Lady Legends Race III, Female Jockey Challenge, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and Pimlico Special Headline Preakness Eve Card

BALTIMORE, March 1, 2012---The People’s Pink Party, the partnership between Pimlico Race Course and the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® that was launched in 2010 to raise funds and aid awareness and research for breast cancer will return for the third consecutive year on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 18, 2012.

Seventy-five percent of the funds raised will go to the Komen Maryland Affiliate to use for community outreach programs in Maryland and 25% will be used for life-saving breast cancer research.

In addition to the 88^th running of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies, the day will feature a performance by retired female riders in the Lady Legends For the Cure Race III™ and a jockey challenge between eight of the nation’s top active lady riders.

The 13-race program features eight stakes races, including the return of the Pimlico Special (G3). Fifteen of the 41 winners of the historic race went on to capture Horse of the Year honors, including Seabiscuit who defeated Triple Crown winner War Admiral in their famous 1938 match race.

“It remains a pleasure and privilege to honor many dedicated people involved in the fight against breast cancer on this very special day at Pimlico,” said Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas. “We are grateful and appreciative for the support of our fans, colleagues and sponsors in making the partnership with the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure an extremely successful one. Black-Eyed Susan 2012 will offer spectacular and competitive racing, live music and exciting day-long entertainment, making Preakness Eve a can’t miss on the calendar.”

Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the global leader of the breast cancer movement, was founded by Nancy G. Brinker in 1982 after a promise to her dying sister to do everything in her power to end breast cancer.

“Komen Maryland is delighted to again take part in the Black-Eyed Susan festivities,” stated Robin Prothro, Executive Director of Komen Maryland. “We are thrilled to be celebrating the third year of this partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club. This platform allows us to work towards our immediate goal of raising awareness in order to increase mammography screening rates and early detection of breast cancer both in the Maryland community and nationally.”

The Lady Legends For the Cure Race

The 2010 Lady Legends For the Cure Race™ was the first ever pari-mutuel race showcasing retired female riders, two of whom are breast cancer survivors.  Profiled on NBC Sports, the race was also filmed as the climatic ending to the feature length documentary in production, JOCK, chronicling the story of the first generation of lady jockeys. Gwen Jocson won the inaugural race aboard Honor in Peace.

Eighteen months after finishing her final chemotherapy treatment, Mary Wiley-Wagner, wife of Maryland Jockey Club starter Bruce Wagner, had another reason to celebrate. With Wiley-Wagner in the irons, Mass Destruction came roaring down the stretch ahead of the field and hit the wire 6 ½ lengths in front to take the 2011 Lady Legends for the Cure Race II™.

Wiley-Wagner will be back again this year. Other returning Lady Legends are:

• Patti “PJ” Cooksey---breast cancer survivor was the first female to ride in the Preakness® Stakes(Tajawa-1985) and ranks third all-time among female riders with 2,137 wins. Also had a mount in the Kentucky Derby (So Vague-1984).

• Jennifer Rowland-Small---pioneering jockey in Maryland in the 1970’s, winning 192 races.
   
• Mary Russ-Tortora---first female rider to win a G1 race, capturing the Widener Handicap at Hialeah on February 27, 1982 aboard Lord Darnley.
   
• Barbara Jo Rubin---history –maker as the first woman to win a pari-mutuel race in the United States, guiding Cohesion to victory at Charles Town on February 22, 1969.
   
• Cheryl White---the first African-American female rider, winning five races at the Fresno Fair on October 19, 1983.

The 2012 field features two new shooters with Zoe Cadman and Jill Jellison replacing Andrea Seefeldt-Knight and Abby Fuller. Cadman won 311 races during her four-year career and is now an analyst for HRTV. Jellison ranks seventh on the all-time win list among female riders with 1,853 winners, including a career-best 241 in 1989.

“The Lady Legends concept has been a home run for us,” said Maryland Jockey Club racing secretary Georganne Hale, who coordinates The Lady Legends race and the jockey challenge. “Those girls work hard to get fit and then come to Baltimore to enjoy the week. They are good with the press, love interacting with fans but when it is time to compete they are ready.”

In addition to her earnings in the race, each rider will receive a $3,500 bonus. Pimlico will match the amount wagered on the 2012 winner in-state and make a contribution to Komen Maryland.

Female Jockey Challenge

The second annual Female Jockey's Challenge will feature eight of the world’s top female jockeys, two more than a year ago, competing in four races with points award­ed based upon their finish.

Defending champion Emma-Jayne Wilson, the only female rider to win the Queen’s Plate, one of the three races in Canada’s Triple Crown series, when she guided Mike Fox to victory in 2007, returns to defend her title. Wilson generously donated her $10,000 prize money to Komen Maryland after winning the 2011 event.

She will be joined by three of the other five riders who competed in the inaugural event.

• Forest Boyce (second place finisher in 2011)---Maryland’s leading rider in 2010 as an apprentice. Runner-up for Eclipse Award after a 129-win year.
   
• Vicky Baze (tied fourth in 2011)---became the fourth female rider to reach the 2,000 win plateau on March 1, 2011.
   
• Rosie Napravnik (tied for fourth in 2011)---last year became the sixth female to have a mount in the Kentucky Derby. Currently the leading rider at Fair Grounds for the second straight year. She won 300 races in 2006, including 259 at Pimlico and Laurel Park. She earned her first victory at Pimlico aboard Ringofdiamonds in June 2005.

The two additional riders to the challenge missed last year’s event because they were expecting babies. Rosemary Homeister, one of six females to ride in the Kentucky Derby, ranks second on the all-time female win list with 2,473 winners (through February 2012). Inez Karlsson, a runner-up for outstanding apprentice rider, has been one of the top riders at Arlington Park since 2008.

“They are both big-time riders and we are happy to have them added to the lineup,” added Hale. “The afternoon will have a ton of activities and with the return of the Pimlico Special we are looking to take Black-Eyed Susan Day to another level.”

Chantal Sutherland and Hayley Turner will not return. Replacing them will be Tammi Piermarini, who became the fifth female rider to win 2,000 races last summer at Suffolk Downs, and Abby Fuller, who came out of retirement last year after finishing second in the 2011 Lady Legends race.

“I am thrilled to be back. My daughters and I had a great time last year. Riding in the Lady Legends race last year definitely sparked my interest in returning,” said Fuller, who captured NYRA’s Filly Triple Crown in 1985 aboard Mom’s Command, a filly owned and bred by her father.“I was off 10 years and am not riding a ton of horses or winning  lot of races but I love it. It is a lot of hard work because I don’t ride three or four a day. I want to ride enough to ride well. It is not easy  to ride just every once in awhile but I am having a good time.”

The jockey with the most points at the end of a four-race competition will be crowned champion. Riding assignments are determined by a drawing Sunday, May 13, and jockeys receive points for finishing first (12 points), second (6), third (4) and fourth (3) in each race.The champion jockey will earn $10,000. Other prize money: $7,000 (second), $6,000 (third), $4,000 (fourth), $2,000 (fifth) and $1,000 (sixth through eighth).

All 16 Lady Legends and Jockey Challenge riders will take part in an autograph session prior to the card.

The People’s Pink Party

The People’s Pink Party will welcome 88 breast cancer survivors as guests to Pimlico, where they will be honored in festivities throughout the day, highlighted by an inspirational winners’ circle tribute that has become an event tradition.

Big Machine Records' hot new trio, Edens Edge, will perform live in the Turfside Terrace. They have been profiled as one of Billboard’s “Artists to Watch,” were selected as a CMT LISTEN UP! Artist and have been featured on major tours with Country Superstars Brad Paisley, Reba and Lady Antebellum. In June, they will hit the road with labelmates Rascal Flatts on the “The American Band Tour” Presented by Farmers Insurance. Edens Edge is currently in the studio finishing up their debut album, which will feature both their Top 20 debut single "Amen" and their latest offering, "Too Good To Be True." For more on Edens Edge, visit https://www.edensedge.com/. WPOC 93.1 returns as the official media sponsor of the Turfside Terrace with host Laurie DeYoung.

In recognition of Komen’s signature shade, Pimlico will once again be awash in pink on Black-Eyed Susan Day. The horses and pony riders on the track will don pink saddletowels branded with the unity logo created exclusively to commemorate the day. Additionally, the valets and starters will sport pink gear, and colorful pink linens, flowers and banners will blanket Pimlico throughout the day.

A new Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior will be crowned. The contest honoring breast cancer survivors and individuals who have made a difference in the lives of those fighting breast cancer returns for the third year.  The winner will be chosen in part through an on-line, interactive process featuring the contestant’s own stories. The title “Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior” is in recognition of the popular anthem, “Pink Warrior”, celebrating the war against breast cancer, written and performed by Candy Coburn. Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior will serve as the official ambassador of the Preakness, representing the Maryland Jockey Club at Preakness events throughout the week, including the presentation of the Woodlawn Vase on the storied cupola following the 137^th Preakness® Stakes on Saturday, May 19.

ESPN reporter Jeannine Edwards and former Miss Preakness Maggie Wolfendale will make selections on the May 18 card, which includes eight stakes races, with a special pre-race handicapping show in the grandstand.

The “Down the Stretch for SGK” Preakness 5k Race, organized by Corrigan Sports, will be run Saturday, May 12. As in 2011, the entire race will be within the grounds at Pimlico Race Course, including a lap around the iconic track before finishing up in the Infield.A percentage of the race proceeds will be donated to Komen Maryland as part of an all-sources minimum guaranteed donation of $25,000and in 2012, runners can conveniently create a donation page if they choose during online registration.

The Maryland Jockey Club and Komen Maryland will also team up with Macy's White Marsh to celebrate Women's Health withthe second annual Tickled Pink Fashion Show and Health Fair on Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Macy's White Marsh.

For more information on Pimlico Race Course and the partnership with the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, please visit www.preakness.com.

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.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the Komen Maryland Affiliate

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever, and in 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The Maryland Affiliate is part of the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer. Through events like Komen Maryland Race For a Cure, the Maryland Affiliate has invested $35 million in community breast cancer program since 1993. Up to 75 percent of net proceeds generated by the Affiliate stays in Maryland. The remaining 25 percent funds national breast cancer research, often taking place at Maryland institutions. Komen Maryland is the tenth of approximately 120 affiliates in the Komen network to host two races-Hunt Valley and Ocean City. For more information, call 410-938-8990 or visit www.komenmd.org.