Preakness Stakes | Coughing up Friday stakes picks

Would someone please give Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome a tissue?

Baltimore is abuzz -- or at least Twitter is -- about the Derby winner and Preakness favorite's throat blister and cough. While the world watches to see whether that noise from California Chrome was another cough or just a burp from his feed bucket, we'll offer some picks for stakes races being run Friday while Coughgate or Coughwatch enters Day Two.

Bigger news drowned out by the Coughgate buzz and the rain is that Friday's races -- including the stakes -- are off the turf. These picks are before scratches.

Race 5 -- Skipat Stakes: 1. Winning Image, 2. Munnings Sister, 3.Five Star Momma. Comment: The front is a good place to be on wet ground.

Race 7 -- Rollicking Stakes: 1. Banksy ,2. Spanish Pipedream, 3. Hootenanny. Comment: Fascinating race. Ward must have the maiden in for a reason and the last workout might show why.

Race 9 -- Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes: 1. Ben's Cat, 2. Great Attack, 3. Bold Thunder. Comment: The move to the dirt shouldn't hurt the wonderful veteran Ben's Cat.

Race 10 -- Grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes: 1. Euphrosyne, 2. Sloane Square, 3. Arethusa. Comment: This is wide open and I wouldn't take any chances singling one here in the multi-race bets.

Race 11 -- Miss Preakness Stakes: 1. Jojo Warrior, 2. Tea Time, 3. Tepin. Comment: Shorter distance should help Jojo Warrior.

Race 12 -- Grade III Pimlico Special Stakes: 1. Valid, 2. Revolutionary, 3. Prayer for Relief. Comment: Hoping the breeding helps get this longshot home.

Race 13 -- Hilltop Stakes: 1. Daring Dancer, 2. Lucky for You, 3. Courtesan. Comment: Daring Dancer's sire Empire Maker won the Belmont Stakes in the slop; expecting she'll channel her dad.