The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American

thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

for horses age three and older over a distance of miles ( furlongs) held at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of O ...

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $250,000.

History

The Pimlico Special was first run in 1937 and was won by that year's U.S. Triple Crown winner

War Admiral War Admiral (May 2, 1934 – October 30, 1959) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse and the fourth winner of the American Triple Crown. He was also the 1937 Horse of the Year and well known as the rival of Seabiscuit in the "Match Ra ...

who went on to be voted the

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

. In 1938, the Pimlico Special was host to one of American racing's most historic moments when

Seabiscuit Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning racehorse up to the 1940s. He beat the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a two-hors ...

defeated

in a much anticipated match race. That race was covered by almost every major newspaper, magazine and radio station of the time. Discontinued after 1958, the race was revived as a handicap event in 1988 and made a

graded stakes race A graded stakes race is a thoroughbred horse race in the United States that meets the criteria of the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). A specific grade level (I, II, III or listed) is th ...

one year later in 1989. The race was not eligible for grading in 2011 because it had not been run the previous two years. Eighteen Pimlico Special winners have gone on to win a Championship for Horse of the Year or an Eclipse Award as the best horse in their divisions. The latest was Invasor in 2006; others include Mineshaft,

Real Quiet Real Quiet (March 7, 1995 – September 27, 2010) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was nicknamed "The Fish" by his trainer due to his narrow frame. He is best remembered for winning the first two legs of American Triple ...

, Skip Away,

Cigar A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and Fermentation, fermented tobacco leaves made to be Tobacco smoking, smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct comp ...

, Criminal Type, Blushing John,

Tom Fool Tom Fool (March 31, 1949 – August 20, 1976) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1953 American Horse of the Year and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Racing Hall of Fame. He sired the champi ...

, Capot,

Citation A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose o ...

Assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...

, Armed, Twilight Tear,

Whirlaway Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 – April 6, 1953) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fifth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also won the Travers Stakes after his Triple Crown sweep to become the first and only horse to ...

, Market Wise,

Challedon Challedon (1936–1958) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Maryland by William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle, he raced under the colors of their Branncastle Farm. Two-year-old-season Racing at age two, Chall ...

and

.2007 Maryland Jockey Club Media Guide, page 47-52 on March 3, 2007. The Pimlico track record for miles is held by Farma Way who ran the distance in 1:52 2/5 while capturing the 1991 Pimlico Special.

Records

Speed record: * 1:52.55 – Farma Way (1991) (at current distance of miles; time recognised by Equibase based on hundredths) Most wins by a horse: * 2 –

(1939 & 1940) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 4 –

Eddie Arcaro George Edward Arcaro (February 19, 1916 – November 14, 1997) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who won more American classic races than any other jockey in history and is the only rider to have won the U.S. Triple ...

(1939, 1943, 1946, 1948) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 – Ben A. Jones (1942, 1944, 1945, 1947) * 4 – John M. Gaver Sr. (1943, 1949, 1950, 1953) Most wins by an owner: * 6 – Calumet Farm (1942, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1990)

Winners of the "Pimlico Special" since 1937

''Notes:'' * ‡ For 3-yr-olds in 1937 and 1954 * † Won by

Walkover John Baxter Taylor and William Robbins (athlete)">William Robbins to refuse to race in protest. A walkover, also W.O. or w/o (originally two words: "walk over"), is awarded to the opposing team/player, etc., if there are no other players avail ...

s in 1942 and 1948

References

Official website for the Pimlico Special
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060702221452/http://www.preakness.com/RacingInfo/PimlicoSpecial.htm , date=2006-07-02
The Pimlico Special at Pedigree Query

Graded stakes races in the United States Open middle distance horse races Recurring events established in 1937 Pimlico Race Course Horse races in Maryland Sports competitions in Baltimore Recurring sporting events established in 1937 1937 establishments in Maryland Grade 3 stakes races in the United States

History

Records

Winners of the "Pimlico Special" since 1937

See also

References