Prado back where it all started

Edgar Prado first made a name for himself in Maryland more than two decades ago. The Hall of Fame rider recently moved his tack back to the circuit full time and is looking to build on that success here through Preakness weekend.

Prado has ridden a pair of winners through the first four days of the Pimlico meet, which began May 12. He was named on 13 horses during the meet’s marquee cards Friday and Saturday, with a pair of graded stakes mounts – Tiger Ride, cross-entered in Friday’s Grade 3 Allaire duPont Distaff and Saturday’s Grade 3 Gallorette, and Take the Stand in Saturday’s Grade 2 Dixie Stakes. He also has mounts aboard La Piba in Friday’s Hilltop Stakes and Gone Local in Saturday’s Sir Barton Stakes.

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“It feels great to be back on the grounds where I started a long time ago,” Prado said. “Don’t get me wrong, every time you win, it counts. But today, it is very special because it has been 17 years since I rode here full time. I have a lot of good memories.”

Prado dominated Maryland racing for nearly a decade, winning 24 riding titles at Pimlico and Laurel from 1991 to 1999 before moving his tack to New York. He spent the last 18 months based in south Florida.

Prado has experienced a resurgence of sorts, with victories in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint aboard champion Runhappy and the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic aboard Divisidero.