Saturday, May 21 2011
CANADIAN SHIPPER CLAIMS JOCKEY CHALLENGE TITLE
BALTIMORE, 05-20-11 --- Emma-Jayne Wilson finished first or second in three of four races to edge Forest Boyce and win the inaugural $30,000 Female Jockey Challenge on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Wilson finished with 28 points, four more than the Maryland-based Boyce. Hayley Turner, who flew in from England to take part in the competition, was third with 21 points.
Silver Partner Threads Needle To Win Kattegat’s Pride Starter
BALTIMORE –05-20-11---Owner-trainer John E. Salzman Jr.’s Silver Partner slipped through a narrow gap between horses at the top of the stretch and drove to victory in the $25,000 Kattegat’s Pride Starter Handicap.
Under jockey Ramon Dominguez, the daughter of Partner’s Hero reached the finish line two lengths ahead of Universal Language, with long shot Lady Outflanker finishing third. Silver Partner completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.84 and paid $6.20.
Suzzona Takes The Very One Stakes
BALTIMORE, 05-20-11 – Sandy Valley Farms’ Suzzona won her third of four starts on the Pimlico turf course Friday afternoon while prevailing over a field of fillies and mares in the $75,000 The Very One Stakes.
Julian Pimentel was aboard the 7-year-old chestnut mare who is trained by Benny Feliciano.
WILEY-WAGNER WINS LADY LEGENDS FOR THE CURE II
BALTIMORE, 05-20-11 --- Eighteen months after finishing her final chemotherapy treatment, Mary Wiley-Wagner had another reason to celebrate.
With Wiley-Wagner in the irons, Mass Destruction came roaring down the stretch ahead of the field and hit the wire 6 ½ lengths in front to win the $31,000 Lady Legends for the Cure Race II on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
R Holiday Mood Holds on in Miss Preakness Pink Warrior Stakes
BALTIMORE, 05-20-11 – E. Paul Robsham Stables LLC’s R Holiday Mood took the lead in the stretch and held off the furious late charge of Strike the Moon to win the $75,000 Miss Preakness Pink Warrior Stakes at Pimlico Race Course Friday afternoon.
Ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher, the 3-year-old daughter of Trippi completed the six-furlong distance over the fast main track in 1:12.12. She won by a neck, with Bold Affair just three-quarters of a length farther back in third.
Ben’s Cat Triumphs In Jim McKay Turf Sprint
BALTIMORE, 5-20-11 – The Jim Stable’s Ben’s Cat stormed home a convincing winner in the $75,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico Race Course, the first of seven stakes races on the Preakness eve card.
Last away from the starting gate under jockey Jeremy Rose, Ben’s Cat covered the five-furlong distance in :59.71, rallying through the stretch to win by two lengths. Local Celebrity finished second and Super Chunky was third.
MOTION CONFIDENT IN ANIMAL KINGDOM’S READINESS ZITO-TRAINED DIALED IN ZEROES IN ON PREAKNESS 5.5
ANIMAL KINGDOM – Trainer Graham Motion said Friday that Team Valor International’s Kentucky Derby winner is ready for the Preakness, the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
“I feel very confident with how the horse is doing,” Motion said.
Friday, May 20 2011
Preakness News-May 19 Notes
KING CONGIE – Mike Masiello gave an emotional tribute to the late namesake of King Congie at Thursday morning’s Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico. The West Point Thoroughbreds partner spoke about the life of Congie DeVito and the significant role he played in the success of the stable’s Preakness hopeful.
“It’s just a great story; he was such a great person, and he’s got us all here,” said Masiello, whose voice cracked with emotion on several occasions during his heartfelt tribute. “This is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to us.”
PREAKNESS DAY UNDERCARD FEATURES EIGHT STAKES RACES
BALTIMORE, 05-19-11--Paddy O'Prado emerges from a six-month layoff to grab the favorite's role for the Grade 2, $200,000 Dixie Stakes, one of eight stakes races on the Preakness Day undercard. Five are graded events.
Paddy O'Prado, listed at 4-5 odds overnight, has not raced since November 6 when he was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to Blame, but he has never been worse than third on the grass, the surface for the 110th running of the Dixie. The gray/roan colt has earned more than $1.1 million on the turf and more than $1.6 million overall.
Thursday, May 19 2011
ANIMAL KINGDOM FAVORED IN FULL FIELD OF 14
BALTIMORE, 05-18-11 – Animal Kingdom, who pulled off a 20-1 upset in the Kentucky Derby on May 7, has been installed the 2-1 morning-line favorite in a full field of 14 entered for Saturday’s 136th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.
The Graham Motion-trained colt, who won the Run for the Roses by 2 ¾ lengths in his first start on a conventional dirt track, drew the No.11 at Wednesday’s post position draw for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. Animal Kingdom will be ridden by John Velazquez, who scored his first ever Derby success aboard the son of Leroidesanimaux.
Wednesday, May 18 2011
Preakness News-May 18 Notes 2011
ANIMAL KINGDOM – Trainer Graham Motion sent the Kentucky Derby winner out for his morning gallop in front of about two dozen members of the media at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.
The Team Valor International homebred colt did his exercise on the all-weather Tapeta track at the facility in rural northeast Maryland, 60 miles from Pimlico Race Course. Motion uses the Tapeta track when Fair Hill’s dirt track is muddy. He said his colt galloped about 1¾ miles.
Preakness Weekend News-Female Jockey Challenge
BALTIMORE, 05-18-11---Six of the world’s top female riders are set to square off in the inaugural $30,000 Pimlico Female Jockey Challenge on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 20, at Pimlico Race Course.
The challenge is part of The People’s Pink Party, a joint effort between Pimlico and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, to help raise money and awareness in the fight against the disease.
