BALTIMORE, 05-30-13---Team Valor International’s Cerro (IRE) is named the overwhelming favorite to win Pimlico Race Course’s final stakes race of the spring meeting, the $100,000 Canonero II for 3-year olds, on Saturday afternoon.

After racing at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland earlier this year under the tutelage of Graham Motion, Cerro (6-5) will be asked to cover 1-1/8^th miles for the second time since breaking his maiden in Italy last summer. The son of Mr. Greeley is one-of-four this year including a sixth place finish behind Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Fountain of Youth (G2). Rick Mettee took over training duties after a fourth place finish in the Lexington Stakes (G3). Alan Garcia has the riding assignment.

Dynamic Strike (3-1) is the only stakes winner in the field, taking the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel park in early February for trainer Dickie Small. Since then the son of Smart Strike finished off the board in the Private Terms Stakes and Federico Tesio Stakes. Dynamic Strike put in a bullet half-mile work Wednesday morning, in which assistant trainer Dylan Smith reports the colt “came back sharper than he went to the track.” Forest Boyce will ride for the seventh straight time.

Dreaming of Jazz (4-1), who has wins for John Rigatteri, King Leatherbury and Juan Vasquez, makes his stakes debut. Hector Garcia is now his trainer of record. Apprentice Victor Carrasco will be aboard the Woke Up Dreamin offspring.

Hanky Doodle (8-1) has finished first or second in seven of 11 lifetime starts, including the Maryland Juvenile Championship last December. However the Gary Capuano trainee has failed to hit the board in his last two stakes tries: the Private Terms and Tesio. Xavier Perez has the call on the son of Cherokee’s Boy.

Recent maiden winners Midnight Cello (8-1) and Handsome Tiger (12-1) complete the field.

About Pimlico Race Course

Historic Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel in horse racing's famed Triple Crown, first opened its doors on October 25, 1870, and is the second oldest racetrack in the United States. Pimlico has played host to racing icons and Baltimoreans have seen the likes of legendary horses such as Man o’ War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Affirmed and Cigar thunder down the stretch in thrilling and memorable competition. For more information on Pimlico, visit www.pimlico.com.

Pimlico Race Course is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.