Dinner Party Goes Through Cox, Maker

Between them, trainers Brad Cox and Mike Maker have won the two most recent runnings of the GII Dinner Party (ex Dixie S.) on the Preakness S. undercard and the accomplished conditioners look to have Saturday's renewal surrounded as well.

The reigning Eclipse Award winner Cox is represented by Juddmonte's Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who was rerouted to this spot after scratching from a potential defense of his title in the May 5 Opening Verse S. at Churchill Downs. Winner of that track's GII Wise Dan S. last June, the homebred was runner-up in the GI Fourstardave H. at the Spa in August and most recently raced a bit freely when seventh first off a September layoff in the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Apr. 15. Cox saddled Factor This (The Factor) to take the 2020 Dinner Party.

Maker sent out Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) to score last year and tightens the girth around Three Diamonds Farm's Atone (Into Mischief) here. Second in last year's GII Fort Lauderdale S. at Gulfstream Dec. 18, the bay gelding was beaten less than two lengths into fourth behind Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 29 and fought on bravely to finish just a length off Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) when completing the super in the Maker's Mark.

Beacon Hill (Blame) looms an intriguing alternative to the top two choices off an Apr. 20 allowance effort at Keeneland in which he lagged back, came wide with what appeared to be a winning bid, but lugged in on multiple occasions and lost a bob. Joel Rosario sees fit to hop back aboard.

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Asmussen Seeks Sixth Chick Lang Win

Steve Asmussen looks to take his sixth renewal of the GIII Chick Lang S.–and third straight–Saturday at Pimlico with Cogburn (Not This Time). Graduating at second asking at Churchill Downs in September, he kicked off his sophomore season on a winning note with a decisive optional claimer score at Oaklawn Mar. 25. He came up a neck short of re-opposing Whelen Springs (Street Sense) last time in that venue's Bachelor S. Apr. 30.

That Arkansas-bred rival took five tries to break his maiden, finally doing so against other locals in Hot Springs Mar. 26. He romped in the state-bred Rainbow S. there Apr. 9 and took the Bachelor just three weeks later.

Old Homestead (Overanalyze) looks to take his record to a perfect four-for-four in this event. Earning his diploma by 11 1/2 lengths at Delta Downs in January, the bay captured an allowance there next out Mar. 4. He took his show on the road and proved he could success at a top venue with a win in Keeneland's Lafayette S. Apr. 8.

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Special Reserve Gives Red-Hot Maker Another Graded Stakes Win In Maryland Sprintspecial

Trainer Michael Maker has a knack for turning claiming horses into graded stakes winners. He did it on Friday when Last Judgment, a $62,500 claim, won the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on the opening day of Preakness weekend at Old Hilltop in Baltimore, Md. He accomplished the feat again on Preakness day Saturday when Special Reserve captured the Grade 3, $150,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes, three races after Maker claimed the 5-year-old Midshipman gelding for $40,000 at Oaklawn Park.

Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Special Reserve dueled with 5-2 favorite Strike Power, put that one away at the top of the stretch, then drew out for his first stakes triumph, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. Special Reserve covered six furlongs in a quick 1:08.91 after fractions of :22.94, :45.38 and :56.77. Special Reserve paid $9.80.

Owned by Paradise Farms Corp. and David Standacher, Special Reserve gave Maker his third graded stakes of the Preakness weekend, following Friday's stakes double with Last Judgment and Army Wife in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

Strike Power – who was trying to give trainer Steve Asmussen his third consecutive victory in the Maryland Sprint and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. his fourth straight – held second by 1 1/4 lengths, with Frosted Grace third, Mucho fourth and Laki fifth in the field of 11 older runners. They were followed by War Tocsin, Threes Over Deuces, Lebda, Seven Nation Army and Yodel E.A. Who.

Breezy Gust was pulled up n by jockey Joel Rosario approaching the half-mile pole, but the gelding walked back to the stable area.

Starting from the No. 8 post position, Special Reserve broke on top, but Ortiz allowed Strike Power and Santana to move through on the inside to take the lead. Special Reserve was on Strike Power's right flank throughout and moved to the lead at the top of the stretch.

The Maryland Sprint was the second win from three starts since Maker claimed Special Reserve. He was coming off a good second to the tough sprinter Flagstaff in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland on April 3. This was Special Reserve's sixth career win from 19 starts.

The Maryland Sprint is part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) series, which ran from 1997-01, then was revived in  2018. It is a regional racing series for multiple divisions of horses that offers bonuses to owners and trainers compiling the most points. The 2020 series was not held because of COVID-19 and this year's series is abbreviated to include races from  Maryland and Virginia. Series organizers anticipate returning to a more robust schedule involving additional racetracks and horsemen's organizations in 2022.

Post-race quotes:

Winning Trainer Mike Maker (Special Reserve): “I might get some stalls (in Maryland).”

“He was in at Oaklawn (for a $40,000 claiming tag on Feb. 6). We've got to have this horse, and we claimed him. He had a bit of a bleeding issue that we addressed and got taken care of, and the rest is history. We originally liked him because he was still eligible for two-other-than [allowances]. You never know in this game.”

“I just gave a leg up to Irad [Ortiz Jr.] and said 'Good luck.' That was about it. He was going to be forwardly placed.”

Winning Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Special Reserve): “The horse broke great and put me in the race very quick out of there, I had a horse inside with speed. I just relaxed and tried not to fight with him too much. He came back to me, so I left him there and when I asked him, he took straight off for me to win.”

 Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. (Strike Power; 2nd): “He ran hard and gave me everything he had. We had a good trip – just second best today.”

Trainer Kathy Ritvo (Frosted Grace; 3rd): “He ran a good race. We're happy with him.”

Jockey Javier Castellano (Frosted Grace; 3rd): “He went really well. I expected to be a little closer to the pace, but the horse missed the break. There was nothing I could do. I liked the way he did it: come from behind, saved all the ground, cut the corner. He did really well today.”

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Pimlico Offers Wagering Smorgasbord For Black-Eyed Susan, Preakness Programs

A weekend of world-class racing and entertainment is set to get under way with spectacular back-to-back 14-race programs at Pimlico Race Course highlighted by Friday's 97th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Saturday's 146th Preakness Stakes (G1), the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Preakness Weekend – the richest and most visible on the Maryland racing calendar which this year features 16 stakes, 10 graded, worth $3.25 million in purses over the two-day span – returns to its traditional spot in mid-May after being pushed back to early October 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, the latest in its history.

Black-Eyed Susan Day gets under way at 11:30 a.m. and will have six stakes, four graded, worth $1 million in purses anchored by the prestigious 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies that has produced seven Hall of Famers and four other divisional champions including one Preakness winner (Nellie Morse, 1924) since first run as the Pimlico Oaks in 1919.

The Black-Eyed Susan is carded as Race 13 with a scheduled post time of 5:47 p.m. EST. Among its supporting stakes are the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at the Preakness distance of 1 3/16 miles; $150,000 Allaire du Pont for fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/8 miles; and $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Advance wagering for the entire Preakness Day program will be available on Friday's Black-Eyed Susan Day. There will also be a special double wager linking the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness, with a $1 minimum bet.

The Early Pick 5 begins in Race 2 (12:01 p.m.) while the Late Pick 5 covers Races 9-13 and includes the $100,000 The Very One, Miss Preakness, $100,000 Hilltop, Pimlico Special and Black-Eyed Susan.

Saturday's Preakness Day begins at 10:30 a.m. ET with the $100,000 Sir Barton for 3-year-olds leading off a lineup of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.25 million in purses. The Preakness, mid-point for 11 of the 13 Triple Crown winners including its two most recent in American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018), was won in historic fashion last fall by Swiss Skydiver, just the sixth filly to accomplish the feat in a race that dates back to 1873.

Post time for the Preakness, carded as Race 13, is scheduled for 6:47 p.m.

Other graded-stakes on the Preakness Day program are the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) for 3-year-olds and up and $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for females 3 and older, both 1 1/16 miles on grass; $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs; $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3), a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up; and $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabian horses.

The Early Pick 5 begins in Race 2 (11:05 a.m.) while the Late Pick 5 spans Races 9-13 and includes the $100,000 Runhappy Skipat, $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, Maryland Sprint, Dinner Party and Preakness.

Irad Ortiz Jr., winner of the past three Eclipse Awards as North America's champion jockey, has 15 mounts over Preakness Weekend including 14 of the 15 Thoroughbred stakes. He is named on stakes winner The Grass Is Blue in the Black-Eyed Susan and Jan. 16 Lecomte (G3) winner Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness.

Mike Maker will look to claim the top prize of $50,000 for a second straight year in the Maryland Jockey Club's Preakness Weekend stakes bonus program. Maker entered eight horses in six different stakes, including Army Wife in the Black-Eyed Susan and the pair of Last Judgment and Treasure Trove in the Pimlico Special.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the top prize winner in 2017 and 2018, entered horses in 10 stakes, led by Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness. Reigning Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox has horses entered in five stakes, among them is Adventuring in the Black-Eyed Susan.

A total of $100,000 in bonus money is available 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 fifth through last (one).

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.

Preakness LIVE, a wholly reimagined entertainment experience featuring legendary DJ and 2021 NAACP Image Awards Entertainer of the Year D-Nice, Grammy Award-winning rapper 2 Chainz and 2020 breakout rapper Jack Harlow, will be part of the Preakness Day festivities.

Excerpts of Preakness LIVE performances will be shown on NBC during the live race day broadcast from 5-7 p.m. EST and live on D-Nice's #ClubQuarantine Instagram, which will also live stream the Preakness 146 JockeyCam, a thrilling 'second screen experience' that will give fans at home a real-time view of what it is like to be a jockey riding in the Preakness Stakes.

With standardized COVID-19 protocols in place, Preakness 146 weekend will host 10,000 fans for a socially distant entertainment event. Preakness LIVE will offer socially distanced pods for groups of eight to provide a unique and private concert viewing environment for concertgoers. To amplify the experience, food, drinks, merchandise and more will be accessible via mobile phone ordering and served directly to guests in their seated pods along with contactless wagering via the 1/ST BET app.

Tickets for Preakness LIVE can be purchased online at www.preakness.com

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