BALTIMORE, 04-04-13---On January 1, apprentice rider Trevor McCarthy rode four winners on opening day of the Laurel Park winter meet. This afternoon, the 18-year-old visited the winners’ circle three times on opening day of the Pimlico Race Course spring meeting.

McCarthy was first aboard Christmas Flys ($6.40-third), Go Allie ($12-fourth) and Granted Ruler ($12.60-seventh).

“It is something about opening day,” said McCarthy, who finished second in the Laurel standings with 51 victories. “I didn’t get leading rider at Laurel but I did win four races twice and had my first career stakes race. I thought I had a chance to have another big day and it worked out. It has been a great year so far.”

Granted Ruler was the second winner on the card for trainer Billy Campbell, who also saddled Radio Relay ($21.60) to victory in the fifth. It was the sixth victory in 17 starts for Radio Relay since the gelding was claimed by Campbell in January 2011.

“We should have come back to Pimlico sooner,” said the Bowie-based Campbell.

Dale Capuano, who has 18 training titles at Pimlico Race Course on his resume, saddled Roman’s Touch ($5.60) to victory in the opener.

“It was a good way to start the meet,” Capuano said. “The horse was game. Hopefully this is the start of things to come. Usually during the winter we take it easy but as spring starts we pick it up a little bit. We have our turf horses ready to run.”

The marquee race meeting of the year kicked off this afternoon with brisk weather but the temperature could not dampen a buzz of anticipation from an enthusiastic, opening day crowd of 3,035.

The 36-day spring meeting will feature live racing on a Thursday through Sunday schedule (with holiday exceptions) through Saturday, June 8. The signature race of the stand is the 138th Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday, May 18.

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.