Yo Daddy pointed toward Pimlico Special off Excelsior win
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Yo Daddy, winner of the Excelsior Stakes on April 4, will be pointed to the Grade 3, $250,000 Pimlico Special on May 15 at Laurel Park, trainer Linda Rice said this week.
Last year, at this time, Yo Daddy was competing in one-turn mile races, winning two before finishing fifth in the Stymie and third in the Grade 3 Westchester. The timing of this year’s Westchester (May 9) makes sense, but Rice said she would like to keep Yo Daddy racing longer distances this year.
“We’re going to look at the Westchester, but I don’t feel a flat mile is ideally his best distance,” Rice said. “I discussed with Steve Sigler of Winning Move taking him to the Pimlico Special, which is a mile and three-sixteenths around two turns at Laurel, so I think that’s where we’ll point him next.”
Rice said the Pimlico Special could be a stepping-stone to the Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban, a 1 1/4-mile race on July 4.
Rice sent out four winners on the April 4 card, including Munnings Express and Porosity, both of whom won allowance races. Munnings Express, a 4-year-old New York-bred filly, won an open first-level allowance, with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure, and could be pointed to a second-level allowance.
Porosity, a Kentucky-bred son of Maclean’s Music, won a second-level allowance by a half-length – his third straight victory – earning a 96 Beyer.
“He’s run some pretty fast races, and I think he needs a little time between races,” Rice said.
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