Fort Washington takes over the lead late to go back to back in the Dinner Party, TMJC Photo
Preakness 151 Press Release
LAUREL, MD – Magic Cap Stables’ millionaire 7-year-old Fort Washington emerged from between horses in mid-stretch and outran A Bourbon for Toby to the wire for a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Dinner Party (G3) presented by the TAA at Laurel Park.
The 125th running of the 1 1/8-mile Dinner Party for 3-year-olds and up on the grass was the sixth of nine stakes, four graded, worth $3.15 million in purses on a blockbuster 14-race program headlined by the 151st Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Won by Hall of Famer Preakness in its 1870 debut, the Dinner Party is the eighth-oldest stakes race in the country. Originally contested at two miles, the distance has changed eight times over its history, returning to nine furlongs in 2023.
Fort Washington ($7.80) put himself in exclusive company with a second straight victory in the Dinner Party, joining Sarazen (1925, 1926) as the only back-to-back winners. It was the seventh win in the race for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, preceded by Lure (1993), Parading (2009), Ironicus (2015), Fire Away (2018) and Never Explain (2023).
Ridden by Junior Alvarado, also aboard for last year’s win, Fort Washington completed the distance in 1:47.15 over a firm Dahlia turf course.
Harrow, sent off at 10-1, took the early initiative from outside each of his four rivals and went 24.53 for a quarter of a mile as Alvarado settled Fort Washington in the clear four wide in fourth behind 2-5 favorite Cruise the Nile and 14-1 longshot What Say Thee. Fort Washington moved up to third after a half in 49.19 and came through the stretch with Cruise the Nile to his inside and A Bourbon for Toby outside before edging clear.
A Bourbon for Toby was a length ahead of Cruise the Nile in third. What Say Thee and Harrow completed the order of finish. Thundering and Dresden Row were scratched.
Fort Washington improved his record to 8-3-8 from 32 career starts. Five of his wins have come in stakes including the 2025 Arlington Million (G1), Dinner Party and Canadian Turf (G3) and 2024 Monmouth (G3).
The Dinner Party takes its name from an 1868 gathering in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. where Maryland Gov. Oden Bowie and others met, wagered and ultimately laid the foundation for the building of Pimlico Race Course, which opened in 1870 and is currently being rebuilt.
$250,000 Dinner Party (G3) Quotes
Winning trainer Shug McGaughey assistant Reeve McGaughey (Port Washington): “I thought he ran great. His last race in Florida wasn’t exactly what we wanted, but I think there were a couple little excuses there. We mainly just were worried about the 3 [Cruise the Nile], We didn’t want to let him get too far away. I was pretty comfortable down the backside, and we figured we could wear him down as long as we were close enough to him. He ran really well today.”
“Junior brought it to perfection there. Everything was exactly the way we would have wanted it.”
Winning jockey Junior Alvarado (Port Washington): “I had a good trip. Slow pace. He put himself in a good spot. When we turned for home, he finished up the job very good. I didn’t have to do anything, really. He broke out of there and he put himself in that position. I knew we were traveling in a slow pace, and I was fine with where I was. I didn’t have to be too far back. I thought he was much the best today.
“It’s pretty special [to win back-to-back] in this race, first time it has happened in 100 years). It’s going to be right there in my book, too. I’m glad to be part of that.
“He is a very good horse. Sometimes he wants to make your job a little harder than it should. He likes to lug in sometimes; he did it a little today, but he was manageable. The other times I have not been able to get to the winner’s circle, I ended up fighting with him.
“He is an old pro. Her keeps showing up. Hopefully, he stays sound. He seems like a horse who is pretty happy and likes doing his job.”
Trainer Tom Morley (A Bourbon for Toby, 2nd): “I’m thrilled with him. He ran last week, so this was a big, big ask to bring him down here to run against these horses when he’s still a ‘2-other-than’ [allowance condition). But he was doing so well out of the last race. H ran absolutely fantastic and I couldn’t be prouder of him.
“He ran nine days ago. Entries were on Monday and they said the entries were coming up a little light in numbers. We said we’d enter, have a look at it and ship him down here and run if one of the principals scratched. Because Paul [Farr] owns the mare and bred him. That’s so important for the mare as well, to get graded black type under her. When Todd [Pletcher, trainer of program favorite Dresden Row] scratched, it seemed like a logical chance to pick up some black type. He ran really, really well today.”
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (A Bourbon for Toby, 2nd): “He did everything right. I can’t complain. He got the chance to make up ground and the other horse [Fort Washington] kept digging in at the end, so it was tough.”
Trainer Graham Motion (Cruise the Nile, 3rd): “He ran a great race, but I think the distance was a little farther than he wants to go and he proved that today. He ran well but I think he’s a miler, that’s my gut. He has run in three really big races and there wasn’t really an opportunity for a mile race, but that looks to be his ideal distance. The winner is a nice horse.”
Jockey Jorge Ruiz (Cruise the Nile, 3rd): “It was too long for him. At the quarter pole, I asked him. He was not the same as the other races.”
