Dixie Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Dixie Stakes in on tap for this Saturday, May 17 on Preakness Day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Horses three years old and upward will go 1 1/16 miles on Pimlico's turf track searching for the winner's share of the very nice $400,000 purse.

A field of 10 will line up in the Dixie Stakes - race 11 on Pimlico's Saturday card - directly before the Preakness Stakes. Post time is 5:27 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 10 entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

2014 Dixie Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Hey Leroy - Manuel Azpurua has nine starts already in 2014 with four wins and four third place finishes. He won the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes three back at Gulfstream - out of nowhere and followed that with a disappointing tenth in the Grade 3 Miami Mile. Hey Leroy bounced back most recently with an Allowance Optional Claiming score May 3. He has won three of his last four starts and proved in the Appleton that he is not out of place in graded stakes company. Javier Castellano rides the 5-2 morning line favorite from post 6 Saturday.

Charming Kitten - Todd Pletcher colt was third in the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes just ahead of Rydilluc at Keeneland last April 13 after a good second in the Grade 2 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream March 3 and he raced to a ninth in the Kentucky Derby. After that was a second in the competitive Penn Mile Stakes June and another good second - in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby behind only War Dancer at Colonial Downs July 13. He was fourth in the Grade 3 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga August 9 and rebounded October 5 with yet another second - in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby. Charming Kitten fell back to earth again November 1 with a sixth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby but bounced back yet again with an Allowance Optional Claiming score January 11.His next two starts weren't great - a fifth two back in the Grade 2 Pan American Stakes followed a sixth in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf. But he bounced back yet again last time out with an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Keeneland April 24. He has placed in just two of his last five starts but they were both wins. John Velazquez gets the call from post 3 on the 9-2 morning line second choice.

Dixie Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Up With the Birds - has 10 career starts with six wins, two seconds and a third place finish - impressive. But he is coming off his worst career performance by far - a sixth in an Allowance at Keeneland April 5 - his only start of 2014. Up With the Birds ended 2013 with a nice win in the minor Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine August 18 after a second in the Queen's Plate July 7 and an impressive 4 3/4 length win over Winning Cause in the minor Marine Stakes May 26. He also won the Coronation Futurity, one of Canada's richest races in November, 2012 to add to his impressive résumé. He will have Joel Rosario guiding him from post 8 at 5-1 odds.

Chamois - will make his 2014 debut Saturday but did have a minor stakes score in his last race - the Duluth Stakes at Aqueduct November 17. He also had another minor stakes score in September - the Stanton Stakes with a fourth in the minor Basket Wave Stakes sandwiched in between the wins. Chamois has four wins and two third place finishes in nine career start and is also entered in the Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park Saturday. If he runs the Dixie he will have Joe Bravo in the saddle from gate 7 at 6-1 odds.

Roadhog - Elizabeth Merryman trainee enters having finished second in his last two starts - the minor Henry S. Clark Stakes at Pimlico April 19 and in the minor Japan Racing Association Stakes at Laurel Park in November. Before that were two minor stakes scores - the minor Maryland Million Turf Stakes in October and the minor Alphabet Soup Handicap at Parx in September. He last raced in graded stakes company in June, 2013 - a fifth in the Grade 2 Colonial Turf Cup. Roadhog has nine wins, five seconds and four third place finishes in 30 career starts and is also cross entered in the Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Saturday. If he starts the Dixie, Roadhog will leave from post 4 with Kendrick Carmouche aboard at 6-1 odds.

Dixie Stakes betting online at Pimlico Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Utley - has two graded stakes starts - a seventh in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a fifth in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream, January 11. He has placed in both starts since - a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 1 followed a third in an Allowance at Keeneland April 13. He also had a third in the minor El Prado Stakes December 28. Utley has five wins, two seconds and four third place finishes in 23 career start but his last win came over a year ago - an Allowance at Keeneland. He lines up at 8-1 odds in gate 9 with Edgar Prado in the reins.

Fredericksburg - had two Allowance Optional Claiming scores last year - at Gulfstream December 21 and at Delaware Park in September and had arguably his best career result to start his 2014 campaign - a second in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 25. Last time out he fell back to earth a bit with a seventh in the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream March 29. He has 14 career starts with three wins, two seconds and two third place finishes and has placed in three of his last four starts overall. Fredericksburg starts from the rail with Luis Saez aboard at 12-1 odds.

Nutello - made his North American debut August 18 and finished a very good third right behind Twilight Eclipse and Big Blue Kitten in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga after 13 starts overseas resulted in five wins and two third place finishes - one of those thirds being in last year's Prix du Jockey Grade 1 Club-French Derby. Last time out was an OK third in the minor Henry S. Clark Stakes here April 19 after a disappointing eighth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park September 28. His last win came last April at Toulouse. Nutello will have Trevor McCarthy aboard from post 2 and is listed at 12-1 odds.

Hamp - will race in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday but is coming off a nice win in the minor Henry S. Clark Stakes on this track April 19. Before that were four straight Allowance Optional Claiming races in which he finished second twice. He has 16 career starts with four wins and four third place finishes but takes a major step up in competition in the Dixie. He starts at 12-1 odds from post 5 with Javier Santiago in control.

Quick Wit - Dale Romans pupil won the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes in August, 2012 but has just one win in nine starts since. He had a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out May 1 after a win in a similar race March 29 and seven off-the-board finishes. He has a fifth, an eighth and two ninth place finishes in four graded stakes starts since the Hall of Fame score - not a lot is expected. Victor Espinoza will be in the saddle from the outside post on the longest shot in the field - 20-1 odds.

2014 Dixie Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 11 on Pimlico's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:27 PM.