Summer Applause tops Allaire duPont Distaff; Maryland Sprint draws 10

Summer Applause will tote the co-highweight of 124 pounds on Saturday as she

goes for her second win of 2013 in the Grade 3, $150,000

Allaire duPont Distaff on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.

The 1 1/16-mile race shares the program with six other undercard stakes,

three of which have been scheduled for the turf. The other main track events are

the Grade 3, $150,000

Maryland Sprint Handicap sending 10 runners six furlongs; the $100,000

Chick

Lang featuring nine sophomores sprinting six furlongs; and the $100,000

Rollicking, which drew eight juveniles dashing five-eighths at Old Hilltop.

A field of seven was entered in the Allaire duPont, including fellow

124-pound topweight Withgreatpleasure. That mare's participation is still in

doubt, though, as she has been cross-entered to the Vagrancy at Belmont Park on

the same day. The chestnut would be tough in this spot, having scored in the

Ruffian Handicap last out at Aqueduct.

If Withgreatpleasure opts for the Vagrancy, Summer Applause appears the one

to beat off a fourth-placing in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on

April 12. The Harlan's Holiday miss stalked the early pace in second, ranged up

to make her bid but faded to fourth on the wire. That followed a nice 2

3/4-length victory in the Top Flight Handicap at Aqueduct on March 2, which

marked her first race for new trainer Chad Brown.

Brushed by a Star is seeking a return to the winner's circle and could

finally accomplish that task with Joel Rosario taking the reins for the first

time.

Also in with a chance Saturday is Grade 1 runner-up Sea Island, who returned

from a five-month layoff to be second against Keeneland allowance rivals in only

her second turf try on April 12. Prior to that effort, which was the Pulpit

filly's first race outside of New York, she ran second in the Gazelle on

Aqueduct's dirt to close out her sophomore season in late November.

Local rompers Daydreamin Gracie and Access to Charlie could win one for their

native Maryland. The former triumphed by eight lengths in the Shine Again over

track and distance despite a stumbling start on April 27 to remain perfect in

2013, but her connections would have to choose this contest over the grassy

Gallorette Handicap exactly one race later on the program. The Domestic Dispute

mare has spent the majority of her career competing on turf and was

cross-entered to that Grade 3 turf event.

Access to Charlie, on the other hand, shows just six of her 19 career races

on grass. She was last seen finishing third in the Conniver at Laurel Park in

late March following a pair of stakes placings behind the re-opposing

Pennsylvania-bred Moon Philly. That four-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon

captured the Maryland Racing Media and Nellie Morse at Laurel by a combined 12

1/2 lengths in her past two and will be returning from a near three-month break.