A total of 76 horses were entered for the eight Claiming Crown prep races on the Pimlico Special (G3) program Friday, Oct. 2 at Pimlico Race Course.
In addition to guaranteed berths in the Claiming Crown, the Pimlico prep race winners will receive travel subsidies to the event to be held at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Dec. 5.
The 22nd Claiming Crown, nine races offering $835,000 in purses, is being held at Gulfstream Park for the ninth-consecutive year. Featured on the first weekend of Gulfstream's 2020-2021 Championship Meet, the Claiming Crown shines the spotlight on the blue-collar horses that are the backbone of the Thoroughbred industry's day-to-day racing schedule.
Handle on the Claiming Crown has climbed each of the last eight years since being held at Gulfstream. The Claiming Crown is a partnership between the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).
The $50,000 Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes Prep at 1 1/16th miles on turf drew a field of 13. That group includes Stonehedge LLC's 7-year-old veteran Abiding Star, a 13-time winner. The Florida-bred son on Uncle Mo trained by Ned Allard will be running at Pimlico since his 11th-place finish in the 2016 Preakness. In his most recent start, Abiding Star was third in the Red Bank Stakes (G3) on Sept. 5 at Monmouth Park.
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