BALTIMORE, MD., 05/15/15 – For much of his career, WinStar Farm homebred Commissioner has shown a flair for the dramatic. Five of his first 11 starts were decided by less than a length, including each of his three wins, none of which came by more than a neck. 

Late Friday afternoon at Pimlico Race Course, his connections could breathe a little easier. Given a patient ride by Javier Castellano, the 4-year-old son of A.P. Indy emerged from his stalking spot at the head of the stretch and pulled clear to a 2 ½-length victory in the $300,000 Sagamore Racing Pimlico Special (G3). 

The 45^th running of the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special was the last of seven stakes, four of them graded, on Friday’s 14-race Black-Eyed Susan Day program, serving as a spectacular prelude to Saturday’s 140^th Preakness Stakes (G1).

Favored in a field of seven at 6-5, Commissioner ($4.60) ran 1:56.09 over a fast main track for his second straight victory and second in a graded stakes, seven weeks after winning the Skip Away (G3) at Gulfstream Park. 

It was also the second stakes victory of the day for both Castellano, who rode Keen Pauline to an upset of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), and trainer Todd Pletcher, winner of the $150,000 Allaire DuPont (G2) with Stopchargingmaria. 

Pletcher also won the 2014 Pimlico Special with Revolutionary, while Castellano captured the 2013 running aboard Last Gunfighter. 

“This was awesome. I’m very happy,” Pletcher said. “I loved the position he was able to get into. Once he gets into that rhythm, you can keep on cruising. Right after the Skip Away, we talked about it and decided to go to the Pimlico Special. We’ll see how he comes out of it.” 

Encryption, who trailed Commissioner throughout in the Skip Away and wound up third, got the jump on his rival in the Pimlico Special, breaking from post No. 3 under Paco Lopez and leading through a quarter-mile in 23.54 seconds, a half in 48.16 and six furlongs in 1:12.74.

Castellano kept Commissioner in the clear on the right flank of Encryption, taking over the top spot as the field passed the quarter pole and as Cat Burglar began to launch a bid on the outside and Page McKenney split horses to get into contention. 

Commissioner began to edge clear as Encryption dropped back, leaving Cat Burglar in pursuit. Page McKenney swung outside and passed Cat Burglar in the final eighth of a mile but was no match for the winner.

“He was very strong today,” Castellano said. “He minded so well. I was able to tuck in around the first turn and he was just galloping along. He can go 24 and 48 (seconds), that’s him. I didn’t ask him until we turned for home. The more distance the better for him.” 

Despite suffering a cut on his ankle, Page McKenney was a decisive second, 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Cat Burglar. Top Billing rallied from last to finish fourth.

“He has a pretty bad cut on his ankle and it’s bleeding pretty badly. We have the vet coming over to the barn now,” trainer Mary Eppler said. “He’s hit the board in all of his stakes races. I’m very pleased with the way he ran today.”

SAGAMORE RACING PIMLICO SPECIAL QUOTES

Winning trainer Todd Pletcher (Commissioner): “This was awesome. I’m very happy. I loved the position he was able to get into. Once he gets into that rhythm, you can keep on cruising. Right after the Skip Away, we talked about it and decided to go to the Pimlico Special. We’ll see how he comes out of it. It’s 22 days to the Brooklyn Handicap, so that’s possible.”

Winning jockey Javier Castellano (Commissioner): “He was very strong today. He minded so well. I was able to tuck in around the first turn and he was just galloping along. He can go 24 (seconds) and 48, that’s him. I didn’t ask him until we turned for home. The more distance the better for him.”

Trainer Mary Eppler (Page McKenney, 2^nd): “He has a pretty bad cut on his ankle and it’s bleeding pretty badly. We have the vet coming over to the barn now. He’s hit the board in all of his stakes races. I’m very pleased with the way he ran today.”

Jockey Horacio Karamanos (Page McKenney, 2^nd): “We had a little bit of traffic so I waited and let (Commissioner) go and when we came out I had plenty of horse left. He just couldn’t catch up to the winner.”

Trainer Bob Baffert (Cat Burglar, 3^rd): “He ran a good race. He’s coming off a layoff. It’s taken him a few races. We weren’t going to beat the winner.”

Jockey Joel Rosario (Top Billing, 4^th): “They were going well early on and then they kind of slowed down on the backstretch. I knew he was running at the end. He just couldn’t catch the winner. He was coming and coming and coming but just couldn’t get there.”