BALTIMORE – Triton Stable’s Ickymasho, in the best form of her career at age 7, led every step of the way to pick up her second consecutive graded-stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Ole Smoky Moonshine Searching Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Originally run from 1993-2001, the 1 ½-mile Searching for fillies and mares was among nine stakes, five graded, worth $2.8 million in purses on a 14-race program highlighted by the 144th Preakness Stakes (G1), the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Ickymasho ($3), trained by Roger Attfield, gave jockey Jose Ortiz his second win of the day, both in stakes, following a score in the James W. Murphy aboard English Bee. Ickymasho’s winning time was 2:29.58 over a firm course.

Favored at 1-2 over her five rivals, Ickymasho cruised on an uncontested lead under Ortiz, going a quarter-mile in 25.15 seconds, a half in 51.62 and six furlongs in 1:17.18 with 40-1 long shot So Innocent her closest pursuer. Ickymasho remained in control nearing the lane and closed stoutly for a 3 ¼-length triumph over Vevina, who closed from last to be second, with Homeland Security third.

Ickymasho won the 1 ½-mile Bewitch (G3) April 26 at Keeneland after being beaten a head in back-to-back stakes at Gulfstream Park over the winter – the 1 3/16-mile The Very One (G3) and 1 3/8-mile Orchid (G3).

Searching, a 1978 Hall of Fame inductee, was a bay daughter of 1937 Triple Crown champion War Admiral bred by Odgen Phipps that won the Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico in 1955 and 1957 for trainer Hirsch Jacobs, retiring with a record of 25-14-16 with $327,381 in purse earnings from 89 starts.

As a broodmare, Searching also enjoyed great success with offspring such as Affectionately, an 18-time stakes winner and dam of 1970 Preakness winner Personality, and Admiring, the grand-dam of 1993 Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero.
$100,000 Ole Smoky Searching Stakes Quotes
 
Triton Stable’s Joe Miller (Winning owner, Ickymasho): “After she won the Bewitched [April 26 at Keeneland], we were planning on waiting and running her at Woodbine. She was doing so well, though; she was acting like she wanted to run. Roger Attfield is a big believer in taking advantage of that. It was his call to run her here, and it was the right one.  If all goes well, we’ll look next to the Dance Smartly (G2) at Woodbine {June 29).”

Jose Ortiz (Winning jockey, Ickymasho): “She was the favorite, and she can handle the distance, which is a big battle in these long races. And this horse can handle it. I rode her with a lot of confidence. She relaxed well in the lead and when I asked her to run, she responded well. It was very easy. The whole way around was very comfortable."