# Pimlico Special

The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles (9+1⁄2 furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland 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 who went on to be voted the American Horse of the Year. In 1938, the Pimlico Special was host to one of American racing's most historic moments when Seabiscuit defeated War Admiral 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 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, Skip Away, Cigar, Criminal Type, Blushing John, Tom Fool, Capot, Citation, Assault, Armed, Twilight Tear, Whirlaway, Market Wise, Challedon, Seabiscuit and War Admiral.
The Pimlico track record for 1+3⁄16 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 1+3⁄16 miles; time recognised by Equibase based on hundredths)
Most wins by a horse:
* 2 – Challedon (1939 & 1940)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – Eddie Arcaro (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

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade |
| 2022 | First Captain | 4 | Luis Saez | Claude R. McGaughey III | Bobby Flay, Woodford Racing, Siena Farm, & West Point Thoroughbreds | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.24 | $250,000 | III |
| 2021 | Last Judgment | 5 | Jose L. Ortiz | Michael J. Maker | Bethlehem Stables | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.37 | $250,000 | III |
| 2020 | Harpers First Ride | 4 | Angel Cruz | Claudio A. Gonzalez | MCA Racing Stable LLC | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.97 | $250,000 | III |
| 2019 | Tenfold | 4 | Ricardo Santana | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 1+1⁄4 | 2:02.36 | $300,000 | III |
| 2018 | Irish War Cry | 4 | José Ortiz | H. Graham Motion | Isabelle de Tomaso | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.51 | $300,000 | III |
| 2017 | Shaman Ghost | 5 | Javier Castellano | Jimmy Jerkens | Stronach Stables | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.55 | $300,000 | III |
| 2016 | Noble Bird | 5 | Julien Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.18 | $300,000 | III |
| 2015 | Commissioner | 5 | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | WinStar Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.09 | $300,000 | III |
| 2014 | Revolutionary | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Todd Pletcher | WinStar Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.99 | $300,000 | III |
| 2013 | Last Gunfighter | 4 | Javier Castellano | Chad Brown | John D. Gunther | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.50 | $300,000 | III |
| 2012 | Alternation | 4 | Luis Quinonez | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Pin Oak Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:57.60 | $300,000 | III |
| 2009–11 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2008 | Student Council | 6 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steve Asmussen | Millennium Farms | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.87 | $250,000 | I |
| 2007 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2006 | Invasor | 4 | Ramon Domínguez | Kiaran McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.40 | $500,000 | I |
| 2005 | Eddington | 4 | Eibar Coa | Mark A. Hennig | Willmott Stables | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.05 | $500,000 | I |
| 2004 | Southern Image | 4 | Victor Espinoza | Michael Machowsky | Blahut Stables | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.89 | $600,000 | I |
| 2003 | Mineshaft | 4 | Robby Albarado | Neil J. Howard | Farish/Webber/Elkins | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.16 | $600,000 | I |
| 2002 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2001 | Include | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Bud Delp | Brereton C. Jones | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.61 | $750,000 | I |
| 2000 | Golden Missile | 5 | Kent Desormeaux | Joe Orseno | Frank Stronach | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.65 | $750,000 | I |
| 1999 | Real Quiet | 4 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.31 | $750,000 | I |
| 1998 | Skip Away | 5 | Jerry Bailey | Sonny Hine | Carolyn Hine | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.20 | $750,000 | I |
| 1997 | Gentlemen | 5 | Gary Stevens | Richard Mandella | Randall Dee Hubbard | 1+3⁄16 | 1:53.03 | $600,000 | I |
| 1996 | Star Standard | 4 | Pat Day | Nick Zito | William Condren | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.40 | $600,000 | I |
| 1995 | Cigar | 5 | Jerry Bailey | William I. Mott | Allen E. Paulson | 1+3⁄16 | 1:53.60 | $600,000 | I |
| 1994 | As Indicated | 4 | Robbie Davis | Richard Schosberg | Heatherwood Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.00 | $600,000 | I |
| 1993 | Devil His Due | 4 | Herb McCauley | H. Allen Jerkens | Edith LiButti | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.40 | $600,000 | I |
| 1992 | Strike the Gold | 4 | Craig Perret | Nick Zito | BCC Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.80 | $700,000 | I |
| 1991 | Farma Way | 4 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Quarter B Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:52.40 | $750,000 | I |
| 1990 | Criminal Type | 5 | José A. Santos | D. Wayne Lukas | Calumet/J. K. Arnemann | 1+3⁄16 | 1:53.00 | $1,000,000 | I |
| 1989 | Blushing John | 4 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Richard J. Lundy | Allen E. Paulson | 1+3⁄16 | 1:53.20 | $700,000 | II |
| 1988 | Bet Twice | 4 | Craig Perret | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Blanche P. Levy | 1+3⁄16 | 1:54.20 | $710,000 | |
| 1959–87 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 1958 | Vertex | 4 | Sam Boulmetis Sr. | Joseph F. Piarulli | J. J. Brunetti/F. A. Piarulli | 1+3⁄16 | 2:00.60 | $60,000 | |
| 1957 | Promised Land | 3 | Bill Hartack | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs | 1+3⁄16 | 1:57.40 | $60,000 | |
| 1956 | Summer Tan | 4 | Dave Erb | Sherrill W. Ward | Mrs. J. W. Galbreath | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.60 | $60,000 | |
| 1955 | Sailor II | 3 | Hedley Woodhouse | Preston M. Burch | Isabel Dodge Sloane | 1+3⁄16 | 1:57.60 | $66,500 | |
| 1954 | Helioscope | ‡3 | Sam Boulmetis Sr. | Howard Hausner | William G. Helis Jr. | 1+3⁄16 | 1:59.00 | $60,000 | |
| 1953 | Tom Fool | 4 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:55.80 | $50,000 | |
| 1952 | General Staff | 4 | Glen Lasswell | Jimmy McGee | Larry MacPhail | 1+3⁄16 | 1:57.40 | $41,500 | |
| 1951 | Bryan G. | 4 | Ovie Scurlock | Casey Hayes | Meadow Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:57.40 | $41,500 | |
| 1950 | One Hitter | 4 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.60 | $25,000 | |
| 1949 | Capot | 4 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.80 | $25,000 | |
| 1948 | †Citation | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:59.80 | $25,000 | |
| 1947 | Fervent | 3 | Albert Snider | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.40 | $41,500 | |
| 1946 | Assault | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | Max Hirsch | King Ranch | 1+3⁄16 | 1:57.00 | $41,500 | |
| 1945 | Armed | 4 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.80 | $41,500 | |
| 1944 | Twilight Tear | 3 | Douglas Dodson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.60 | $41,500 | |
| 1943 | Shut Out | 4 | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1+3⁄16 | 2:00.20 | $41,500 | |
| 1942 | †Whirlaway | 4 | George Woolf | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 2:00.40 | $16,500 | |
| 1941 | Market Wise | 3 | Wendell Eads | George W. Carroll | Louis Tufano | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.80 | $16,500 | |
| 1940 | Challedon | 4 | George Woolf | Don Cameron | Branncastle Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 2:03.20 | $16,500 | |
| 1939 | Challedon | 3 | Eddie Arcaro | Louis Schaefer | Branncastle Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:59.00 | $16,500 | |
| 1938 | Seabiscuit | 5 | George Woolf | Tom Smith | Charles S. Howard | 1+3⁄16 | 1:56.60 | $25,000 | |
| 1937 | War Admiral | ‡3 | Charley Kurtsinger | George Conway | Glen Riddle Farm | 1+3⁄16 | 1:58.80 | $10,000 | |
Notes:
* ‡ For 3-yr-olds in 1937 and 1954
* † Won by Walkovers in 1942 and 1948