BALTIMORE — Here’s a recap of every race on Saturday’s program on 2022 Preakness Day at Pimlico Race Course.
Race 1
In the first race of a hot and muggy day, Shacks Way rose to the occasion.
In a 6-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up, Shacks Way, trained by Greg Compton and ridden by Jon Court, edged out Magic Mule down the stretch to earn his third win of the year.
Abuelo Paps placed third while Where Paradise Lay finished fourth and Spitball came in fifth. The winning time was 1:10.83 on a fast track.
Shacks Way paid $4.40, $3.60 and $2.80, while Magic Mule paid $7.60 and $4.40 and Abuelo Paps paid $3.40.
Court’s victory comes after finishing fourth in Friday’s Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) with Verylittlecents, who is trained by Randy Morse.
Race 2
Benandjoe jumped out in front from the start and never looked back, winning the second race of the day.
Benandjoe, who was ridden by Jean Alvelo, maintained a comfortable lead for a good portion of the race. As he was approaching the finish line, second-place Shooger Ray Too made a late push, but couldn’t come out on top in the 1 1/16-mile race. The winning time was 1:43.60 on a fast track.
Benandjoe paid $22, $8.80 and $5.60, while Shooger Ray Too paid $4.40 and $3.40. Third-place finisher Gentleman Joe paid $4.20.
Benandjoe’s trainer, Hugh McMahon, earned his 15th win this year.
Race 3
Airspeed Velocity, trained by James Toner and ridden by Victor Carrasco, earned his first win of the year during the third race at Pimlico.
Airspeed Velocity, who had 5-1 betting odds, was in front the entire 1 1/16 mile race on turf. However, Evan Harlan crept up and nearly pulled off the victory. Hard Traveler finished third while General’s Duty and Bad to the Bones rounded out the top-five finishers.
The winning time was 1:43.66.
Airspeed Velocity paid $12.40, $4.40 and $3.40. Evan Harlan paid $2.60 and $2.20, while Hard Traveler paid $4.60.
35th Maryland Sprint Stakes
In the first graded race of the afternoon, Jaxon Traveler, with 6-5 odds, came out on top in the 35th Running of the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3).
The win marked Jaxon Traveler’s first win of the year and trainer Steven Asmussen’s 174th. Meanwhile, jockey Joel Rosario picked up his 66th victory.
“I think Jaxon Traveler has run extremely well here at Pimlico,” Asmussen said. “That’s his third stakes win here [in Maryland]. So, we’ve been looking forward to this race for quite some time. When he breaks well, he runs well. He hit the ground running and proved best.”
Jaxon Traveler paid out $4.40, $3 and $2.60. Second-place Threes Over Deuces paid $11.60 and $5.60, while War Tocsin paid $5.80. The winning time was 1:09.70 over 6 furlongs on a fast dirt track.
71st Gallorette Stakes
Technical Analysis soundly won the 71st Running of the Gallorette Stakes (G3).
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Technical Analysis jumped out in front from the start and maintained a comfortable distance between her and second-place Crystal Cliffs.
The winning time was 1:41.40 over 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf track.
“So relieved to see her respond,” Brown said. “Once she took control of the race going down the backside, I felt pretty good.”
The filly paid $3.20, $2.10 and $2.10, while Crystal Cliffs paid $2.20 and $2.10. Third place In a Hurry paid $2.20.
Batoff Goldie
Golden Voice picked up her third victory in four starts during the Batoff Goldie.
It was a tight race between Golden Voice, runner-up Kate’s Kingdom and third-place finisher Vibrancy, but the filly was able to come out on top in the 1 1/16 mile race on turf. The winning time was 1:42.75.
The win gives trainer Michael Maker his 82nd of the year. Meanwhile, jockey Tyler Gaffalione earned his 116th victory this year.
Golden Voice paid $4.60, $3.60 and $2.80. Kate’s Kingdom paid $2.80 and $2.20, while Vibrancy paid $6.20.
29th Skipat Stakes
Rosario and Asmussen picked up another first-place finish when Joy’s Rocket won the Skipat Stakes. The winning time in the 6-furlong race on a fast dirt track was 1:09.76.
The filly’s first win of the year paid out $9.40, $4.60 and $3.20. Fille d’Esprit paid $6.20 and $3.80 after finishing in second, while third-place Time Limit paid $3.20.
Street Lute, running out of Post No. 1, finished fourth with Oxana placing fifth.
121st Dinner Party Stakes
Set Piece made a late push down the stretch to earn a victory in the Dinner Party Stakes (G2).
With a winning time of 1:41.64, Set Piece beat out second-place Tango Tango Tango and third-place Atone for his first win of the year and 10th for his career.
“He’s a good horse,” Cox said. “He’s a gelding, but our goal is definitely to try to get a Grade 1 win at some point in his career. I just think it would be neat for him and obviously for [owner] Juddmonte.”
Set Piece, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, paid $6.20, $4.20 and $2.80. Tango Tango Tango paid $7 and $4, while Atone paid $2.80.
The victory in the 1 1/16-mile race on turf came after Cox and Geroux won the 98th running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes with Insterstatedaydream on Friday.
47th Chick Lang Stakes
For a moment, it appeared Cogburn was going to win the Chick Lang Stakes (G3).
However, Lightening Larry lived up to his name, stealing first place in the 6-furlong race on a fast dirt track with a winning time of 1:09.86.
Lightening Larry, trained by Jorge Delgado and ridden by Chantal Sutherland, paid $26, $8.60 and $5.20. Runner-up Cogburn paid $4 and $3.20, while Chasing Time paid $4.60.
“I don’t know what happened,” Delgado said. “I’m just happy the horse won. Everything went very fast, but I could tell the horse broke his game.”
The victory marked Lightening Larry’s second of the year.
57th James W. Murphy Stakes
Joe, trained by Michael Trombetta and ridden by Victor Carrasco, won the James W. Murphy Stakes with a time of 1:35.26.
It was a tight finish, but Joe, a Maryland-bred colt, was able to edge out second-place finisher Ready to Purrform. Joe earned his third win in four races while paying $5.80, $2.80 and $2.20. Joe had 9-5 odds entering the mile-long turf race.
Ready to Purrform paid $2.80 and $2.20, while third-place Crabs N Beer paid $3.40.
Joe qualified for the Preakness, but owner Stuart Grant elected not to participate, saying, “Frankly, right now, I just don’t think he’s a Grade 1 horse. And I don’t want to, just for my own ego, throw him in a place where he doesn’t belong.”
24th Sir Barton Stakes
Ethereal Road won the Sir Barton Stakes with a time of 1:43.20.
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Luis Saez, Ethereal Road picked up his second win in five starts, paying out $5, $3 and $2.20. B Dawk finished second in the 1 1/16-mile race over a fast dirt track while paying $4.60 and $3.40. Third-place finisher Mr. Jefferson paid $3.60.
“He ran pretty nice,” Saez said. “The pace was perfect for him. It’s the style he likes to run-break and make one move. He finished really strong.”
Saez earned his second victory of the weekend, as he won the Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) with First Captain on Friday.
17th Jim McKay Turf Sprint
Carotari, running from post No. 2, won the 5-furlong Jim McKay Turf Sprint, the final race before the Preakness Stakes.
Carotari finished with a winning time of 56.20 while paying $4.80, $3.40 and $2.60. Smokin’ Jay placed second and paid $8.20 and $4.60. Third-place finisher Seven Scents paid $3.
Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Saez, Carotari earned his third straight win and ninth this year. The victory marked Saez’s second on Saturday.
147th Preakness Stakes
Early Voting, a favorite amongst politicians attending the race, won the Preakness Stakes (G1).
The victory came five years after trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman, who grew up a few blocks from Pimlico, won the race with Cloud Computing.
Early Voting, ridden by Jose Ortiz, edged out second-place Epicenter while Creative Minister came in third.
With a winning time of 1:54.54, Early Voting paid $13.40, $4.60 and $3.60 in the 1 3/16-mile race. Epicenter, a betting favorite, paid $2.80 and $2.40, while Creative Minister paid $4.20.
UAE President Cup
Hiab Al Zaman, trained by Lynn A. Ashby and ridden by J. Acosta, won the UAE President Cup for Arabian 4-year-olds and upward.
Hiab Al Zaman paid $5.80, $4 and $3.20 in the 1 1/16-mile race. Second-place Quick Sand AA paid $3.60 and $3.20, while Uptown Lady Arabella paid $5.20 after finishing third.
