Very Weak Pimlico Special

[HR LLC]

I know all you Funny Cide fans my jump on me for saying this but this is his first race back since the Breeders Cup.

This is not a grade 1 field. This would be a decent Grade 2 race.

The field for the Pimlico Special, in post position order, with weights and jockeys:
1 -- Badge of Silver, 118, Jerry Bailey
2 -- Funny Cide, 120, Jose Santos
3 -- Second of June, 115, Cornelio Velasquez
4 -- Pollard's Vision, 117, John Velazquez
5 -- Eddington, 116, Eibar Coa
6 -- Presidentialaffair, 115, Stewart Elliott
7 -- Eurosilver, 114, Javier Castellano
8 -- Grand Reward, 113, Gary Stevens
9 -- Offlee Wild, 118, Edgar Prado

[chicago78]

I wouldn't say that at all. Badge of Silver, Grand Reward, Pollard's Vision and Eddington are pretty solid horses. And the local horse, Presidential Affair is running good, so I think it should be a good race. Not to mention Funny Cide running well over the track and distance two years ago. None of the horses that ran in Dubai can run here, so there aren't as many horses to choose from. It's too bad that Saint Liam isn't running, but it's not a bad field at all.

[Final Voyage]

A couple of years ago i saw Offlee Wild compete in the Blue Grass Stakes. I understand he's changed trainers from TV Smith to somebody else now, but i still like this horse.
I heard Funnycide has had some strong showings as of late and is a good fit for this race. Course i liked Pollard's Vision too as this one-eyed wonder made some headlines.

[Coquinerie]

Now, I dont think its a weak field at all. I think its a very contentious field with many of the horses running on the upswing this year. You're probably looking at the meat and potatoes of the handicap division this year.

Badge of Silver is a talented horse. Grand Reward is also extremely talented and can wire this field if they let him. Pollard's Vision is a favorite of mine because he makes my filly Coquinerie's page look better and better but he's also a dangerous horse in any race. Second of June has shown guts this year and Eddington has been a nice graded winner as well.

[Ill-bred]

I think it's a pretty nice field!

Offlee Wild looked fabulous in his last win.

Badge of Silver should show better than his last at Hawthorne when he was maybe a little short and got cooked on the pace.

Not a Funny Cide fan but I read somewhere that he's looking good for the 2005 campaign.

I'd like to see Eddington on the grass again....

[kimberley mine]

Going post by post:

1 -- Badge of Silver G2, G1-placed
2 -- Funny Cide: Champion, G1
3 -- Second of June G3, G2-placed
4 -- Pollard's Vision G2
5 -- Eddington G2, multiple G1-placed
6 -- Presidentialaffair G3, likes a route of ground, and on his home track
7 -- Eurosilver G2
8 -- Grand Reward G2
9 -- Offlee Wild G2

This is a good, tight bunch. I think it will be an exciting race--and I am split between Badge of Silver and Offlee Wild. BoS is a speedster in the one hole, and Offlee Wild is consistent and is running at Pimlico with Edgar Prado on board.

[roving boy]

Eurosilver was a serious 3 year old and was impressive last out...may be the real deal!

[HR LLC]

I still think this is a weak 2005 Pimlico Special and and the 2004 race was only slighly better than this IMO. Southern Image at the time was thought of as the next great horse coming in on a very good race streak with 2 grade 1 wins in 2004.

That 2004 field had Bowmans Band, Midway Road,Ole Faunty,Evening Attire & Dynever. Not great horses but they all ran credible races in 2004.

I think the 2003 Special was won by Mineshaft.

I dont think anyone in the 2005 race will be confused with Mineshaft or Southern Image for that matter.

I guess the lack of "starpower" in this race is my main concern about the validity of this grade 1.

[roving boy]

While no one in the race may be confused with Mineshaft right now (except maybe Funny Cide), remember that Mineshaft went into the Pimlico Special as a Grade 2 winner against a suspect field (Olmodavor? Bonapaw?Balto Star?Booklet?) in the New Orleans Handicap. The Special may have been the race that "made" him.

So look forward, not backward - the winner may be one of the top handicap horses of 2005.

[FOS]

hi guys

I suggest don't sell Second of June short...he's a VERY game horse that has a couple of screws in his leg as a result of a fracture sustained in the 2004 Fountain of Youth.

Very few can come back (at this level) after such an injury...but he's a tenacious competitor with a HUGE heart and a lot of talent.

Respectfully

[chicago78]

I think there are 12 grade 1 races on dirt for older horses going a mile or over. I'd say just on paper and prestige, the Pimlico Special is probably the "least" of the grade 1's. That said, it's still a tough race, and probably shouldn't be downgraded in the next few years. Also, it's hurt by when it shows up, because the horses that ran in Dubai are still recuperating, and the Met Mile is next weekend, and that's a bigger pot and a much better race. A bunch of races that were grade 1's in the 90's have been downgraded, including the Strub, Gulfstream Park Handicap, Oaklawn Handicap, and Brooklyn Handicap, so the commitee may look at this one in the future.


Donn Handicap, $500,000
Santa Anita Handicap, $1,000,000
Dubai World Cup, $6,000,000
Pimlico Special, $500,00
Met Mile, $750,000
Stephen Foster Handicap, $750,000
Suburban Handicap, $500,000---i think this one was upgraded this year
Hollywood Gold Cup, $750,000
Whitney Handicap, $750,000
Pacific Classic, $1,000,000
Woodward, $500,000
Jockey Club Gold Cup, 1,000,000
Breeders Cup Classic, $4,000,000

Also, there are five sprint races that are grade 1, the Triple Bend ($350,000) at Del Mar, the Forego ($250,000) at Saratoga, Vosburgh at Belmont, ($500,000) the Ancient Title at Santa Anita, ($250,000) and the BC Sprint.

[Mahubah]

Eddington wins -- nice hit for Claiborne since they recently picked up the breeding rights.

[StrawberryFelidos]

Wow, Eddington is a BIG horse... I mean physically looks HUGE. Never noticed that until I saw the groom walking the horse away and the guy looked like a midget compared to Ed.
The new, not quite as efficient but still successful, Big Red Train
PS: Poor Funny Cide, that didn't go well at all for him

[HR LLC]

The track was sloppy so Eddington beat a very bad grade 1 group. 1:58 is 3 seconds slower than last years race.

It proves my point about this field especially the way Funny Cide was laboring in this race.

[roving boy]

I am stunned that Eddington won (would not have been surprised if he had placed), but maybe the surface moved him up.

For reasons of track condition, I also do not believe the time proves HR LLC's point at all. I think this was a good field that ran on a bad surface.