Wednesday, May 14, 2014
THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND
Historic Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes and second oldest racetrack in the nation behind Saratoga, opened its doors on October 25, 1870. Pimlico has hosted many racing icons for over a century; legendary horses such as Man o’ War, Sir Barton, Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Citation, Secretariat and Cigar have thundered down her stretch in thrilling and memorable competition.
Pimlico was ultimately the result of an interesting dinner party proposition made by Maryland’s then Governor, Oden Bowie. In Saratoga, New York in 1868 Bowie and his friends, prominent racing figures, agreed to race horses that were then just yearlings in two years time to commemorate the evening. The winner would host the losers for dinner. Saratoga and the American Jockey Club bid for the event, but Governor Bowie pledged he would build a model racetrack in his home state if the race were to be run in Baltimore. And so, Pimlico was built.
It is with great pleasure that one of our offsprings who ran in the 140th Kentucky Derby race will also be running in the 139th Preakness Steaks. General A Rod by Roman Ruler out of Dynamite Eyes; named for his original owner, J. Armando Rodriguez, General a Rod finished off the board for the first time in six career starts when he ran 11th of 19 in the Kentucky Derby on May 3. A son of multiple graded stakes winner Roman Ruler, General a Rod won or was second in each of his first four career starts. He debuted with a 2 ¾-length maiden victory at Keeneland last October, then was second in one-mile allowance at Churchill Downs. In his 3-year-old debut, General a Rod outfought multiple graded stakes winner Wildcat Red down the stretch to capture the Gulfstream Park Derby by a head on Jan. 1. The two horses hooked up again six weeks later in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, reprising their stretch duel with General a Rod falling a head short at the wire. Prior to the Kentucky Derby, General a Rod finished third, less than 1 ½ lengths behind Constitution in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, more than two lengths ahead of the heavy favorite, multiple Grade 2 winner Cairo Prince. Jockey Javier Castellano, who was second on General a Rod in the Gulfstream Park Derby, gets the return call.