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Jockey Julian Pimentel Taking A Break To Contemplate His Future

Journeyman Julian Pimentel, a Maryland mainstay since 2006 that will be forever linked as the regular rider of late Mid-Atlantic legend Ben's Cat, is taking the winter off to contemplate his future.

Pimentel, 40, finished sixth aboard Norman Lewis' 4-year-old filly Castilleja for Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury in Saturday's opener at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., a six-furlong starter-optional claimer for fillies and mares 3 years old and up.

According to Equibase statistics, it was the 101st mount of the fall meet for Pimentel, 302nd of the year, and 11,299th in a career that began in his native Colombia before coming to the United States in 2000 and working as an exercise rider for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. He first rode in New Jersey before making the move to Maryland.

“I've been fighting with my weight a little bit lately, so I'm going to go home to relax, spend time with family and not think about it and when I come back, I'll see what happens,” Pimentel said. “This is all I've been doing all my life.

“I've never done anything else. I have fun, but it's hard to do. Everything has to come to an end,” he added. “I'm definitely coming back, I just don't know if I'm going to ride again. I don't know exactly what I'd do.”

Pimentel has 11 wins at the fall meet, 42 this year, and 1,806 in a career that included eight Grade 3 wins and mounts in the 2019 G1 Kentucky Derby and 2011, 2014, and 2019 G1 Preakness. His victory in the 2017 G3 General George at Laurel was the first graded-stakes victory for Imperial Hint, who would go on to win four Grade 1 stakes and more than $2.2 million in purses.

Ben's Cat was, by far, Pimentel's greatest horse. Pimentel was aboard for 41 of 63 starts including 30 in a row from June 2012 to November 2015. Together they won 22 races, 17 of them in stakes, topped by the 2013 and 2014 G3 Parx Dash, 2012 G3 Turf Monster, 2012 Maryland Million Turf Sprint, 2013-15 Mister Diz and Jim McKay Turf Sprint, and 2012-14 Fabulous Strike Handicap. Ben's Cat was euthanized at age 11 in June 2017 due to complications from colic surgery.

“Ben's Cat was very important to me, a very good horse,” Pimentel said. “When we went to the Derby, that was great. There were a lot of good times.”

Ronnie Gerardo, Pimentel's agent since February 2009, said the jockey is leaving Tuesday for Colombia and expected to return following Laurel's 2022 winter meet, which runs through March 27.

“This may be his last mount. He's going home to give his body a break and around April, he'll see how he is and if he feels like he can go back down to 118 [pounds] again,” Gerardo said. “He's competitive. It's a little harder these days. The older you get, your metabolism slows down. He's done a good job taking care of his body. He's had a good career.”

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Gerardo said Pimentel first began thinking about taking a sabbatical when Maryland racing was paused from mid-March to late May 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pimentel had single-season highs of 1,039 mounts and $4,387,978 million in purse earnings in 2001 and 146 wins in 2011, when he also won his 1,000th race aboard Pet Me Pet Me at Delaware Park.

“He's leaning toward retirement. It all depends on his weight,” Gerardo said. “I'm praying that he'll be back because I'm going to miss him. We've been together for almost 13 years. It's a long time, especially in this game.”

Other graded-stakes winners for Pimentel are Divisidero, Control System, Evil Minister, and Runspastum. He ranks fifth with 13 career wins in the Maryland Million, five behind Hall of Fame leader Edgar Prado.

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Tasting The Stars Headlines Van Clief Stakes At Colonial Downs

Virginia-bred Tasting The Stars, an impressive 5-for-7 in her career, headlines Monday's $100,000 Van Clief Stakes for Virginia-restricted horses at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. The field of nine includes Todd Pletcher's Apurate, the second early choice.

The restricted stakes, open to those that are Virginia-bred, sired, or certified, is 1 1/16th miles on grass and is the eighth of nine races scheduled.

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Tasting the Stars is fresh off turf stakes wins in the Nellie Mae Cox at Colonial July 19 and in the Brookmeade at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., last October. The 5-year-old Bodemeister mare prevailed three times in 2019 — in the Just Jenda Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and in allowance and maiden special weight races at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. The Van Clief headliner finished sixth in the 2019 Virginia Oaks as the betting favorite. She has bankrolled $204,600 and is 3-for-4 on turf. The 9-5 early choice is trained by John Kimmel and will be ridden by Feargal Lynch.

A1A Racing's Apurate is the second choice and was runner-up most recently in a Monmouth turf allowance. The 4-year-old Summer Front filly broke her maiden October 20 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and has earned $129,360 from 13 starts including a win and five runner-up finishes. David Cohen will ride the Kentucky-bred.

Larry Johnson and RDM Racing Stable's No Mo Lady is third early choice at 6-1. The 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare finished third in the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes last October at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., and previously, had back-to-back seconds in the All Along Stakes and Indiana General Assembly Distaff Stakes. The Michael Trombetta trainee will be ridden by Julian Pimentel.

Also in the field is Inside The Box, Unruly Julie, Fionnbharr, Sweet Sandy, Princess Theorem, and Dare to Promise.

First post at Colonial Monday is 1:45 PM. The Van Clief is scheduled at 5:01 PM. The summer racing season in New Kent will continue on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday basis through September 1. The $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (Gr. 3) is Tuesday, August 31.

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Colonial Downs To Feature Three Stakes On Monday Card

A trio of open turf stakes highlight Monday's nine-race card at Colonial Downs as the New Kent, Va., track ushers in week number two of its summer racing season on the heels of a record-breaking handle during opening week.

The $150,000 Buckland Stakes, to be run at 1 1/16 miles, attracted a ten-horse field, eight of which have earned $190,000 or more. The $100,000 Andy Guest Stakes for fillies & mares lured a dozen entrants and the $100,000 Da Hoss has an impressive seven-horse field. The final pair will be contested at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Godolphin, LLC's Pixelate, with wins this past year in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, Woodchopper, and Prince George County Stakes, is the early 7-2 choice in the Buckland. The 4-year-old City Zip colt also finished a respectable fifth in January's Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The Kentucky-bred has five wins overall, six seconds, and three thirds with $493,350 in earnings. Pixelate is trained by Michael Stidham and will be ridden by Joe Bravo.

WSS Racing and Hooties Racing, LLC's Mr. Dumas, next at 4-1, has been idle since last October when he was best in a Keeneland Race Course grass allowance. The John Ortiz trainee also prevailed in a 2020 Churchill Downs allowance and finished a close second in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga Race Course last July. In 2019, Mr. Dumas captured the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old Majesticperfection horse has accumulated $358,479 in earnings from 14 starts. He will be ridden by Julian Pimentel.

Blackout Racing's Megacity, third early favorite at 9-2, is fresh off a pair of turf allowance wins at Belmont Park and Monmouth Park. The Michael Tomlison trainee was bred in Kentucky by Virginian Maggie Bryant, who recently passed away. Joe Rocco Jr. will be in the irons.

Team Valor International's Beantown Baby, looking for her fourth straight win, headlines the Andy Guest Stakes field. The 5-year-old Artie Shiller mare returns to Virginia after recent convincing turf sprint wins at Delaware Park and Pimlico Race Course, and another at Laurel Park last July. The Arnaud Delacour trainee captured a maiden claiming race in New Kent in 2019. Mychel Sanchez will ride on Monday.

John Kerber, Iveta Kerber, and Jon Lapczenski's Ain't No Elmers is the second choice at 4-1 and is fresh off a solid gate-to-wire performance in a Churchill Downs dirt allowance. The 4-year-old Goldencents filly was runner-up in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes in 2020. She has only made one turf start in 13 career outs. Ain't No Elmers is trained by Bret Calhoun and will be ridden by Adam Beschizza.

Six of the seven Da Hoss entrants have a bankroll of $220,000-plus including Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farm's Just Might, the 9-5 early favorite. The 5-year-old Justin Phillip gelding captured the Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill Downs last out and earlier this year, powered home to a five-length win in the Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. In 2020, Just Might was stakes placed in a pair of Grade 2's — the Woodford Stakes and Twin Spires Turf Sprint. In all, he has bankrolled $400,309. Colby Hernandez will ride.

Ed Orr and Susie Orr's Virginia-bred Boldor, conditioned by Steve Asmussen, is the early second choice at 7-2. The 5-year-old Munnings gelding prevailed in the King Cotton and Sam's Town Stakes earlier this year at Oaklawn Park and Delta Downs in back-to-back starts. Jockey Sheldon Russell gets the call Monday.

Jim and Susan Hill's Holiday Stone, the top money earner in the field with $521,159, is the third early pick. The 7-year-old Harlan's Holiday horse has a turf allowance victory in each of the last three years. Feargal Lynch will ride for trainer George Weaver.

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First post on Monday is 1:45 PM. The Da Hoss is the fourth race on the card followed by the Andy Guest (Race 7) and Buckland Stakes (Race 8). For the opening race week that ran from July 19-21, Colonial handled a combined $7,100,435.

Colonial Downs also presents its first-ever online Handicapping Challenge on Monday. Two seats to the 2022 National Horseplayers Championship and one entry into the 2021 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge are up for grabs. Details are at colonialdowns.com/wagering.

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Favored Bankit Takes Road Show To Laurel, Wins John B. Campbell

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's well-traveled Bankit, making his 27th career start but first in Maryland, swept to the lead on the far outside and powered through the stretch to a 1 ¾-length triumph in Saturday's $100,000 John B. Campbell at Laurel Park.

The 67th running of the Campbell for 4-year-olds and up and the 38th edition of the $100,000 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares 4 and older, both at about 1 1/16 miles, were among six stakes worth $900,000 on a Winter Sprintfest program co-headlined by the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) and $250,000 General George (G3).

Bankit ($5.40), favored at 8-5 against seven rivals, had raced in New York, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia and Kentucky for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen before arriving at Laurel, where he registered his fourth career stakes victory and second in a row. The winning time was 1:42.07 over a fast main track.

It was the second consecutive stakes win on the card for jockey Sheldon Russell, following Maythehorsebwithu in the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds.

Bankit was unhurried in the early going as Zabracadabra, making his stakes debut, and Deal Driven, third in the Claiming Crown Iron Horse, dueled through fractions of 24.10 and 47.48 seconds, tracked by Dixie Drawl and Galerio, beaten a neck in the Jan. 16 Jennings at Laurel in his previous start.

Russell gave Bankit his cue rounding the far turn and the Central Banker gelding responded willingly, catching up to the leaders at the top of the stretch and opening up once in the clear. Galerio ran well to hold second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of late-running multiple stakes winner Cordmaker.

It was another 1 ¼ lengths back to 18-1 long shot Deal Driven in fourth, followed by Forewarned, Dixie Drawl, Zabracadabra and Awesome D J.

“You can see on the Form he runs better with just a little bit of a stalking trip so I let him break sharp. A couple of the inside horses went, and he got into a good spot going into the first turn,” Russell said. “About the half-mile pole I felt I had a lot of horse. I opted to hang him out there five wide and he just got to running. And I knew at the top of the stretch, he pricked his ears, he's a professional horse to ride.”

Lucky Stride Proves Too Tough in $100,000 Nellie Morse
Sonata Stable's Lucky Stride (by Declaration of War) wrested the lead from 40-1 long shot and fellow multiple stakes winner Artful Splatter at the top of the stretch and went on to a popular 1 ¼-length win over a stubborn Landing Zone in the $100,000 Nellie Morse.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight, Lucky Stride ($3.80) hit the wire in 1:43.38 with Julian Pimentel aboard for trainer Mike Trombetta, who also teamed up to win the 2018 Nellie Morse with In The Navy Now.

Pimentel settled Lucky Stride in third between horses as Flashndynamite, a 12-time career winner, ran the opening quarter-mile in 24.30 seconds and the half in 47.67 pressed by Artful Splatter to his outside. Artful Splatter took over the lead midway around the turn when Pimentel made his move on Lucky Stride followed on his right hip by Lucky Move.

Lucky Stride was set down for the stretch drive once straightened for home, with Landing Zone maneuvering into a challenging spot and persisting to the wire. It was three lengths back to Artful Splatter in third with Lucky Move fourth.

Daphne Moon, Flashndynamite, Wicked Awesome and Pat's No Fool completed the order of finish. Gracetown and Dreamer's Moon were scratched.

“I had a great trip,” Pimentel said. “I was able to be outside the whole time. I spoke with [Trombetta] and he didn't want me too far back but in contention. Last time at Laurel we faced a tough filly. Today we just needed to be in a good place.”

Lucky Stride won the 2019 Clasico Roberto Clemente (G3) and Clasico Dia del Veterano (G2) in Puerto Rico before joining Trombetta last summer, and has raced exclusively in stakes since. She was second to Allaire du Pont (G3) winner Eres Tu in the Thirty Eight Go Go Nov. 28 at Laurel and opened her 5-year-old season by winning the Wayward Lass Jan. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs.

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