Coming off his upset in the Kentucky Derby-G1 two weeks earlier, I’ll Have Another sat at 3-1 as the second choice behind Virginia-bred Bodemeister in the Preakness Stakes-G1 at Pimlico. Owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O’Neill, the Derby winner caught the favorite in the stretch to prevail by a neck. Writers Joe and Sean Clancy followed O’Neill back to the Pimlico barn beforehand, watched with assistant Jack Sisterson and otherwise caught the whole story as I’ll Have Another won the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
The son of Flower Alley never got his chance at history as he was scratched before the Belmont Stakes-G1 and never raced again. He stood at stud in Japan for several years, and returned to California as a stallion for the 2019 season. He stands at Ocean Breeze Ranch in Bonsal, Calif.
- The historic Pimlico Special returned after a three-year hiatus and was won by Pin Oak Stud’s fifth-generation homebred Alternation. Although the former Grade 1 race was now a Grade 3, it held special meaning to the winning connections. “For us and for Mrs. [Josephine] Abercrombie, it’s really special. She cares so much about her horses and this sport. It’s a very prestigious race, a great race to win, a huge thing for us,” said Pin Oak’s general manager Clifford Barry.
- Mid-Atlantic-based Rapid Redux was retired to Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement center in Georgetown, Ky. Rapid Redux started his winning streak in December 2010 for owner Robert Cole by capturing an $8,000 claimer at Penn National. From there, he was unbeatable everywhere from Penn, Parx Racing, Laurel Park, Timonium, Charles Town, Mountaineer, Thistledown and the 22nd consecutive victory in a starter allowance at Laurel Park Jan. 4, 2012. The son of Pleasantly Perfect set a modern-day record for consecutive wins, breaking the mark of 19 held by Peppers Pride and 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta.
- Jim Lewis, the first president of Maryland Million Ltd. and past president of MHBA, died of a heart attack at age 72. Lewis bred and/or campaigned prominent runners in the region, including Maybellene, winner of the Test-G2 in 1974, multiple stakes winner Swift Attraction, graded winner and stakes-producer Heartful and graded winner Duckhorn. Less than a week before his death Shine for Me, a fourth-generation homebred and full-sister to stakes winner Gonna Dash, got her second career win in allowance company.
