Two Todd Pletcher-trained stakes winners at Oaklawn and a veteran Arkansas-owned horse are among the nine older campaigners in today's Grade 3 $300,000 Pimlico Special on Preakness Eve.
Hedge Fund and One Liner are separate 7-2 early second choices, Hedge Fund winning Oaklawn's Essex Handicap in March and One Liner the track's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes last year. Irish War Cry, winless in six starts since last year's Grade 2 Wood Memorial, is the early 3-1 favorite from the rail post with Jose Ortiz riding for trainer Graham Motion.
Hedge Fund, with Mike Smith named aboard, has not raced since placing 10th in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap April 14, the Super Saver colt's third start as a 4-year-old. One Liner won a Keeneland allowance/optional claimer April 21 in both his second start as a 4-year-old and since winning the Southwest 14 months earlier. Hedge Fund carries 122 pounds from post five and One Liner, with Luis Saez, 118 from post two.
Though only 2-for-15 lifetime, Untrapped enters the Pimlico Special off four consecutive stakes placings at Oaklawn. Fourth in January's Fifth Season and February's Grade 3 Razorback Handicap, Untrapped finished second in the Essex and ran third behind two West Coast stars in the Oaklawn Handicap.
Mike Langford of Jonesboro owns Untrapped, whose biggest victory came last September in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park. Ricardo Santana Jr. rides the Trappe Shot colt for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, breaking from outside post nine under 118 pounds and listed at 10-1 on the morning line.
Canadian-bred Something Awesome is the 124-pound high weight from post eight off three consecutive stakes victories in his 7-year-old season. The Awesome Again colt became a millionaire in the April 21 Grade 3 Charles Town Classic in West Virginia. Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, fresh off his 7,000th career victory, rides for trainer Jose Corrales.
* One Liner, a son of Into Mischief-Cayala, has a full brother, Trivista, owned by Staton Flurry of Hot Springs. Trivista, named for the Hot Springs subdivision, is preparing for his 2-year-old debut under trainer Brad Cox and, said Flurry, "I hope he's in the Preakness next year."
Sports on 05/18/2018