The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of 1+316 miles (9+12 furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $250,000.[1]

Pimlico Special
Grade III race
LocationPimlico Race Course,
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Inaugurated1937
Race typeThoroughbredFlat racing
Websitewww.pimlico.com
Race information
Distance1+316 miles (9+12 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
Qualification3-years-old & Up
WeightAssigned
Purse$250,000 (2024)

History

edit

The Pimlico Special was first run in 1937 and was won by that year's U.S. Triple Crown winner War Admiral who went on to be voted the American Horse of the Year. In 1938, the Pimlico Special was host to one of American racing's most historic moments when Seabiscuit defeated War Admiral in a much anticipated match race. That race was covered by almost every major newspaper, magazine and radio station of the time.[2]

Discontinued after 1958, the race was revived as a handicap event in 1988 and made a graded stakes race one year later in 1989. The race was not eligible for grading in 2011 because it had not been run the previous two years.[3]

Eighteen Pimlico Special winners have gone on to win a Championship for Horse of the Year or an Eclipse Award as the best horse in their divisions. The latest was Invasor in 2006; others include Mineshaft, Real Quiet, Skip Away, Cigar, Criminal Type, Blushing John, Tom Fool, Capot, Citation, Assault, Armed, Twilight Tear, Whirlaway, Market Wise, Challedon, Seabiscuit and War Admiral.[4]

The Pimlico track record for 1+316 miles is held by Farma Way who ran the distance in 1:52 2/5 while capturing the 1991 Pimlico Special.

Records

edit

Speed record:

  • 1:52.55 – Farma Way (1991) (at current distance of 1+316 miles; time recognised by Equibase based on hundredths)

Most wins by a horse:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners of the "Pimlico Special" since 1937

edit
Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
Grade
2022 First Captain 4 Luis Saez Claude R. McGaughey III Bobby Flay, Woodford Racing, Siena Farm, & West Point Thoroughbreds 1+316 1:56.24 $250,000 III
2021 Last Judgment 5 Jose L. Ortiz Michael J. Maker Bethlehem Stables 1+316 1:54.37 $250,000 III
2020 Harpers First Ride 4 Angel Cruz Claudio A. Gonzalez MCA Racing Stable LLC 1+316 1:54.97 $250,000 III
2019 Tenfold 4 Ricardo Santana Steve Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds 1+14 2:02.36 $300,000 III
2018 Irish War Cry 4 José Ortiz H. Graham Motion Isabelle de Tomaso 1+316 1:55.51 $300,000 III
2017 Shaman Ghost 5 Javier Castellano Jimmy Jerkens Stronach Stables 1+316 1:54.55 $300,000 III
2016 Noble Bird 5 Julien Leparoux Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley 1+316 1:55.18 $300,000 III
2015 Commissioner 5 Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher WinStar Farm 1+316 1:56.09 $300,000 III
2014 Revolutionary 4 Mike E. Smith Todd Pletcher WinStar Farm 1+316 1:55.99 $300,000 III
2013 Last Gunfighter 4 Javier Castellano Chad Brown John D. Gunther 1+316 1:58.50 $300,000 III
2012 Alternation 4 Luis Quinonez Donnie K. Von Hemel Pin Oak Stable 1+316 1:57.60 $300,000 III
2009–11 Race not held
2008 Student Council 6 Shaun Bridgmohan Steve Asmussen Millennium Farms 1+316 1:54.87 $250,000 I
2007 Race not held
2006 Invasor 4 Ramon Domínguez Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Stable 1+316 1:54.40 $500,000 I
2005 Eddington 4 Eibar Coa Mark A. Hennig Willmott Stables 1+316 1:58.05 $500,000 I
2004 Southern Image 4 Victor Espinoza Michael Machowsky Blahut Stables 1+316 1:55.89 $600,000 I
2003 Mineshaft 4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard Farish/Webber/Elkins 1+316 1:56.16 $600,000 I
2002 Race not held
2001 Include 4 Jerry Bailey Bud Delp Brereton C. Jones 1+316 1:55.61 $750,000 I
2000 Golden Missile 5 Kent Desormeaux Joe Orseno Frank Stronach 1+316 1:54.65 $750,000 I
1999 Real Quiet 4 Gary Stevens Bob Baffert Michael E. Pegram 1+316 1:54.31 $750,000 I
1998 Skip Away 5 Jerry Bailey Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine 1+316 1:54.20 $750,000 I
1997 Gentlemen 5 Gary Stevens Richard Mandella Randall Dee Hubbard 1+316 1:53.03 $600,000 I
1996 Star Standard 4 Pat Day Nick Zito William Condren 1+316 1:54.40 $600,000 I
1995 Cigar 5 Jerry Bailey William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson 1+316 1:53.60 $600,000 I
1994 As Indicated 4 Robbie Davis Richard Schosberg Heatherwood Farm 1+316 1:55.00 $600,000 I
1993 Devil His Due 4 Herb McCauley H. Allen Jerkens Edith LiButti 1+316 1:55.40 $600,000 I
1992 Strike the Gold 4 Craig Perret Nick Zito BCC Stable 1+316 1:54.80 $700,000 I
1991 Farma Way 4 Gary Stevens D. Wayne Lukas Quarter B Farm 1+316 1:52.40 $750,000 I
1990 Criminal Type 5 José A. Santos D. Wayne Lukas Calumet/J. K. Arnemann 1+316 1:53.00 $1,000,000 I
1989 Blushing John 4 Ángel Cordero Jr. Richard J. Lundy Allen E. Paulson 1+316 1:53.20 $700,000 II
1988 Bet Twice 4 Craig Perret Warren A. Croll Jr. Blanche P. Levy 1+316 1:54.20 $710,000
1959–87 Race not held
1958 Vertex 4 Sam Boulmetis Sr. Joseph F. Piarulli J. J. Brunetti/F. A. Piarulli 1+316 2:00.60 $60,000
1957 Promised Land 3 Bill Hartack Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 1+316 1:57.40 $60,000
1956 Summer Tan 4 Dave Erb Sherrill W. Ward Mrs. J. W. Galbreath 1+316 1:56.60 $60,000
1955 Sailor II 3 Hedley Woodhouse Preston M. Burch Isabel Dodge Sloane 1+316 1:57.60 $66,500
1954 Helioscope ‡3 Sam Boulmetis Sr. Howard Hausner William G. Helis Jr. 1+316 1:59.00 $60,000
1953 Tom Fool 4 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1+316 1:55.80 $50,000
1952 General Staff 4 Glen Lasswell Jimmy McGee Larry MacPhail 1+316 1:57.40 $41,500
1951 Bryan G. 4 Ovie Scurlock Casey Hayes Meadow Stable 1+316 1:57.40 $41,500
1950 One Hitter 4 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1+316 1:58.60 $25,000
1949 Capot 4 Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1+316 1:56.80 $25,000
1948 Citation 3 Eddie Arcaro Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 1+316 1:59.80 $25,000
1947 Fervent 3 Albert Snider Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1+316 1:58.40 $41,500
1946 Assault 3 Eddie Arcaro Max Hirsch King Ranch 1+316 1:57.00 $41,500
1945 Armed 4 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1+316 1:58.80 $41,500
1944 Twilight Tear 3 Douglas Dodson Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1+316 1:56.60 $41,500
1943 Shut Out 4 Eddie Arcaro John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 1+316 2:00.20 $41,500
1942 Whirlaway 4 George Woolf Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 1+316 2:00.40 $16,500
1941 Market Wise 3 Wendell Eads George W. Carroll Louis Tufano 1+316 1:58.80 $16,500
1940 Challedon 4 George Woolf Don Cameron Branncastle Farm 1+316 2:03.20 $16,500
1939 Challedon 3 Eddie Arcaro Louis Schaefer Branncastle Farm 1+316 1:59.00 $16,500
1938 Seabiscuit 5 George Woolf Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1+316 1:56.60 $25,000
1937 War Admiral ‡3 Charley Kurtsinger George Conway Glen Riddle Farm 1+316 1:58.80 $10,000

Notes:

  • ‡ For 3-yr-olds in 1937 and 1954
  • † Won by Walkovers in 1942 and 1948

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Stakes Schedule". pimlico. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  2. ^ 2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 47-52 on March 3, 2007.
  3. ^ Blood Horse: 2011 Graded Stakes: 13 Fewer Than '10
  4. ^ 2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 47-52 on March 3, 2007.