Nominations Made for Preakness Weekend

(from Pimlico release)
The racing office of the Maryland Jockey Club Tuesday released the lists of nominees for the thirteen other stakes that make up Preakness (gr. I) weekend, May 20-21.

The $500,000 Pimlico Special (gr. I) tops the May 20 card that features four other stakes races, making it Maryland's second-leading day of racing. Nineteen of the top handicap horses in the nation were nominated, including 2003 Preakness winner Funny Cide. Others expected to compete in the race include Badge Of Silver, Eddington, Eurosilver, Offlee Wild, Pollard's Vision and Second Of June. The weights will be announced Saturday.

Friday's card also includes the $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II), which drew 24 nominations, including Round Pond from the John Servis stable; the $150,000 Pimlico Distaff Breeders' Cup (gr. III), 21 nominations; and $100,000 Adena Stallions' Miss Preakness (gr. III), with 23 nominations.

Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner Better Talk Now and multiple stakes winner Artie Schiller are expected to headline the $200,000 Dixie Handicap (gr. IIT), one of eight added money races on the Preakness day undercard. A total of 24 top grass runners have been nominated for the Dixie.

Saturday's card also includes the $200,000 Emirates Airline Maryland Breeders' Cup (gr. III), 19 nominations; $100,000 Gallorette Handicap (gr. III), 29 nominations, $100,000 William Donald Schaefer Handicap (gr. III), 33 nominations; and the $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs (gr. III), 25 nominations.

The Preakness card also includes the $100,000 Sir Barton, with 33 nominations, and the $100,000 Woodlawn Stakes, which totaled 27 nominations.