Horsemen Ready for Return of Fall Racing at Pimlico

When Kieron Magee first came to Maryland four decades ago to gallop horses for Dale Capuano, then the state's dominant trainer, fall racing meant a return to historic Pimlico Race Course.

Training on his own since 2007 and closing in on 1,000 career wins, Magee has that familiar feeling again as live racing shifts to Old Hilltop this weekend for its first regularly scheduled fall stand in nearly two decades.

"It's been my home for 40 years. I love it," said Magee, who is based year-round at Pimlico. "For years we always had a fall meet at Pimlico. It's taken a while for things to come back around, but I'm so glad it's finally here again."

Starting Sept. 9, Pimlico will host a nine-day fall meet that runs through Sept. 25 with racing every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Post time will be 12:40 p.m. ET

A total of eight stakes worth $875,000 in purses will be offered, starting with a Sept. 10 quartet led by the $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G3T), expected to draw millionaire Field Pass  and fellow multiple graded stakes winner Set Piece  as well as group 2-winning European import Pao Alto .

Best known as the home of the Preakness Stakes (G1), the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, and the second-oldest racetrack in the country behind Saratoga Race Course, Pimlico conducted racing for six days from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3, 2020, when its Preakness Meet was moved from its usual May spot on the calendar amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"I've always liked Pimlico. Even when I was stabled at Bowie and then moved over to Laurel, I've always liked it. Pimlico has always been good to me. I've always had decent luck there," Capuano said. "I like it because it's not as big a track as Laurel so when you're watching the races you're able to see more and you're closer to the action. You're more involved with it. The real large tracks, you're just removed from the action. At Pimlico, you're on top of it and to me that's always been a good thing. It's just a nice change."

"Everybody knows the name Pimlico and the history there. Even if you're not into horse racing, everybody knows Pimlico. When I heard (the fall meet) was going to happen I was thrilled," Magee said. "I'm very excited. Hopefully it's the first of many."

Magee, who has 925 career wins, entered two horses on Friday's nine-race program, Dat Dares Gold  and Welling . Mark Moshe's Dat Dares Gold, an 8-year-old mare with 12 career wins, drew outermost post 6 in Race 4, a six-furlong starter allowance for fillies and mares 3 and older. Neal Berch's Welling, a gelded 6-year-old son of Hall of Famer Curlin  , will break from the rail as the co-126-pound topweight in Race 8, a 1 1/16-mile allowance for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and up.

Trainer Graham Motion also will have starters on Friday's opening day. A winner of more than 2,600 career races including the 2011 Kentucky Derby (G1) with Animal Kingdom and four Breeders' Cup races, the 58-year-old Motion has been based in Maryland since launching his career in 1993 following the retirement of his mentor, Bernard Bond.

"My Maryland roots started at Pimlico with Bernie Bond, so it's kind of always a bit of a homecoming coming back," Motion said. "It will be a unique meet and we're looking forward to it."

The BWI Turf Cup (G3T) for 3-year-olds and up going one mile is joined on Saturday's program by the $100,000 All Along for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/8 miles, also carded for the grass headlined by grade 2 winner Plum Ali , and a pair of six-furlong dirt sprints: the $100,000 Lite the Fuse for 3-year-olds and up featuring grade 3-winning Maryland-bred Jaxon Traveler  and $100,000 Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and older that have not won an open sweepstakes.

Closing weekend of Pimlico's fall stand will feature four stakes Sept. 24 led by the $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles and $100,000 Weather Vane for 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs. There will also be a pair of five-furlong turf sprints: the $100,000 Laurel Dash for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares 3 and older.