The Pimlico Special & The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes

This Friday, the day before the Preakness is run, two other annual races will take place at Old Hilltop Racecourse  outside of Baltimore, Maryland.   The name The Pimlico Special  always takes me back in time to the first Pimlico Special - the head-to-head challenge of Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, a son of Man o'War, and the older Seabiscuit, who was a grandson of Man o'War.  Of course, Seabiscuit was known as "the people's horse" and represented the common working man and woman; War Admiral was the sleek, aristocratic lord of the Sport of Kings.  Seabiscuit won the highly touted match race easily.
   This year's Pimlico Special has a field of nine contenders - seven bred in Kentucky, while Valid was bred in Virginia and Major King was bred in Korea.  All of the horses will carry 118 pounds, except Golden Lad, who carries 124 pounds. The horses and their post positions for Friday's Pimlico Special are:
1.   Valid
2.   Cat Burglar
3.   Moreno
4.   Golden Lad
5.   Carve
6.   Revolutionary
7.   Major King
8.   Prayer For Relief
9.   Bourbon Courage

The fillies running in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and their post positions are:
1.   Joint Return
2.   America
3.   Shanon Nicole
4.   Stopchargingmaria
5.   Euphrosyne
6.   Arethusa
7.   Le Mejor Fiesta
8.   Sloane Square
9.   Fortune Pearl
10. Vero Amore
11. Image of Anna

Further information on these horses and their racing connections may be found at The Bloodhorse website:  http://www.bloodhorse.com/