Tenfold Aims for Pimlico Special Repeat

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold will aim to repeat his success in the $250,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) Oct. 2 at Pimlico Race Course. The 5-year-old son of Curlin  has shown good form over the Baltimore track, finishing third in the 2018 Preakness Stakes (G1) before returning last year to take the Pimlico Special.

Tenfold will vie to become only the second two-time Pimlico Special winner after Hall of Famer Challedon captured back-to-back editions in 1939-40. In last year's race run at 1 1/4 miles, the Steve Asmussen trainee rallied from 12th, split horses, and got up for a neck victory. This year the event returns to 1 3/16 miles, the same distance of the Preakness. When running in the classic race at 3, Tenfold was beaten only three-quarters of a length by eventual Triple Crown winner Justify .

"The Preakness in the fog was one of the most exciting races I've ever witnessed," said Winchell racing and bloodstock manager David Fiske. "The fog added another layer of suspense, and to be that close to a Triple Crown winner. I don't think he was beaten more than a length." 

Tenfold has not won in nine starts since the Pimlico Special in May 2019 but earned another grade 1 placing two starts back when third in the June 6 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita Park. Most recently, he rallied to fourth in the Aug. 28 Charles Town Classic (G2) at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

Joe Bravo will pilot Tenfold from post 5.

"He worked well the other day and he's been training well. He's a big, pretty horse that's sound and always seems to be knocking on the door," Fiske said. "He always shows up. He always kind of teases us a little bit. He'll train well or he'll run a really nice race and then he doesn't back that up. But he keeps trying. We've had some interest of late from stallion farms since he's a Curlin and out of Tapit  mare, and he's a big, pretty thing that is sound and durable." 

Rupp Racing's Owendale enters the Pimlico Special in good from, having finishing second to By My Standards in the Sept. 4 Alysheba Stakes Presented by Sentient Jet (G2) at Churchill Downs. While the 4-year-old Into Mischief  colt stalked the pace in the Alysheba, earlier this season he rallied wide from 12th to win the May 23 Blame Stakes, also at Churchill. He also made a late run to close his 3-year-old season at Churchill with a second to Tom's d'Etat in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs.

A multiple graded stakes winner last season, Owendale finished third in the 2019 Preakness. Trained by Brad Cox, he will break from post 8 under John Velazquez.

Charles Town Classic runner-up Plus Que Parfait also comes back in the Pimlico Special, as do Harpers First Ride and Cordmaker, the respective first- and second-place finishers in the Sept. 5 Deputed Testamony Stakes at Laurel Park.

Entries: Pimlico Special S. (G3)

Pimlico Race Course, Friday, October 02, 2020, Race 11

• Grade III
• 1 3/16m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:23 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cordmaker (MD)	Victor R. Carrasco	122	Rodney Jenkins	8/1
2	2Monongahela (PA)	Sheldon Russell	122	Brittany Russell	15/1
3	3Plus Que Parfait (KY)	Martin Garcia	122	Brendan P. Walsh	12/1
4	4Someday Jones (PA)	Trevor McCarthy	122	John C. Servis	9/2
5	5Tenfold (KY)	Joe Bravo	122	Steven M. Asmussen	5/1
6	6Clubman (MD)	Julian Pimentel	122	Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon	20/1
7	7Forewarned (OH)	Daniel Centeno	122	Uriah St. Lewis	20/1
8	8Owendale (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Brad H. Cox	8/5
9	9Harpers First Ride (MD)	Angel Cruz	122	Claudio A. Gonzalez	5/1