Irish War Cry likely for Pimlico Special

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though nominated to Saturday’s Grade 3 Westchester here, Irish War Cry will likely pass that race and point to the Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special on May 18, trainer Graham Motion said.

Irish War Cry, winner of last year’s Wood Memorial and runner-up in the Belmont Stakes, finished last of six in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile on March 31. Motion said that Irish War Cry came out of that race with a case of the thumps, an electrolyte imbalance.

Motion said that while he will keep an eye on the Westchester – which is expected to be the seasonal debut for Preakness winner Cloud Computing – the Pimlico Special is more likely.

“Giving him a little longer time might help him,” Motion said.

On April 21, Irish War Cry worked six furlongs in 1:14.60 at Fair Hill. He was expected to work again over the weekend.

Motion, who said he plans to begin setting his Belmont Park stable this coming week, will have some stakes action next weekend here.

Spring Quality, who upset last November’s Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct at odds of 12-1, will run in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Fort Marcy.

Motion said that Lottie, who has not run since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup last November, could be supplemented to the Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay.

Aqueduct backstretch to close

As has been the case for the last several years, the Aqueduct backstretch will close for four months with the last day of training scheduled for Tuesday.

Horsemen who have been based at Aqueduct will move their stables to either Belmont Park or Saratoga.

During this time, Aqueduct’s inner turf course will undergo a renovation, complete with new drainage and irrigation systems, according to Martin Panza, senior director of racing operations for NYRA.