Let's take a swing for value in the $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) on Friday at Laurel Park.
The Special, for older horses, is run at the same 1 3/16-mile distance as the Preakness Stakes (G1) the following afternoon. Both races have been shifted to Laurel Park this year while the aging Pimlico grandstand is renovated.
The Pimlico Special, revived in 1988, has a long and storied history. The Pimlico Special was created in 1937 by Alfred Vanderbilt, the master of Sagamore Farm, as the first major stakes in the United States set up as an invitational, and was won by Triple Crown champion War Admiral.
The following year, War Admiral was upset by Seabiscuit in what Sports Illustrated called the ‘Race of the Century.’
The roster of winners also includes Triple Crown winners Whirlaway, Citation, and Assault, and modern-day Horses of the Year Criminal Type, Cigar, Skip Away, Mineshaft, and Invasor.
This year's Special lacks that kind of star power, but then we're more motivated to cash a nice ticket than to witness history. And we think we've got the horse right here in San Siro (6-1 on the morning line).
This will be his second straight appearance in The Special. Nothing went right last year, starting with an emergency shoe repair right before the race. He had the outside post, No. 9, which translated to a three-and-four-wide trip around the course. He managed to get fourth, 6 3/4 lengths behind Awesome Aaron who returns to defend his title. This time, San Siro has post 3, so another wide trip doesn't look likely.
The 5-year-old gelding trained by Brendan Walsh arrives in deceptively good form. He rallied to finish third in his last two outings, the Essex Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn and the Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland.
The speedy Yo Daddy drew the outside post in the 7-horse field, so he'll be in action right from the start. That should ensure enough early pace to set the stage for San Siro's rally.
As mentioned earlier, Awesome Aaron (9-2) is back, having most recently run fourth in the Ben Ali, one spot behind San Siro. His current form doesn't inspire confidence. He hasn't won since last year's Pimlico Special, miring him in a five-race losing streak.
Navajo Warrior is the vulnerable 5-2 favorite making his stakes debut at age 5. Some players will be wowed by his recent allowance win at Gulfstream Park, but we take a more skeptical view. The former claimer has yet to be tested for class at this level and is unproven at this distance.
“He won a solid allowance race, and now it’s just time to jump up into this league,” trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “We feel like he’s a graded stakes horse. We’re happy with him. We feel like he’s capable of winning these types of races.”
He still has to prove it to us.
On the topic of claimers, there is Yo Daddy (the 3-1 second choice). Trainer Linda Rice claimed him for $50,000 out of an April 14, 2024, win at Keeneland.
Female trainers have certainly made news recently, especially Cherie DeVaux two weeks ago as the first woman trainer to win a Kentucky Derby (G1) when Golden Tempo was first under the wire.
This might be the weekend where Rice, whose 2,821 career victories and counting are a record for women trainers, makes headlines with Yo Daddy. Distance shouldn't be an issue, coming out of a victory in the 1 1/4 miles Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct.
“Frankly, I picked this race out because I thought that he’s best around the two turns,” Rice said. “The distance is right for him, and we’re going to find out.”
So, let's put it all together and have ourselves a Special Friday as we count down to the Preakness (G1).
Post time for the Special, race 12 on the 14-race card, is 5:37 p.m. ET.
The Field for the $250,00 Pimlico Special (G3), from the rail out, with trainer, jockey odds:
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
