Imperial Hint the One to Beat in CD Stakes

[Wandering Eyes]

Imperial Hint (Imperialism) kicked off a five-race win skein in at Parx in October of 2016, amassing a pair at the graded level wins in the process. Victorious in last term’s GIII General George S. at Laurel in February followed by Gulfstream’s GIII Smile Sprint S. in July, the dark bay galloped home an easy winner in a short renewal of the Donald LeVine Memorial S. Sept. 4. Given a freshening ahead of a second-place finish in the Nov. 4 GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar, he marked his seasonal return with a five-length win in Tampa’s Sprint S. Mar.25. He draws post three while being reunited with Javier Castellano. Another horse with an exceptionally consistent record is Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), who annexed a quartet of stakes in 2017, including Oaklawn’s GIII Count Fleet Sprint H., GIII Maryland Sprint S. and GII Phoenix S. Given some time off after a dismal eighth on Breeders’ Cup day, he is two-for-two this term-a win in the Mar. 10 Hot Springs S. before successfully repeating in the Apr. 14 Count Fleet. Limousine Liberal has shown a strong affinity for Churchill Downs, having accounted for five wins and a second from seven starts at the oval. Winner of this race last May, he followed up with consecutive wins in the six-furlong GIII Aristides S. June 3 and the June 30 Kelly’s Landing S. Back at Churchill Downs later in the fall, he added a score in the Bet on Sunshine S. Nov. 18 and was given the rest of the winter off. Well supported for his return in the Apr. 7 GIII Commonwealth S. at Keeneland, Limousine Liberal came up a neck short of 23-1 winner Warrior’s Club (Warrior’s Reward). Sure to be running in the late stages is Live Oak’s Awesome Slew (Awesome Again), last year’s winner of the Commonwealth and one-mile GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill in September. Third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in November, the five-year-old was most recently a well-distanced second behind winner Army Mule (Friesan Fire) in the Apr. 7 GI Carter H. at Aqueduct.

View the full article