The PIM Special – (Grade lll)

Purse $250.00 – For Three Year Olds And Upward

1 3/16 Miles – Dirt

Laurel Park – May 15, 2026

Now that all the madness from the Kentucky Derby is over, we quickly move to Preakness weekend, and it starts with a competitive Friday stakes card. The 18th running of The PIM Special is set to have eight colts and geldings compete over a niche distance of 1 3/16 miles on the dirt. This year’s edition adds a unique twist to the history books, as this stakes leaves Pimlico Racecourse for the first time ever and marks the first time in HRP history that the 1 3/16-mile distance will be contested over the Laurel Park surface. With the field having won over $17,000 in purse money combined, it’s no secret how hard it will be to separate these veteran runners. Over the years, no one has been more successful in The PIM Special than Mb Stables, who has five wins in this race. Z Cars etched his name into the record books in 2012 with a blistering 1:51.95, a stakes record that still doubles as the track record at Pimlico today. The weather should not be a factor this year, setting the scene for some quality racing. Let’s take a look at this year’s entrants!

1. Classic Look – (Nakamura Stables, R. Bejarano) The first of only two homebreds entered this year. This gelding has done his best running in non-graded stakes and allowance company over the past two years. He seemed to turn it up a notch six months ago, winning back-to-back graded stakes in the Harlan and San Pasqual. Connections then decided to stretch him out over the ⅛-mile distance, and it hasn’t exactly worked out. Classic Look tried going 1 3/16 miles last race and ended up running an even fourth. I will say that it was a wide trip and he now drew an inside post, which is guaranteed to save a lot of ground. This horse is easily capable of running a winning race, but it seems that his best running won’t come over ⅛ miles.

2. Gymnast – (Noblepark, Ar. Bocachica) The lone colt in the field and comes off a career high 100 SRF figure. After putting together, a strong three-year-old season that produced three victories and a pair of second-place finishes, Gymnast really proved himself against tough company. His top effort came in the Grade Three Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs, where he slipped through in the stretch and prevailed by a neck. Since turning four, the son of Great State has adopted a more patient running style, often settling farther off the pace early. He comes in here off a third place in the Ghostzapper Stakes at Oaklawn Park, where Gymnast closed two lengths in the stretch to finish third. Other horses look more attractive in this spot.

3. Frenchman – (Threshold, B. Curtis) A very successful $28.00 claim after winning two graded stakes last year. The son of Edge Of Darkness loved the sea air as he was the upset winner in both the San Diego Handicap and the Pacific Classic. In both starts, Frenchman gave his rivals a five-length head start before closing like a freight train down the lane. He punched his ticket to the Breeders Cup Classic, but wasn’t able to make an impact on the leaders. The SUN Stakes at ⅛ miles was his last start after a pair of allowance races and he ran fifth, beaten by six lengths. That’s not how you want to come into a race like this, especially with some heavy hitters drawn to his outside. All he needs are some quick fractions upfront.

4. Individuation – (Mb Stables, J R. Velazquez) The 2022 HRP Horse of the Year and 3-Year-Old Male. Not only that, but he has a jaw-dropping $8,565.62 in career earnings. This five-time Grade One winner is now seven years old and is still competing at the top level. His 2026 campaign has been interesting as he made an appearance on the free-track circuit in early January. It seemed like an entry to tighten up the screws as Individuation won by an easy three lengths. He lost a heartbreaker in the Santa Anita Handicap, where jockey Johnny Velazquez tried taking the field wire-to-wire and lost by a nose in the final strides. A similar trip in the OP Handicap last time out produced the same result. It would be cool to see this guy win again. My top pick.

5. Long Ride – (Williams9, S X. Bridgmohan) Lightly raced three-year-old with five lifetime starts. This son of Graveyard had three races and two wins with South Shore Stables before being sold for $70.00 to Williams9. His new connections took a shot in the Fountain of Youth trying to get Long Ride on the Derby trail, and it didn’t work out. He set the pace and was overtaken around the far turn to finish last. We last saw this gelding at Sunland Park in the Mine That Bird Derby. Long Ride was drawn wide and wasn’t quick enough to make the lead early. So, jockey Kelsi Purcell had him sitting off the pace and settled for an eighth-place finish. This Kentucky-bred does have some fast works, but he may be better suited for allowance races than graded stakes company right now.

6. Doc Rivers – (D J C Racing Stables, S. Elliott) The second homebred in this field and is searching for a second graded stakes win. This New York-bred had a productive two-year-old season, winning the Louisiana Derby after being in last place by eleven lengths. He then went to the Kentucky Derby and unfortunately caught an off-track. Since then, Doc Rivers has a state-bred stakes and allowance win under his belt. The last time we saw him was in the Pegasus World Cup and that big closing kick left him spinning his wheels in thirteenth place. This is another horse who could prove more competitive when dropping back into allowance company. One thing he has going for him though is the distance will not be a problem.

7. Energizer Party – (Robeth, L. Dettori) An interesting horse who may be rounding into form. Bought at auction for $11.12, Energizer Party struggled to find winning form until connections stretched him out to two turns. He won a N1Y claimer at Saratoga very easily and backed that up a few starts later with a win in an allowance. This son of King Party comes out of the New Orleans Classic, where he was a big longshot, but still ran a decent race. Energizer Party settled six lengths off of a slow pace and closed four-wide to finish fourth by two lengths. If he had been drawn any more to the inside, this six-year-old would have easily hit the board. The stretch out in distance for this start should help him and looks to be a live longshot.

8. Berlin – (The Sidley Stud, P. Lopez) It’s an unfortunate draw for this speedster, but he is the defending champion for this race. Berlin won The PIM Special last year in wire-to-wire fashion on a “good” track. He ended 2025 in the Breeders Cup Classic, fighting gallantly in the stretch to lose by a neck. He only has one win this year, and that was in the KY Cup Classic at Turfway Park. In a short field, there were no surprises as the connections sent him to the lead again and had no problems making every pole a winning one. There is no question a one-dimensional eight-year-old who runs his best when he’s in the clear. Berlin would be one of my top picks in here, but the outside post could make things tricky in trying to get an early position.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES