in Saturday’s $100,000 Sir Barton S. at Pimlico. The trio of morning-line choices appear to be formidable in the contest and I will focus on the three without trying to complicate the handicapping process. 

Sir Barton Wagers

• $25 exacta 8 with 5 ($25)
• $10 exacta 8 with 10 ($10)
• $5 trifecta key 8 with 5,10 ($10)

In a race with no pace in it, #8 Tuscan Sky (5-2) figures to make all the fractions with Luis Saez in the controls. The Todd Pletcher trainee is not lightning fast, but he was close from the opening bell in his first two tries prior to missing the break in the Wood Memorial (G2) last time out. He is a half-brother to a turf sprint stakes star and will also be equipped with blinkers for the initial time, so he will be alert from the start. Saez is an aggressive gate pilot and it will come in handy on Saturday as the son of Vino Rosso has a big chance to lead this cast at every call. 

If #5 Corporate Power (9-5) continues to progress this season as I expect, then he can be an important three-year-old during the second half of the season for Shug McGaughey. The $925,000 son of Curlin was a game maiden victor at Gulfstream two back prior to running a winning race in defeat at Aqueduct last time out, and the addition of blinkers might really move the colt up going forward. He has earned big Brisnet Late Pace numbers in each of his trio of outings to date and will be full of energy late beneath Javier Castellano. 

I’m not big on the winning chances of #10 Imperial Gun (7-2), though I do acknowledge the talent of the Steve Asmussen trainee. This Gun Runner colt has been headstrong at times but he did run a very good second in the Bath House Row S. at Oaklawn Park most recently, and the colt could be close early on if allowed to run from the break on Saturday. The dark bay is still a work in progress in my opinion, but he is obviously talented and will be in the mix late with something close to his best under Joel Rosario.