By Christie DeBernardis
A pair of undefeated colts, Preamble (Speightstown) and Pyron (Candy Ride {Arg}), headline Saturday's GIII Chick Lang S. at Pimlico on the GI Preakness S. undercard. A debut winner at Churchill Downs Sept. 15, Preamble followed suit with a pair of Keeneland optional claimer wins Oct. 19 and Apr. 6 for trainer Rodolphe Brisset.
“We are pretty excited about him,” Brisset told the Pimlico notes team. “He was two-for-two last year for us and, talking with the ownership, we all agreed he wasn't a two-turn horse so there was no point to try and think about the [GI Kentucky] Derby. Seven furlongs may have been his maximum distance. I don't think he wants to run farther than that. It was a tough spot to come back [at Keeneland Apr. 6], even if on paper it looked like he won pretty easy. He's been training well since.”
The Steve Asmussen-trained Pyron captured his career bow at Oaklawn Feb. 24 and cleared his first-level allowance condition next out over a sloppy Hot Springs strip Apr. 13.
“He's two-for-two and deserves this opportunity,” Asmussen said. “He's kind of a laid-back horse for somebody who is two-for-two and has run as fast as he has. I'm anxious to see how he steps up against this competition.”
Malpais (Hard Spun) enters off a pair of dominant victories. Romping by 5 3/4 lengths in a Fair Grounds optional claimer Mar. 22, the dark bay bested the re-opposing Admiral Lynch (Super Saver) by 4 1/4 lengths last time in the Robert Hilton Memorial S. at Charles Town Apr. 20.
Another noteworthy contender in this event is Gladiator King (Curlin). Winner of Tampa's Inaugural S. last term, the chestnut sprung a 12-1 upset when scoring by four lengths in the GIII Hutcheson S. at Gulfstream Mar. 23 and won that venue's Roar S. by a nose last time Apr. 20.
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