| Class: | Grade III |
| Horse Race: | Pimlico Special |
| Location: | Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Inaugurated: | 1937 |
| Race Type: | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Distance: | miles (furlongs) |
| Surface: | Dirt |
| Track: | left-handed |
| Qualification: | 3-years-old & Up |
| Weight: | Assigned |
| Purse: | $250,000 (2024) |
The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles (furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $250,000.[1]
The Pimlico Special was first run in 1937 and was won by that year's U.S. Triple Crown winner War Admiral who went on to be voted the American Horse of the Year. In 1938, the Pimlico Special was host to one of American racing's most historic moments when Seabiscuit defeated War Admiral in a much anticipated match race. That race was covered by almost every major newspaper, magazine and radio station of the time.[2]
Discontinued after 1958, the race was revived as a handicap event in 1988 and made a graded stakes race one year later in 1989. The race was not eligible for grading in 2011 because it had not been run the previous two years.[3]
Eighteen Pimlico Special winners have gone on to win a Championship for Horse of the Year or an Eclipse Award as the best horse in their divisions. The latest was Invasor in 2006; others include Mineshaft, Real Quiet, Skip Away, Cigar, Criminal Type, Blushing John, Tom Fool, Capot, Citation, Assault, Armed, Twilight Tear, Whirlaway, Market Wise, Challedon, Seabiscuit and War Admiral.[4]
The Pimlico track record for miles is held by Farma Way who ran the distance in 1:52 2/5 while capturing the 1991 Pimlico Special.
Speed record:
Most wins by a horse:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | First Captain | 4 | Luis Saez | Claude R. McGaughey III | Bobby Flay, Woodford Racing, Siena Farm, & West Point Thoroughbreds | 1:56.24 | $250,000 | III | ||
| 2021 | Last Judgment | 5 | Jose L. Ortiz | Michael J. Maker | Bethlehem Stables | 1:54.37 | $250,000 | III | ||
| 2020 | Harpers First Ride | 4 | Angel Cruz | Claudio A. Gonzalez | MCA Racing Stable LLC | 1:54.97 | $250,000 | III | ||
| 2019 | Tenfold | 4 | Ricardo Santana | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds | 2:02.36 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2018 | Irish War Cry | 4 | José Ortiz | H. Graham Motion | Isabelle de Tomaso | 1:55.51 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2017 | Shaman Ghost | 5 | Javier Castellano | Jimmy Jerkens | Stronach Stables | 1:54.55 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2016 | Noble Bird | 5 | Julien Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1:55.18 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2015 | Commissioner | 5 | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | WinStar Farm | 1:56.09 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2014 | Revolutionary | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Todd Pletcher | WinStar Farm | 1:55.99 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2013 | Last Gunfighter | 4 | Javier Castellano | Chad Brown | John D. Gunther | 1:58.50 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2012 | Alternation | 4 | Luis Quinonez | Donnie K. Von Hemel | Pin Oak Stable | 1:57.60 | $300,000 | III | ||
| 2009 - 11 | align=center colspan=9 | Race not held | ||||||||
| 2008 | Student Council | 6 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steve Asmussen | Millennium Farms | 1:54.87 | $250,000 | I | ||
| 2007 | align=center colspan=9 | Race not held | ||||||||
| 2006 | Invasor | 4 | Kiaran McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable | 1:54.40 | $500,000 | I | |||
| 2005 | Eddington | 4 | Mark A. Hennig | Willmott Stables | 1:58.05 | $500,000 | I | |||
| 2004 | Southern Image | 4 | Michael Machowsky | Blahut Stables | 1:55.89 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 2003 | Mineshaft | 4 | Neil J. Howard | Farish/Webber/Elkins | 1:56.16 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 2002 | align=center colspan=9 | Race not held | ||||||||
| 2001 | Include | 4 | Bud Delp | Brereton C. Jones | 1:55.61 | $750,000 | I | |||
| 2000 | Golden Missile | 5 | Joe Orseno | Frank Stronach | 1:54.65 | $750,000 | I | |||
| 1999 | Real Quiet | 4 | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1:54.31 | $750,000 | I | |||
| 1998 | Skip Away | 5 | Sonny Hine | Carolyn Hine | 1:54.20 | $750,000 | I | |||
| 1997 | Gentlemen | 5 | Richard Mandella | Randall Dee Hubbard | 1:53.03 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 1996 | Star Standard | 4 | Nick Zito | William Condren | 1:54.40 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 1995 | Cigar | 5 | William I. Mott | Allen E. Paulson | 1:53.60 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 1994 | As Indicated | 4 | Richard Schosberg | Heatherwood Farm | 1:55.00 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 1993 | Devil His Due | 4 | H. Allen Jerkens | Edith LiButti | 1:55.40 | $600,000 | I | |||
| 1992 | Strike the Gold | 4 | Nick Zito | BCC Stable | 1:54.80 | $700,000 | I | |||
| 1991 | Farma Way | 4 | D. Wayne Lukas | Quarter B Farm | 1:52.40 | $750,000 | I | |||
| 1990 | Criminal Type | 5 | José A. Santos | D. Wayne Lukas | Calumet/J. K. Arnemann | 1:53.00 | $1,000,000 | I | ||
| 1989 | Blushing John | 4 | Richard J. Lundy | Allen E. Paulson | 1:53.20 | $700,000 | II | |||
| 1988 | Bet Twice | 4 | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Blanche P. Levy | 1:54.20 | $710,000 | ||||
| 1959 - 87 | align=center colspan=9 | Race not held | ||||||||
| 1958 | Vertex | 4 | Joseph F. Piarulli | J. J. Brunetti/F. A. Piarulli | 2:00.60 | $60,000 | ||||
| 1957 | Promised Land | 3 | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs | 1:57.40 | $60,000 | ||||
| 1956 | Summer Tan | 4 | Sherrill W. Ward | Mrs. J. W. Galbreath | 1:56.60 | $60,000 | ||||
| 1955 | Sailor II | 3 | Preston M. Burch | Isabel Dodge Sloane | 1:57.60 | $66,500 | ||||
| 1954 | Helioscope | ‡3 | Howard Hausner | William G. Helis Jr. | 1:59.00 | $60,000 | ||||
| 1953 | Tom Fool | 4 | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1:55.80 | $50,000 | ||||
| 1952 | General Staff | 4 | Jimmy McGee | Larry MacPhail | 1:57.40 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1951 | Bryan G. | 4 | Casey Hayes | Meadow Stable | 1:57.40 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1950 | One Hitter | 4 | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1:58.60 | $25,000 | |||
| 1949 | Capot | 4 | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 1:56.80 | $25,000 | ||||
| 1948 | 3 | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:59.80 | $25,000 | |||||
| 1947 | Fervent | 3 | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:58.40 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1946 | Assault | 3 | Max Hirsch | King Ranch | 1:57.00 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1945 | Armed | 4 | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:58.80 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1944 | Twilight Tear | 3 | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 1:56.60 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1943 | Shut Out | 4 | John M. Gaver Sr. | Greentree Stable | 2:00.20 | $41,500 | ||||
| 1942 | 4 | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm | 2:00.40 | $16,500 | |||||
| 1941 | Market Wise | 3 | George W. Carroll | Louis Tufano | 1:58.80 | $16,500 | ||||
| 1940 | Challedon | 4 | Don Cameron | Branncastle Farm | 2:03.20 | $16,500 | ||||
| 1939 | Challedon | 3 | Louis Schaefer | Branncastle Farm | 1:59.00 | $16,500 | ||||
| 1938 | Seabiscuit | 5 | Tom Smith | Charles S. Howard | 1:56.60 | $25,000 | ||||
| 1937 | War Admiral | ‡3 | Charley Kurtsinger | George Conway | Glen Riddle Farm | 1:58.80 | $10,000 |