Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Pimlico Spring Stakes Schedule Announced
Posted on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
The Maryland Jockey Club announced the 2009 Pimlico spring stakes schedule after reaching agreement with both the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Maryland Horse Breeders Association. The Pimlico schedule was approved by the Maryland Racing Commission at its monthly meeting.
The headline event of the six-week stand that begins Saturday, April 18 is the 134th running of the $1-million Preakness Stakes (G1), the middle jewel of the famed Triple Crown, on May 16. The 20-day meeting at the historic Baltimore track will conclude Saturday, May 23.
The marquee meet of the Maryland racing season will feature 21 stakes races for purses of $2.62 million. Sixteen of the added-money races, including all 9 of the graded stakes for the meet, are slated for Preakness week, including nine on Preakness Day.
Preakness weekend features 16 stakes races for more than $2.3 million. The Friday, May 15 card features 7 stakes races, 8 for fillies and mares, highlighted by the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies.
“We are always thrilled to go back to Pimlico in the spring,” said Tom Chuckas, Maryland Jockey Club president and chief operating officer. “Despite the current climate we felt it was important to keep the stakes schedule strong, especially Preakness weekend when the best of the best come to town.”
For the third time this decade the Pimlico Special (G1) has been put on a 1-year hiatus due to a purse shortage. Introduced by Alfred Vanderbilt in 1937, the Pimlico Special was the first major stakes race in the United States by invitation only. The 1938 running played host to one of America’s most historic moments when Seabiscuit upset War Admiral in the famed match race. The long-awaited winner-take-all showdown was named “Race of the Century” by Sports Illustrated in 1999 and forever immortalized in the movie Seabiscuit in 2003.
The Pimlico Special was also cancelled in 2002 and 2007 for similar reasons.
However the William Donald Schaefer Handicap (G3) returns after not being carded a year ago. The $100,000 test for older horses at 1-1/8 miles has been a staple on the Preakness undercard since 1991. The conditions of the race are comparable to the Pimlico Special.
Other newsworthy changes include suspension of the Barbaro Stakes, a $100,000 race for 3-year olds on the Preakness undercard and moving of the Tesio Stakes from opening weekend to Kentucky Derby day. The 1-1/8 mile test on the main track has been a springboard to the Preakness for such horses as Deputed Testamony (1983), Oliver’s Twist (1995) and Magic Weisner (2002).
The opening day of spring stand features a pair of Maryland-bred stakes races for fillies and mares.
First post for 27 days of the meeting will be 1:10 p.m. with adjustments on Preakness (10:15 a.m.), Black-Eyed Susan (12:15 p.m.) and Kentucky Derby (12:45 p.m.) days.
The Pimlico stable area re-opens for training on April 1. It will close on June 6.
The current Laurel Park winter meeting will conclude its 15-week run on April 11.
2009 Pimlico Spring Stakes Schedule
| Date | Stakes | Grade | Conditions | Distance | Purse |
| 18-Apr | Hookedonthefeelin | 3YO fillies (MD-breds) | 5 furlongs (T) | 50,000 | |
| 18-Apr | Geisha | F & M 3&UP (MD-breds) | 1 1/16 mile | 50,000 | |
| 25-Apr | Henry Clark | 3 & UP | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 | |
| 2-May | Federico Tesio | 3 YO | 1 1/8 mile | 75,000 | |
| 15-May | Black-Eyed Susan | II | 3 YO Fillies | 1 1/8 mile | 150,000 |
| 15-May | Adena Stallions’ Miss Preakness | III | 3 YO Fillies | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| 15-May | Jim McKay Turf Sprint | 3 & UP | 5 furlongs (T) | 100,000 | |
| 15-May | Hilltop | 3 YO Fillies | 1 1/16 mile (T) | 50,000 | |
| 15-May | The Very One | F & M 3 & UP | 5 furlongs (T) | 50,000 | |
| 15-May | Skipat | F & M 3 & UP | 6 furlongs | 50,000 | |
| 15-May | Kattegat’s Pride | F & M 3 & UP (MD breds) | 1 1/16 mile | 35,000 | |
| 16-May | Preakness | I | 3 YO | 1 3/16 mile | 1,000,000 |
| 16-May | Dixie | II | 3 & UP | 1 1/8 mile (T) | 150,000 |
| 16-May | Allair duPont Distaff | II | F & M 3 & UP | 1 1/16 mile | 150,000 |
| 16-May | William Donald Schaefer | III | 3 & UP | 1 1/16 mile | 100,000 |
| 16-May | Maryland Sprint | III | 3 & UP | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| 16-May | Hirsch Jacobs | III | 3 YO | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| 16-May | Gallorette | III | F & M 3 & UP | 1 1/16 mile (T) | 100,000 |
| 16-May | Woodlawn | 3 YO | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 | |
| 16-May | Deputed Testamony | 3 & UP (MD breds) | 1 1/16 mile | 35,000 | |
| 23-May | Shine Again | F & M 3 & UP (MD-breds) | 1 1/16 mile | 50,000 | |
| 21 stakes (9 graded) | 2,620,000 | ||||
Horse racing news edited from www.pimlico.com.
"Pimlico Spring Stakes Schedule Announced" was posted on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 9:58 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Pimlico Track, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, Triple Crown, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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