Preakness Weekend To Feature 15 Stakes Worth $3.5 Million

Nine stakes–of which five are graded–worth $2.5 million in purses will highlight the 148th running of the GI Preakness S., which will be contested this year on Saturday, May 20. Overall, 15 stakes–including the 99th running of the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. on Friday, May 19–will be contested over two days of racing at Pimlico.

Other graded stakes on the Preakness undercard are the GIII $200,000 Dinner Party S. for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the grass, GIII $200,000 Chick Lang S. for 3-year-olds at six furlongs, the GIII $100,000 Maryland Sprint S. for 3-year-olds and up also racing three-quarters of a mile, and GIII $100,000 Gallorette S. for fillies and mares, three years old up going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

The historic GIII $300,000 Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up, contested at the Preakness distance of 1 3/16 miles, and GIII $150,000 Miss Preakness S. for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs top the Black-Eyed Susan undercard.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: ‘Giving Is The Most Selfish Thing We Do’

After nearly a year of his trips to the racetracks becoming few and far between, Alex Campbell Jr. wasn't going to let anything stop him from attending Preakness day at Pimlico. The nonagenarian had fallen at his home in Florida the night before, however, and was in the hospital past two o'clock in the morning with a head injury.

Doctors used staples to close the wound and cleared Campbell to fly to Baltimore, where the long-time Thoroughbred enthusiast was delighted to watch his homebred filly Mean Mary win the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes by a half-length.

Thanks to vigilant efforts from Pimlico staff, Campbell even made his way to the winner's circle to congratulate jockey Luis Saez and trainer Graham Motion on the victory.

“It was the nicest thing in the world,” Campbell said. “The management of the track got me through traffic, got me good seats, and just couldn't have been nicer to me. It's good to know that there are still people like that in our business.”

He wouldn't bestow the same praise on himself, but the evidence couldn't be more clear: Campbell is also one of the good guys. Not only has he been breeding and owning racehorses for more than six decades, but he dedicates himself to supporting trainers with integrity.

“It's a tremendous sport and a tremendous challenge to do it properly,” Campbell explained. “I've been with Motion for five or six years, and he's the best trainer I've ever had, by far. I think he treats horses like they ought to be treated.

“I went out after him because I wanted him for a trainer; I thought he met all of the qualifications that I like, not only around the racetrack, but anywhere. He's a fine young man and he thinks right about most things. I don't know of a better living trainer today.”

Campbell also serves as a member of The Jockey Club, a position he credits the late “Dinny” Phipps with inspiring.

“Dinny Phipps did a wonderful job as president, and it operates as a business,” Campbell said. “For example, there was a girl who broke her neck and was frozen from the neck down for life. I called to see what they could do about getting something for her to get around in, and in about two days she had a brand new car that she could wheel her wheelchair into. It was so impressive not only because of the money it cost, but the performance on getting it there. 

“They do that all over the country, and they've helped a lot of people over the years.”

Learn more about the Jockey Club's Safety Net Foundation in this story from our archives.

A native of Lexington, Ky., Campbell has also quietly become one of the city's greatest philanthropists. He launched the Triangle Foundation in 1980, and chaired the creation of Triangle Park in downtown Lexington. Over the years, the Triangle Foundation has completed a number of other projects in the city, including the Equestrian Park at Blue Grass Airport, Thoroughbred Park, and Woodland Skateboard Park.

Perhaps Campbell's most visible addition to Lexington is the statue of Secretariat located in the center of a traffic circle at the intersection of Alexandria Drive and Old Frankfort Pike.

“There are ten people on the executive committee of the Triangle Foundation, and I said, 'How about each one of you all say who you think is the greatest racehorse who ever lived,'” Campbell recalled. “Out of ten men, only three votes were for Secretariat. That was 50 years ago when he was running, so he just wasn't in these people's minds.

“You know that Secretariat holds the track record at the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont, and those guys had no conception of that thought. I just thought we ought to do something about Secretariat.”

Secretariat and Ron Turcotte monument is unveiled at Keeneland

Washington sculptor Jocelyn Russell made the Secretariat statue in Oklahoma, and it was transported to Lexington. The 3,800-pound Secretariat, 21 feet long and over 11 feet high, was installed October 14, 2019.

“I have a funny saying, and fortunately all of my children have adopted it, that 'giving is the most selfish thing we do,'” Campbell said. “The reason for that is that the receiver always gets more than the giver. In proportion it means very little to you, when they come to thank you you get your investment back. My son has the job of putting my little saying on my tombstone. It's true, just think what you've done for somebody and how happy it makes you.”

In a similar vein, naming a successful racehorse for his longtime assistant Mary Venezie has been a thrill for Campbell, even though the name, Mean Mary, doesn't match her personality at all.

“She's the complete opposite of that, one of the sweetest, nicest, best people I know,” Campbell said, laughing. “She got a big kick out of it and she's enjoyed every minute of it.”

So has Campbell, from attending the races to visiting his band of broodmares at Gainesway Farm. 

“Whenever I'm in Lexington, I'll go out there and look at the horses,” he said. “I could do nothing else if I didn't have other interests that I have to look after.”

From attending the races as a young boy and convincing older patrons to bet on his behalf, to owning his first racehorse with a couple partners at the age of 20, to celebrating last Saturday at Pimlico, Campbell remains exceptionally grateful to the horse industry for the friendships and passion it has brought to his life.

“What really holds you in the horse business is love of the horses,” he said. “And of course, talking to the trainers and going to the sales, and talking to all the people. It's a tremendous sport.”

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Mean Mary Gets It All Her Own Way In Gallorette

Mean Mary made her 2021 debut a winning one in the Grade 3 Gallorette on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico Race Course, demonstrating the dangers for her competitors of letting her control the early pace. Luis Saez hustled the Graham Motion trainee out of the gates early and settled her into an easy lead which she never gave up, setting fractions of :25.27, :50.92, 1:15.29 and 1:37.60 for a final time of 1:43.10 on the turf. Flighty Lady chased the early pace but was no match, and Mean Mary easily kicked clear of closing efforts from Vigilantes Way and Great Island, who finished second and third, respectively.

Mean Mary was the favorite at 4-5 when the gates opened.

The 5-year-old Mean Mary was making her first start since finishing seventh in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mary Turf. That effort was only the second time she failed to finish first or second in her career. The mare, who is a homebred for Alex Campbell Jr., has wins in the G2 New York, G3 Orchid and G3 La Prevoyante to her credit.

Mean Mary is the daughter of Scat Daddy and Dynaformer mare Karlovy Vary.

 

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Juliet Foxtrot Holds Off Varenka To Win Gallorette

Getting a perfect trip under Florent Geroux, Juddmonte Farms' homebred Juliet Foxtrot won Saturday's Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes by one length to kick off the graded stakes action on Preakness Day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

Varenka closed strongly down the middle of the turf course to get within a length of Juliet Foxtrot at the wire, with No Mo Lady third and She'sonthewarpath fourth in the field of six older fillies and mares.

Juliet Foxtrot, a5-year-old English-bred daughter of Dansili trained by Brad Cox, covered 1 1/16 miles on yielding turf in 1:49.24 and paid $4.20 for the win, her second in a G3 stakes since coming to the United States from England and fifth win overall from 18 career starts.

Longshot Jabuticaba set the early fractions of :25.24, :50.49 and 1:15.92 with Juliet Foxtrot lapped on her from the outside for much of the way. Geroux asked Juliet Foxtrot to move to the lead on the turn for home, and she responded, opening a clear lead in the stretch and having enough left in the tank to hold off Trevor McCarthy and Varenka, a G2 winner in 2019  who has been off the board in all three of her starts in 2020.

“A little further and she might of gotten there,” said Graham Motion, Varenka's trainer. “The winner is a good filly.”

“(Jabuticaba) looked like she had a lot of speed,” said Geroux. “I just wanted to break good and get away from there and not be on the rail. I wanted to make sure I got a clear shot. I sat second place all the way and when I asked her, she went on. We were concerned how far she wanted to go. I think she's a true miler. I think she's more effective on the firm turf. The ground was a concern, but she was able to show off her class. She won on her class today, and not on what she likes.”

Produced from the King's Best mare, Kilo Alpha, Juliet Foxtrot has been facing top company since winning the G3 Modesty at Arlington Park in July 19 – her third consecutive success after arriving in the U.S.. She finished second, beaten a nose by Vasilika in the G2 John C. Mabee at Del Mar, second to Uni in the G1 First Lady at Keeneland, and third to Got Stormy in the G1 Matriarch at Del Mar to close out her 2019 campaign.

This year, Juliet Foxtrot ran sixth behind Secret Message in the G3 Mint Julep at Churchill Downs, third behind Rushing Fall in the G1 Jenny Wiley and then fourth behind Beau Recall in her most recent start in the G2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs.

“Definitely some class relief here helped,” said Ricky Giannini, assistant to Brad Cox. “We just hadn't been able to find the right spots and get her going, but she got the win today.

“Florent [Geroux] read it right. There wasn't much speed in the race. He kind of hustled her out of the gate and let the long shot go, just tipped out and gave her a perfect stalking trip and she kicked on.”

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