Preakness: Abiding Star Needs Quarantine Lift

Connections of a new runner have thrown their hat into the ring for the May 21 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), but they'll need a quarantine lifted to get their shot.

Dual stakes winner Abiding Star—who has won his past five races in a row—is based at Parx Racing, which has been quarantined since April 1 because of equine herpesvirus. One barn is waiting for the all-clear, with several horses scheduled to be tested for the herpesvirus May 16.

The quarantine could lifted as soon as May 17, and if it is, trainer Ned Allard plans on running Abiding Star in the Preakness. He'll also have Tom Fool Handicap (gr. II) runner-up Always Sunshine for the Maryland Sprint (gr. III). 

"From everything I gather from the vets and trainers in that barn, they all feel quite confident (the quarantine lift) is going to happen," Allard said. "Pimlico has made some special arrangements for us to be able to go there. It remains to be seen what kind of horse Abiding Star could actually be. He's more than worthy of a shot."

Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra confirmed May 14 that Pimlico Race Course is prepared to take special precautions to accept the Parx-based horses, both of which never showed signs of illness during the quarantine. Abiding Star won the May 7 Parx Derby against runners based at Parx (horses have not been allowed to ship in or out of the Pennsylvania track due to the quarantine) last time out, and Always Sunshine could be the favorite for his race.

"If it does get lifted, we're putting up a temp barn with a couple of stalls for him, clear from the Preakness and stakes horses," Sinatra said. "We asked him to make special arrangements to train at 5 a.m., before other horses come out onto the track. We want to make sure everything is 100 percent safe for everyone stabled at Pimlico."

Sinatra said the isolation stalls are located on the Pimlico backstrech far from the stakes barns, on the side of Barn 1. With Preakness contenders required to be on the grounds at Pimlico by noon May 19, Allard said he would ship in that morning. 

After winning the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park March 12, Allard and breeder Gilbert Campbell of Stonehedge Farm supplemented Abiding Star as a $6,000 late nomination to the Triple Crown. They planned to run in the April 9 Federico Tesio with a "Win and You're In" berth to the Preakness on the line, but got caught in the quarantine and had to stay at Parx instead. There, Abiding Star won an April 12 allowance going a mile and 70 yards by 8 3/4 lengths against three others, and took the Parx Derby wire-to-wire at the same distance to beat four rivals by 1 3/4 lengths.

"The horse came out of the Derby a monster; he came out of it super," Allard said. "I haven't met Mohammed Ali yet with this horse. We've beaten everybody led to him this year, and he seems to get a little better with every start. It remains to be seen what kind of horse he could actually be."

Allard said Abiding Star would train at Pimlico the morning of May 20 only. He would walk and run May 21, with jockey J.D. Acosta named to ride.

Pimlico will also accept other Parx-based horses for its May 20 and May 21 cards, but those runners will be required to ship in on raceday only. Entries are taken for the May 20 card May 15, while the May 21 card draws May 18. Parx horses entered will be scratched if the quarantine is not lifted.

"There's only one barn quarantined and there haven't been any sick horses anywhere else on the grounds," Allard said. "I understand the caution, but by the same token if the quarantine is lifted, I think that speaks for itself ... when it's under control and gone, it's under control and gone."