BALTIMORE, 04-05-14---Hickory Ridge Farm LLC’s Aunt Ellen entered the $75,000 Twixt Stakes without a victory in ten starts but closed from dead last in a field of five fillies to post the upset.

Horacio Karamanos rode the daughter of Pure Prize for trainer Ferris Allen. The filly was far back throughout but came with a rush at the end of the 1-1/16^th test for Maryland-bred fillies to win by a head in 1:49.39.  Her late surge moved her past odds on favorite Steady N Love in the shadow of the finish line.

“I rode her a couple of times before and she was still a maiden and a little green, needed a couple of races to be in good shape,” Karamanos said. “Coming around the second turn she gave me a good kick. The favorite was looking around a little bit and moving. My filly was coming on strong. I just got there and passed her.”

Aunt Ellen paid $39.

“The horse was training well,” Allen said. “Unfortunately she was training better than racing. She would either move too early or make some other kind of mistake in previous races. I thought sure Gary’s horse (Steady N Love trained by Gary Capuano) would be tough in here. Horacio studies harder than almost anyone in the jocks room. He watches all the replays and reviews the races in the Form, as does Sheldon (Russell) who rode my other horse (fourth place finisher Charlie Renee). I’ll probably take her back to her conditions because she is Maryland-bred and there is a lot of money to be made there.”

About Pimlico Race Course

Historic Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel in horse racing's famed Triple Crown, first opened its doors on October 25, 1870, and is the second oldest racetrack in the United States. Pimlico has played host to racing icons and Baltimoreans have seen the likes of legendary horses such as Man o’ War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Affirmed and Cigar thunder down the stretch in thrilling and memorable competition. For more information on Pimlico, visit www.pimlico.com.

Pimlico Race Course is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.