Harpers First Ride represents home state in Pimlico Special

Several Maryland-breds, including defending winner Harpers First Ride, will fly the flag for their home state in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on Friday.

Harpers First Ride won the Deputed Testamony last year at Laurel to propel him into the Pimlico Special, which he won last October. He concluded a fine season in his home state by finishing second in the Maryland Million Classic before winning two more stakes at Laurel.

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Owner and trainer Claudio Gonzalez sold Harpers First Ride prior to the horse finishing 12th in January’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational. After a brief freshening, he returned to action at the recently concluded Oaklawn Park meeting for GTMP Stables, Arnold Bennewith, and Cypress Creek Equine and trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Cordmarker has finished third in consecutive editions of the Pimlico Special for Hillwood Stable, and is back again on Friday. He is a four-time stakes winner at Laurel, including winning the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial in his most recent start.

Alwaysmining won five straight stakes at Laurel early in his career to earn him a shot in the 2019 Preakness Stakes, in which he was 11th. He added two more stakes wins at Laurel last year.

Other Maryland-breds entered in stakes on Friday at Pimlico are Another Broad in the Grade 3 Allaire duPont Distaff; Juror Number Four and Street Lute in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness; Buff’s in Love, Can the Queen, Dendrobia, and Epic Idea in the The Very One; and Double Fireball, Proper Attire, and Speed Lane in the Hilltop.

Saturday on the Preakness undercard, Maryland-breds entered in stakes are Laki in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint; Hemp and Jaxon Traveler in the Grade 3 Chick Lang; Dream Big Dreams in the Sir Barton; Jammer, Love You Much, and So Street in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint; Reassured in the James Murphy; and Never Enough Time and Paisley Singing in the Skipat.