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Stidham Pair Of Pixelate, Doc Boy Headline Saturday’s Henry S. Clark At Pimlico

Initially split between running Grade 2 winner Pixelate and fellow 4-year-old stakes winner Doc Boy, trainer Michael Stidham opted to enter both as part of a solid field of 14 for Saturday's $100,000 Henry S. Clark at Pimlico Race Course.

The 21st running of the Clark for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles is one of three turf stakes on an 11-race Spring Stakes Spectacular program featuring six stakes worth $650,000 in purses headlined by the $125,000 Federico Tesio, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15, and the $125,000 Weber City Miss, a 'Win and In' event for 3-year-old fillies to the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 14.

Joining the Clark on the grass Saturday are Maryland's first turf race of the 2021 season, the $100,000 Dahlia for fillies and mares 3 and up, also at 1 1/16 miles, and the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury for 3-year-olds and up sprinting five furlongs.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

Goldophin's homebred Pixelate has run in 13 consecutive stakes, five of them graded, winning three including the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby (G2) last September. He capped 2020 by capturing the one-mile Woodchopper Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds, and began 2021 running fifth by three lengths at odds of 52-1 in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

“Pixelate has been running against some pretty tough company, Grade 1s and Grade 2s his last few, and we're looking for a spot that hopefully we have a shot at winning. This looks like a spot that we should have a decent chance,” Stidham said. “He's a very honest type and he tries hard every time.”

In his most recent outing, Pixelate ran fourth to Pegasus Turf winner Colonel Liam following a wide trip in the 1 1/8-mile Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) March 20 at Fair Grounds. Making his Pimlico debut, he has a record of 4-5-3 from 16 lifetime starts at 10 different tracks with purse earnings of $413,350.

“He's been very competitive from a mile up to a mile and a quarter, so I think this distance should suit him fine,” Stidham said. “He's just one of those horses that's been very sound. He's been one that every time we enter him up he goes out there and tries really hard no matter where we are. He's just one of those kinds of horses that you'd like to have in your barn.”

Stallionaire Enterprises' Doc Boy has yet to race this year, finishing fifth by 2 ½ lengths to his stablemate in the Woodchopper last time out. He, too, has had a steady diet of stakes since breaking his maiden in July 2019 at Laurel, winning the Kitten's Joy at Colonial Downs and running third in the Laurel Futurity that summer.

Doc Boy successfully opened his 2020 campaign off a five-month layoff in one-mile Columbia at Tampa Bay Downs. He finished off the board in two subsequent starts six months apart prior to the Woodchopper.

“Doc Boy has been kind of up and down. He's run some really good races and then in other spots he hasn't run as well,” Stidham said. “He's been a little bit of a more difficult horse to place, and we're hoping that we've got him back on top of his game. He hasn't been quite as successful as Pixelate in his races, although he is a stakes winner, but we're looking to get him back running well again.”

Ninety One Assault, co-owned by trainer Tom Morley and Paul Braverman, was part of a four-horse photo behind Colonel Liam and runner-up Two Emmys in the Muniz, finishing fifth, just a neck behind Pixelate. The connections are seeking the first open stakes victory for the 8-year-old Artie Schiller gelding, a three-time winner against fellow Louisiana-breds including the 2019 and 2020 Louisiana Champions Day Turf.

“He ran probably the best race of his entire career in the Muniz, getting beat [5 ½] lengths to the best turf horse in North America,” Morley said. “He seems to be doing really, really well. This will be his final run the first part of this year before he has his summer holiday to get ready for the Louisiana turf season. The horse is in super shape and I'm really looking forward to running him.”

Ninety One Assault ran second to multiple graded-stakes winner Doctor Mounty in last year's Clark, when it was held at Laurel Park. This year's Spring Stakes Spectacular was moved to Pimlico due to ongoing evaluation and renovation of Laurel's main track.

“I was really looking forward to running him at Laurel because he's run very well over that turf course, but we'll have to see how he'll handle Pimlico now,” Morley said. “Before I ran him in the Clark I thought that his work was better than I'd ever seen him work and it's very rare that they maintain their form at the level he has for as long as he has, but it seems like he might be even a little bit better this year. He's a very big horse and he's done us proud over the years.”

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will attempt to defend his Clark victory with Phipps Stable homebred Dreams of Tomorrow. The 4-year-old son of champion dirt sprinter Speightstown removes blinkers for his fourth straight start on the grass, where he broke his maiden Dec. 3 at Aqueduct, was beaten a neck in a Gulfstream Park optional claiming allowance Feb. 20 and most recently was third after setting the pace in a 1 1/16-mile allowance April 3 at the Big A, a neck out of second.

Other horses bringing graded credentials to the Clark include 2019 Kent (G3) winner Eons; Corelli, third in the 2020 United Nations (G1); Dinar, fourth by less than two lengths in the 2020 Ack Ack (G3); and Ballagh Rocks, second in the 2018 Maker's 46 Mile (G1).

Completing the field are Papal Law, a winner of two straight but unraced since last August; Galerio, third in three consecutive dirt stakes at Laurel yet to run on turf; Chilly in Charge, stakes-placed on dirt and turf; and stakes-placed Dixie Drawl, winless in three career grass attempts. Tybalt and Deal Driven are entered for main track only.

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Hello Hot Rod Chasing Preakness Berth In Saturday’s Federico Tesio

It will be more than just a homecoming when stakes winner Hello Hot Rod returns to Maryland for only his second start of the year in Saturday's $125,000 Federico Tesio at Pimlico Race Course.

The Maryland-bred son of Mosler comes in off three consecutive victories, but has gone unraced since Jan. 31. He will be making his debut in the colors of owner George Sharp, who purchased Hello Hot Rod for $335,000 at auction in February from previous co-owner and trainer Brittany Russell. Among his rivals will be former stablemate Maythehorsebwithu. And, there is a Triple Crown berth on the line.

“We know he gets along well there,” trainer Shawn Davis said. “He's had several thoughts and hopes but the way he's trained and the way he's worked up to it, this is the first time I thought he'd been ready for any race since we've had him. I think he'll be coming in there pretty tough.”

The 40th running of the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio serves to headline a Spring Stakes Spectacular program of six stakes worth $650,000 in purses. For the sixth straight year, it will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico.

Named for the noted Italian breeder, owner and trainer whose homebreds Nearco and Ribot dominate Thoroughbred bloodlines around the world, the Tesio debuted at Pimlico in 1981 and stayed every year but two through 2015. Laurel Park hosted the Tesio in 1987 and 1989 and each year since 2016.

Hello Hot Rod, a younger half-brother to multiple stakes-winning filly Hello Beautiful out of the mare Hello Now, made each of his first three starts at Laurel. He lost his debut in a waiver maiden claimer last October by a neck before back-to-back wins in maiden and allowance company – the latter going a mile – by a combined 6 ½ lengths.

Nine days following a victory in the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct, Hello Hot Rod was sold at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky February mixed sale for more than 30 times the $10,000 that Russell and Dark Horse Farm paid for him as a yearling.

Various circumstances kept Hello Hot Rod from returning to the races until now, but he has a string of six steady works since March 9 in Kentucky at both Keeneland and The Thoroughbred Center, where his most recent drill of four furlongs in 47.60 seconds came April 17, fifth-fastest of 49 horses.

“He's trained really well. Because of the ice storms and sale and different things we had some setbacks with him, but nothing serious,” Davis said. “The horse, his last couple works he's done really well in them and he'll be ready for the Tesio.”

Hello Hot Rod was already Triple Crown-nominated when he was purchased, and Davis said the Preakness bid did play a part both in the sale and choosing the Tesio, which will be his first attempt around two turns.

“That does factor in. We'll just have to see how he does and how he comes out of the race and everything,” Davis said. “What I liked about the horse since we got him is when you look at his form and everything, he'd never been trained really hard and he looked like he had quite a bit of ability. At this point to us as we've been working with him, he seems like he's got a lot of class. We know that he's done well so far and we're hoping that he's got the class he needs to go forward.”

Feargal Lynch is named to ride Hello Hot Rod from Post 5 in a field of eight.

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu was among nine Triple Crown nominees at the late March 29 deadline. He will be making his ninth start, fourth straight in stakes and fifth overall in the Tesio. He has progressively gone from 5 ½ furlongs in his Delaware Park debut last summer to 1 1/16 miles in the March 13 Private Terms at Laurel, his two-turn debut, where ran second by a half-length to Shackled Love.

“There's a little bit more of a run to the first turn over here, so you just hope that he gets a good spot and settles into that first turn and can just get comfortable,” Russell said. “Hopefully he just keeps running like he has.”

A dominant front-running winner of the one-mile Miracle Wood by four lengths Feb. 20 at Laurel, Maythehorsebwithu has been second in his other two stakes attempts including a neck loss to multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion in Laurel's seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 16.

Maythehorsebwithu had an easy five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 Sunday at Pimlico, where he has joined Russell's on-track string. Her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, gets the return call from far outside Post 8.

“He had an easy day [Monday] because he worked on Sunday and he came out [Tuesday] morning and had his back all up and he was playing around and had lots of energy. It's just exciting to see him kind of touting himself like that again,” Russell said. “He doesn't really seem like he cares that he's at Pimlico and all that. He's been a lot of fun thus far, so you hope that he just keeps stepping forward.”

This year's early Triple Crown nominations opened Jan. 11 at a cost of $600, due by Jan. 23. The second and final deadline in late March came at a cost of $6,000.

“We felt this horse would be more of a sprinter type and the longer we've had him and the more we've got to know him and race him, we've been just delighted with the results,” Russell said. “I love our horse. I feel good about the position we're in regardless, so I'm just excited to have our guy to walk over.”

Also a late Triple Crown nomination was Phillip Ward's Tiz Mandate, whose lone victory came in his unveiling last Nov. 22 at Laurel, a six-furlong maiden special weight sprint he won by a neck. He ran fifth in a strong edition of the Heft Stakes Dec. 26 that included No Cents, Kenny Had a Notion and Singlino to cap his juvenile year.

Tiz Mandate opened 2021 running fourth in the Spectacular Bid, beaten 3 ¼ lengths, then rallied to be second behind Maythehorsebwithu in the Miracle Wood. In both starts, the Strong Mandate ridgling got away slowly, something trainer Damon Dilodovico hopes to remedy with the addition of blinkers for the Tesio.

“We're hopeful that will help him out getting away from the gate,” he said. “He was primed for a big effort last time. Obviously your heart just sinks when you spot decent horses as many lengths as he spotted them. But I think it was just all about his focus. It was non-existent that day. We're hoping that the blinkers will have him more focused.”

Jevian Toledo will be up for the third straight race on Tiz Mandate, who has yet to try two turns, breaking from Post 2. They breezed a half-mile together in 50.60 seconds April 19 at Pimlico with Laurel's main track currently closed to workers during evaluation and renovation.

“He just does not seem to get tired. He just keeps looking for more. Once you start running against some of these horses, maybe that'll change,” Dilodovico said. “The way he's coming into this race is not the fairest way to bring him into it, but we still have confidence in him. So, we'll see what happens.”

ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable's Shackled Love is entered for a shot in the Tesio. The gelded son of Preakness winner Shackleford had a maiden win and two seconds among his first five starts before stepping up to stakes company in the Private Terms. He pressed pacesetting even-money favorite Maythehorsebwithu from the gate, took a narrow lead in mid-stretch and dug in to the wire for a 21-1 upset.

“It's amazing how things sometimes work out,” trainer Gary Capuano said. “We stuck him in and looked at the race. His numbers fit with the race and he's been improving, so it was worth taking a shot. He had a good post position, the whole thing. It looked like he could be competitive in there if he ran his race.”

Apprentice Charlie Marquez climbs back aboard from Post 7.

Completing the field are Excellorator, Zertz and Royal Number, respectively third, fifth and sixth in the Private Terms; and The Reds, exiting a fifth in the one-mile Gotham (G3) March 5 at Aqueduct for New York-based trainer John Kimmel.

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Littlestitious Back For More In Weber City Miss, ‘Win And In’ Qualifier For Black-Eyed Susan

Her stop in Maryland already beyond the original plan, Joel Politi's multiple stakes winner Littlestitious may wind up extending her stay a bit longer depending on how she runs in Saturday's $125,000 Weber City Miss at Pimlico Race Course.

The 1 1/16-mile Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies serves as a co-headliner on an 11-race Spring Stakes Spectacular program featuring seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses including the $125,000 Federico Tesio, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15.

In its sixth year, the Weber City Miss is being contested for the first time at Pimlico after having its first five runnings at Laurel Park. It remains a 'Win and In' event for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Preakness Eve, May 14.

Though born in Kentucky and trained by Midwest-based Tom Amoss, who winters in Louisiana, Littlestitious has called Laurel Park home since mid-March, when horses were restricted to the grounds amid an equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) quarantine that was lifted April 18.

She remained in the barn of trainer Brittany Russell.

“She was there longer than we anticipated,” Politi said. “She's been great. Really, she just settled in there and hasn't turned a hair. She's been under Brittany's care and she's worked a bunch of times. She breezed the other day at Pimlico and did it well. All systems are go.”

Littlestitious arrived at Laurel for the March 13 Beyond the Wire, after having run fourth behind Clairiere and Travel Column in the Feb. 13 Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds. Those horses respectively rank second and sixth in points for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (G1), a race Politi – an orthopedic surgeon in Ohio – won in 2019 with Serengeti Empress.

“In this category I would say she fits. We ran her against the big girls over the winter and that was probably just a little too much for her,” Politi said. “She's got a good opportunity here. It's the right distance and I think it's the right level for her. I think she'll get better as she gets older, hopefully. She's been a dream so far for us, so it's been great.”

A 10 ¼-length winner of the My Trusty Cat at Delta Downs in December to cap her juvenile season, Littlestitious ran fifth after setting the pace in her 3-year-old opener, the one-mile, 70-yard Silverbulletday Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds. A decided long shot in the Rachel Alexandra, she was third choice in the Beyond the Wire behind Street Lute – a winner of five straight stakes – and Fraudulent Charge, second to Street Lute in two of those races.

Fraudulent Charge put Street Lute away and appeared on the way to her first stakes victory before Littlestitious, always within striking distance just off the pace, swept past in mid-stretch to win by a half-length. Street Lute was third.

“The second and third fillies in there were beating their heads together all winter there,” Politi said. “It's hard to tell what anybody has. It's kind of like the Derby trail or the Oaks trail when they come together. They've all been running in their little silos, and I think we were running in the silo of Clairiere and Travel Column, and you'd like to get out of that silo.”

In the Beyond the Wire, Littlestitious displayed a similar stalk-and-pounce tactic under jockey Sheldon Russell that she used to break her maiden going six furlongs at Keeneland last fall prior to her romp in the My Trusty Cat.

“She's shown that in a couple of her races. The day she won at Keeneland was a very gritty, fast-closing performance,” Politi said. “The other thing I was really impressed with, which you guys get to see all the time, was the ride that Sheldon gave her. I thought that she broke really sharp and it would have been really easy just to send her because she was on the lead three steps into the race. He let her settle, let her relax and he fit her perfectly. He couldn't have ridden her any better.”

Russell rides Littlestitious back from far outside Post 7 at 120 pounds, two fewer than stakes-winning topweight Miss Leslie.

“She's going to run her race and I think she runs her best if she can just relax and make a run, so I don't think we'll change the strategy. We'll see how it sets up,” Politi said. “She can show some speed, but I don't think she's one-dimensional. The day she won at Delta she was sitting right on the pace and then kind of ran away from them, but I think she'll be happy to settle a little bit.”

Politi channeled Michael Scott of 'The Office' when asked what a strong showing in the Weber City Miss would mean for Littlestitious.

“I'm not superstitious. I'm a littlestitious, so I won't talk about the next race yet,” Politi said. “I guess that will just depend on how she does.”

While Street Lute is sitting this weekend out to await the six-furlong Miss Preakness (G3) May 14 at Pimlico, Team Gaudet and Five Hellions Farm's Fraudulent Charge will be back for another try. A 6 ¼-length waiver maiden claiming winner on debut Nov. 12 at Laurel, she has been beaten a total of 1 ½ lengths in her three stakes seconds.

All four of her races at come at Laurel with jockey Johan Rosado in the irons. Rosado, engaged to trainer and co-owner Lacey Gaudet, was up for a bullet five-furlong breeze in 1:01.20 April 19 at Pimlico.

“When you just get beat, you can't take anything away from a horse like that. Street Lute was the only one that had beat her, and she's an awesome filly, and then she got lucky and beat her last time,” Gaudet said. “I think everything would have to go really right for [Littlestitious] to beat her going two turns.

“[Rosado] likes to be very honest with me and he's under the impression that this filly will absolutely relish two turns, and she's shown every bit of that. This is what we were pointing for. It was a little tough getting to this point but I think we're feeling a little better after her work,” she added. “She had an amazing breeze which lifted a little bit of weight off our shoulders. I worked her in company with a pretty handy horse that we have and she was impressive. Her last work before her last race was impressive, and this was maybe even a little more impressive.”

Fraudulent Charge will carry 118 pounds including Rosado from Post 2.

Magic Oaks' Hybrid Eclipse will look to stretch her win streak to three races while making her stakes debut Saturday. New York-based trainer Linda Rice said the bay filly had been considered for the April 3 Gazelle (G2) at Aqueduct, won by Kentucky Oaks points leader Search Result.

Originally part of Laurel Park's spring meet, the entire Spring Stakes Spectacular program was shifted to Pimlico due to ongoing evaluation and renovation of Laurel's main track.

“Frankly we had looked at the Gazelle in New York and we opted to wait for the Weber City Miss,” Rice said. “I was excited about running her back there. She really seems to relish that track. But, we will move over to Pimlico and hopefully she will run well over that course, also.”

Winless in three starts at 2, Hybrid Eclipse broke her maiden in her sophomore debut Jan. 23 at Aqueduct. She stepped up and stretched out to about 1 1/16 miles in an entry-level optional claiming allowance Feb. 25 at Laurel, romping to a six-length victory under Horacio Karamanos, who rides back from Post 4.

“This is the next logical step for her,” Rice said. “We hope that she puts in a good showing and if things go well, maybe we'll find ourselves in the Black-Eyed Susan.”

BB Horses' Miss Leslie was a head winner of the about 1 1/16-mile Anne Arundel County Dec. 26 at Laurel, her second straight win after being claimed for $25,000 by leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. This year, the Paynter filly ran second to Street Lute in the six-furlong Xtra Heat Jan. 16 and most recently sixth in the seven-furlong Wide Country March 13, both at Laurel.

Also entered are Exogen, beaten a head when second in the six-furlong Cicada March 20 at Aqueduct; Moonsafe, a 15 ¼-length waiver maiden claiming winner Feb. 27 at Laurel; and Oliviaofthedesert, the 2020 Trapeze Stakes winner trained by Ken McPeek racing at her eighth track in 10 career starts.

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Preakness Meet At Pimlico Opens Thursday, April 22

Championship racing returns to legendary Pimlico Race Course Thursday for the opening of its 23-day Preakness Meet at Pimlico, highlighted by the 146th running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes (G1) Saturday, May 15.

The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, the 1 3/16-mile Preakness anchors 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.25 million in purses on a program that includes the 120th edition of the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) for 3-year-olds and up on turf, Pimlico's oldest stakes race and the eighth-oldest in the country, debuting in 1870.

Other graded-stakes on the Preakness undercard are the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs, $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles on the grass, $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, and $100,000 Arabian Derby (G1) for Arabian 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.

Preakness Day post time is 10:30 a.m.

The 97th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies is the focal point of a Preakness eve program Friday, May 14 that offers six stakes, four graded, worth $1 million in purses. Among the supporting stakes are the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 3/16 miles, $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs, and $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles.

Post time on Black-Eyed Susan Day is 11:30 a.m.

The Maryland Jockey Club is once again offering bonus money totaling $100,000 to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend. The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one) in the Runhappy Skipat, Miss Preakness, Allaire du Pont, Black-Eyed Susan, Pimlico Special, Hilltop, Jim McKay Turf Sprint, Maryland Sprint, Chick Lang, Preakness, Gallorette, James W. Murphy, Dinner Party, The Very One and Sir Barton.

Mike Maker edged 2019 winner Brad Cox to claim last year's top trainer bonus during Preakness weekend, delayed to Oct. 1-3 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen was the top bonus winner in 2017 and 2018.

There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,000 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth.

Racing will be conducted at Pimlico Thursdays through Sundays with no live racing Sunday, May 16 or Thursday, May 27. The meet wraps up with a special Memorial Day holiday program Monday, May 31.

Post time will be 12:40 p.m. with exceptions on Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan day as well as a 12:15 p.m. start Saturday, May 1, Kentucky Derby day from Churchill Downs.

This year's Preakness meet was originally scheduled to begin May 6 but had its opening pushed up two weeks when the continuing evaluation and renovation of Laurel Park's main track necessitated its live race dates be transferred to Pimlico.

Spring Stakes Spectacular, a collection of seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses originally scheduled for Laurel Park's spring meet, will help comprise Pimlico's opening Saturday program, April 24. Leading the way is the $125,000 Federico Tesio, a 'Win and In' race for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the Preakness being contested at Pimlico for the first time since 2015.

Serving as the Tesio's co-headliner on the Spring Stakes Spectacular program is the $125,000 Weber City Miss, a 'Win and In' qualifier for 3-year-old fillies to the Black-Eyed Susan. It is joined by a pair of $100,000 dirt sprints, the Frank Y. Whiteley for 3-year-olds and up and Primonetta for fillies and mares 3 and older. With the change in venue, the Whiteley has been shortened from seven to six furlongs, same as the Primonetta.

Also scheduled are the first three stakes of Maryland's turf season – the $100,000 Henry S. Clark for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Dahlia for females 3 and older, both at a mile, and $100,000 King T. Leatherbury for 3-year-olds and up. Carded for 5 ½ furlongs at Laurel, the Leatherbury will be contested at five furlongs at Pimlico.

A field of eight 3-year-olds and up will go 1 1/16 miles in a $15,000 claiming event to kick off Thursday's 10-race opening day program. Race 2 is a $40,000 maiden special weight for fillies and mares ages 3-5 sprinting five furlongs, also on the main track.

The opening day feature comes in Race 9, an entry-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs that attracted a field of 11 led by narrow 3-1 program favorite Fast Break. The gelded 5-year-old son of champion Uncle Mo made his first start for trainer Brittany Russell March 21 at Laurel, chasing the pace before tiring to be fourth, beaten three lengths, racing for the first time in more than a year. Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, rides from Post 3.

Pimlico will serve up an 11-race program Friday, April 23 that includes a pair of allowance events. The first comes in Race 7 for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs. The Russells figure to be prominent again with Juror Number Four, an Into Mischief filly making her sophomore debut after running second to Street Lute in the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship Dec. 5 at Laurel. Also entered are 2020 Wide Country winner Naughty Thoughts and Proper Attire, exiting back-to-back victories in January and February at Laurel.

Friday's 10th race is an entry-level allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/16 miles with a field of eight including Moonsafe, a 15 ¼-length maiden claiming winner Feb. 27 at Laurel also being considered for Saturday's Weber City Miss, and Judi Blue Eyes, in the money in 13 of 22 career starts.

Trevor McCarthy has claimed the past two Pimlico jockey titles, but is currently riding in New York. Sheldon Russell had six wins, one more than Jevian Toledo, when Laurel's spring meet was canceled following the April 11 program and ultimately canceled with its dates moved to Pimlico.

Claudio Gonzalez swept all four meets in Maryland in 2020 including his first Pimlico stand. Overall he owns 16 meet titles including 10 of the last 11 at Laurel dating back to 2018, and has led all Maryland trainers in wins the past four years.

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