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Handicap Division – Road to the BC Classic - Dirt Routes for older males
In the only Grade 1 race of the month, INVASOR (ARG) made is his first U.S. start a winning one by captured the Pimlico Special over WANDERIN BOY and HARLINGTON.
After winning two graded sprints earlier in the year, SURF CAT stretched out to win the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth.
May 13 HOL Mervyn Leroy Handicap - G2 - 1 1/16 FT - SURF CAT
May 19 PIM Pimlico Special - G1 - 1 3/16 FT - INVASOR (ARG)
May 20 PIM William Donald Schaefer Handicap - G3 - 1 1/8 FT - MASTER COMMAND
May 27 AP Hanshin Cup Handicap - G3 - 1 mile FT - GOULDINGS GREEN
May 29 CRC Memorial Day Handicap - G3 - 1 1/16 FT - SIPHON CITY
Handicap Division – Road to the BC Distaff - Dirt Routes for older females
STAR PARADE (ARG) won her second graded stakes race of the year by taking the Grade 3 Hawthorne Handicap at Hollywood Park.
May 5 CD Louisville BC Handicap - G2 - 1 1/16 FT - OONAGH MACCOOL (IRE)
May 7 HOL Hawthorne Handicap - G3 - 1 1/16 FT - STAR PARADE (ARG)
May 19 PIM Allaire duPont BC Distaff Handicap - G3 - 1 1/16 FT - POOL LAND
May 21 BEL Shuvee Handicap - G2 - 1 mile FT - TAKE D' TOUR
Handicap Division – Road to the BC Sprint – Dirt Sprints for older males
2005 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) champion SILVER TRAIN reaffirmed his status as one of the leaders of the sprint division by winning the prestigious Met Mile (G1) at Belmont Park.
May 3 BEL Westchester Handicap - G3 - 1 mile FT - SIR GREELEY
May 6 CD Churchill Downs Handicap - G2 - 7 fur FT - TRICKEY TREVOR
May 13 BEL Bold Ruler Handicap - G3 - 6 fur FT - TIGER
May 13 HOL Los Angeles Times Handicap - G3 - 6 fur FT - SIREN LURE
May 20 PIM Maryland BC Sprint Handicap - G3 - 6 fur FT - FRIENDLY ISLAND
May 29 BEL Metropolitan Handicap - G1 - 1 mile FT - SILVER TRAIN
The one mile Westchester Handicap and the one mile Metropolitan Handicap (Met Mile) are included in the sprint category because they are run at Belmont Park around one turn. That, plus the fact that they really are wicked fast sprints.
Handicap Division – Road to the BC Sprint – Dirt Sprints for older females
Only one race in the category this month, but it was a good one - the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Handicap at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day. PUSSYCAT DOLL stalked odds-on favorite BEHAVING BADLY and showed a lot of grit to prevail inside the sixteenth pole.
May 6 CD Humana Distaff Handicap - G1 - 7 fur FT - PUSSYCAT DOLL
Handicap Division – Road to the BC Mile/Turf – Turf Routes for older males
This division should be a lot of fun this year. In addition to the return of many of last year's stars, European champion GREY SWALLOW (IRE) will be competing in the U.S. this year.
May 6 CD Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes - G1 - 1 1/8 T FM - ENGLISH CHANNEL
May 13 HOL Jim Murray Memorial Handicap - G2 - 1 1/2 T FM - GREY SWALLOW (IRE)
May 20 PIM Dixie Stakes - G2 - 1 1/8 T FM - BETTER TALK NOW
May 29 HOL Shoemaker BC Mile Stakes - G1 - 1 mile T FM - ARAGORN (IRE)
May 29 CD Louisville Handicap - G3 - 1 3/8 T FM - SILVERFOOT
Handicap Division – Road to the BC Mile/F&M Turf – Turf Routes for older females
May 6 CD Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes - G3 - 1 mile T FM - MIRABILIS
May 7 GG Yerba Buena BC Handicap - G3 - 1 1/16 T FM - HALLOWED DREAM (IRE)
May 20 PIM Gallorette Handicap - G3 - 1 1/16 T FM - OZONE BERE (FR)
May 27 BEL Sheepshead Bay Handicap - G2 - 1 3/8 T FM - HONEY RYDER
May 29 HOL Gamely BC Handicap - G1 - 1 1/8 T FM - SHINING ENERGY
May 29 LS Winstar Distaff Handicap - G3 - 1 mile T YL - SWEET TALKER
Handicap Division – Road to Nowhere – Turf Sprints
May 5 CD Aegon Turf Sprint Stakes - G3 - 5 fur T FM - MAN OF ILLUSION (AUS)
May 28 BEL Jaipur Stakes - G3 - 6 fur T FM - AROUND THE CAPE
Three-year-olds males – Road to the Breeders' Cup Classic
May 6 CD Kentucky Derby - G1 - 1 1/4 FT - BARBARO
May 13 LS Walmac Lone Star Derby - G3 - 1 1/16 FT - WANNA RUNNER
May 20 PIM Hirsch Jacobs Stakes - G3 - 6 fur FT - SONGSTER
May 20 PIM Preakness Stakes - G1 - 1 3/16 FT - BERNARDINI
May 20 BEL Peter Pan Stakes - G2 - 1 1/8 FT - SUNRIVER
May 20 HOL Lazaro Barrera Memorial Handicap - G2 - 7 fur FT - NORTHERN SOLDIER
May 21 HOL Will Rogers Stakes - G3 - 1 mile T FM - STRATHAM (IRE)
May 29 LS Lone Star Park Handicap - G3 - 1 1/16 MY - MAGNUM (ARG)
May 5 CD Crown Royal American Turf Stakes - G3 - 1 1/16 T FM - STREAM CAT
Three-year-olds fillies – Road to the Breeders' Cup Distaff
May 5 CD Kentucky Oaks - G1 - 1 1/8 FT - LEMONS FOREVER
May 6 CD La Troienne Stakes - G3 - 7 fur FT - JOINT EFFORT
May 6 HOL Senorita Stakes - G3 - 1 mile T FM - FOXYSOX (GB)
May 6 HOL Railbird Stakes - G3 - 7 fur FT - BETTARUN FAST
May 6 BEL Nassau County BC Stakes - G2 - 7 fur FT - HELLO LIBERTY
May 19 PIM Adena Stallions' Miss Preakness - G3 - 6 fur FT - WILDCAT BETTIE B
May 19 PIM Black-Eyed Susan Stakes - G2 - 1 1/8 FT - REGAL ENGAGEMENT
Two-year-old males – Road to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
May 4 CD Kentucky BC Stakes - G3 - 5 fur FT - DATRICK
A sad addendum to DATRICK's victory is the death of his sire, FAVORITE TRICK, and several other horses in a barn fire in New Mexico.
Two-year-olds fillies – Road to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
None.
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Ten trainers won multiple graded stakes races in May: Todd Pletcher (7), Patrick Biancone (2), James Jerkens (2), Dallas Stewart (2), J. Larry Jones (2), Bob Baffert (2), Dale Romans (2), Darrell Vienna (2), Thomas Albertrani (2), H. Graham Motion (2).
Twelve jockeys won multiple graded stakes races in May: Garrett Gomez (6), Ramon Dominguez (5), Edgar Prado (4), Alex Solis (3), Eibar Coa (2), Julien Leparoux (2), Mark Guidry (2), Rafael Bejarano (2), Patrick Valenzuela (2), Victor Espinoza (2), Javier Castellano (2), Cornelio Velasquez (2).
--- Thoroughbred Report Graded Stakes Awards - May 2006 ---
HORSE OF THE MONTH: BARBARO
TRAINER OF THE MONTH: Todd Pletcher
JOCKEY OF THE MONTH: Garrett Gomez