Historic 1 3/16-Mile Event Preceded 101st Black-Eyed Susan (G2)
BALTIMORE – Turman Racing Stable and AJ Suited Racing Stable’s 6-year-old gelding Awesome Aaron, an ex-claimer not among the original 28 nominees, hooked up with Phileas Fogg in mid-stretch and edged clear approaching the wire for a thrilling three-quarter-length victory in Friday’s historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.
The 55th running of the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up was the fifth of six stakes, three graded, worth $1.05 million in purses on a sensational 14-race Black-Eyed Susan (G2) Day program, immediately preceding the 101st edition of the 1 1/8-mile fixture for 3-year-old fillies.
It was the first Pimlico Special victory for both Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and trainer Norm Casse, a son and former assistant of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
Velazquez settled Awesome Aaron in fourth racing in the clear three wide as 2024 Lexington (G3) winner Encino took the early initiative and led through a quarter-mile in 23.26 seconds. Phileas Fogg, coming off a resounding victory in the April 5 Excelsior at Aqueduct, provided mild pressure in second with 45-1 longshot Time for Trouble saving ground inside in third.
The top runners went unchanged after a half in 47.17 seconds, with 9-5 favorite Star of Wonder sticking a head in front of Awesome Aaron for fourth. Encino remained in front turning for home but Phileas Fogg quickly overtook the leader once straightened for home as Awesome Aaron geared up for his run on the far outside. Phileas Fogg dug in as Awesome Aaron moved up on even terms but was unable to resist the challenge.
Star of Wonder was third, 4 ¾ lengths back. San Siro, Cataleya Strike, Time for Trouble, Encino, Just Steel – who stumbled badly out of the gate – and Red Route One completed the order of finish. Pyrenees, the 8-5 program favorite, was scratched by trainer Cherie DeVaux after she was not pleased with how last year’s Pimlico Special winner exited a recent workout.
Awesome Aaron was making his 34th career start and seventh since being claimed for $40,000 out of a six-furlong claiming victory last September. The Pimlico Special was his fourth stakes attempt and second against graded company after running sixth in the 2023 A.G. Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga. In his most recent start, the $350,000 juvenile purchase of 2021 was a 5 ¾-length optional claiming winner April 12 at Oaklawn Park.
The Pimlico Special was created in 1937 by Alfred Vanderbilt, the master of Sagamore Farm, as the first major stakes in the United States set up as an invitational and was won by Triple Crown champion War Admiral. The following year, War Admiral was upset by Seabiscuit in what Sports Illustrated called the ‘Race of the Century.’
Revived in 1988 by late Maryland Jockey Club president Frank De Francis, the Special’s illustrious roster of winners also includes Triple Crown winners Whirlaway, Citation and Assault, and modern-day Horses of the Year Criminal Type, Cigar, Skip Away, Mineshaft and Invasor.
$250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) Quotes
Winning Trainer Norm Casse (Awesome Aaron) by Phone from Louisville — “Just from Day One since we got him, he acted like a really good horse. It was pretty obvious to me, basically right away, at some point we were going to stretch him out. That was working; he was running really well stretching out, but there was just something missing. So last time we just took the blinkers off, and that allowed him to settle just a little bit more, let him finish a little bit better. And he beat a quality field of horses at Oaklawn that day.
“I knew he was going to run really well today, especially stretching out even a little more. So, we expected to go over there and run really well. And we did. Johnny rode him perfect. It’s truly a gratifying win. That’s a big-time race that anybody would like to win, so we’re very proud of that.”
(About the claim for $40,000): “Justin Nicholson (of co-owner AJ Suited Racing) has been a big support of us from Day One. He’s the one who finds the claims. He does a very good job. He liked the horse. The horse was on his radar for a long time. When they dropped him in at a price we thought was reasonable, we took him.”
(Could point for Churchill Downs’ Stephen Foster (G1) in June. I think that makes a lot of sense. We don’t know how good he could be, but that seems like the next rational step.”
(Why he wasn’t at Pimlico): “Gabby (wife Gabby Gaudet, a FanDuel TV analyst) is over at Pimlico so I had to stay home with the kids this weekend.”
Winning Jockey John Velazquez (Awesome Aaron) — “He came out running good. But I didn’t take any hold of him, and I know those two horses have some speed. Texting back and forth with Norm (Casse) this morning, I said I don’t want to take away from what he’s doing easy. But I’m going to let him go to the first turn and see where he is and leave him alone. If he’s second or third, just let him be comfortable. He did that all the way around and he put in a really good fight in the lane. The horse (Phileas Fogg) came out and kind of bumped him a couple of times, but he still went by him. I knew I was catching him. The problem was when he started coming out and he started bumping, I was a little bit worried. Once I got head and head, he went on past him.”
Trainer Gustavo Rodriguez (Phileas Fogg, 2nd) – “Right from the start, I did not like that he was kind of switching leads back and forth. Kendrick (Carmouche) said he ran very well. In my opinion, I think the track was too small for him. The sharp turns, maybe. But I am just guessing. He got beat but he ran a big race. I did not like that the track was sealed, but it is what it is. We ran second and I thought he ran good, but we got beat.”
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche (Phileas Fogg, 2nd) – “We had a perfect trip, we just got run down late. I don’t have any excuse. He gave me a 1,000% the whole way. It just wasn’t our day today. Got to give gratitude to the horse. He ran awesome and did everything he could.”
Trainer Brad Cox (Star of Wonder 3rd and pacesetter Encino) – “There was a good bit of pace, and [Encino] did take control of the race and kind of cleared off going under the wire the first time. It was just a little too much for him and didn’t finish up quite as well as we were hoping.
“The other horse (Star of Wonder), he stayed on, steady run, kind of came under a ride coming out of the far turn there. Stayed on, he picked up a placing, so that was good. He ran well.”
Jockey Flavien Prat (Star of Wonder, 3rd) – “Broke good and traveled well. We had a really good trip. No excuses.”