Always Dreaming felt quite comfy in Stall 40 after his Derby victory in 2017. The sign attached to the wall notes other champions who stayed in the stall. (MJC Photo)
By Maribeth Kalinich
Pimlico Race Course’s Stall 40 in Barn E is legendary. It’s the space reserved for the Kentucky Derby winner when they come to compete in the Preakness. But has every Derby winner who has come stayed in Stall 40?
That’s still a mystery that begins with the question when did the tradition of Stall 40 begin?
According to news stories, former Pimlico Vice President, and General Manager Chick Lang, “Mr. Preakness”, began the tradition but we still don’t know exactly when.
Lang’s tenure at Pimlico stretched over 27 years from 1960 until his retirement in 1987. So, it’s logical to assume the tradition began sometime in the early 1960s.
Another clue is the sign that hung on the wall outside of Stall 40 listing horses who did resided there as Derby winners and Preakness winners.
The first noted on the list was 1961 Derby champ Carry Back who also took the Preakness that year.
Also noted in the 1960s was Northern Dancer (1964), Kauai King (1966), Forward Pass (1968) and Majestic Prince (1969).
The 1970s note three Triple Crown winners: Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978).
But did all of these champions really stay in Stall 40? And were trainers superstitious about their Preakness starters staying in Secretariat’s stall?
A photo of Secretariat in a stall at Pimlico recently popped up on eBay. Above the great champ the stall number is … 41. A search also produced a second photo of Big Red in stall 41.
The photo on eBay is authenticated by TRC with provenance.
The listing states: This photo was produced from the original 35mm slide of author/photo-journalist Raymond G. (Raymie) Woolfe, Jr. It comes from his personal collection of original shots date back to 1972 and 1973. To ensure that you are receiving an Original Print, the photo is embossed at the corner and will say ” Raymond G. Woolfe, Jr. Collection” with the letter “TRC” in the middle. That stands for Thoroughbred Racing Collectibles, Inc. As we have obtained exclusive rights to market Mr. Woolfe’s original collection of SECRETARIAT photo. These photos were purchased from an estate sale.
Woolfe was a jockey and the son of a trainer who fell into fashion photography that later translated into shooting for Daily Racing Form and eventually publishing a book about Secretariat.
Some trainers are superstitious about where their horses’ bed down for a race. Whether because of superstition or for practical reasons, some opted not to go into Stall 40.
The Derby champ is the star of the Preakness and the media buzz around that barn and that stall can be distracting, perhaps unsettling to the horses (and their humans).
Neil Drysdale chose to keep Fusaichi Pegasus in one of the backstretch barns in 2000. Ever cautious, Drysdale elected to stable the Derby winner in Barn 7 on the backstretch, three furlongs from Stall 40 and the din of television crews and newspaper writers.
In 2002, Bob Baffert chose to put War Emblem in Stall 32 before the Preakness because he feared his horse would be distracted by a filly next door.
In 2003, Funny Cide, shipped in at the last moment by trainer Barclay Tagg, was stabled in Maryland-based trainer Mary Eppler’s barn (one of the brick ones on Belvedere) to keep him calm and away from the press.
Smarty Jones resumed the tradition in 2004 settling into prestigious Stall 40. The tradition seemed to continue for almost another decade.
Barbaro (2006) and Big Brown (2008) both came off Derby wins to occupy Stall 40 at Pimlico. The latter would leave a Preakness winner while we all know the former faced an unkind fate.
In 2010, when Todd Pletcher brought Super Saver to Pimlico, he briefly contemplated not keeping his horse in stall 40.
“We’re shipping into this barn anyway, and it’s not like we’ve already won the Preakness out of another stall or have a lucky stall in here, so we went along with it,” Pletcher said. “I didn’t want to buck tradition.”
Bob Baffert would go on to win that year with Lookin At Lucky.
In 2012, Stall 40 was occupied by Rick Dutrow, Jr., trainee Zetterholm who shipped in from New York.
Doug O’Neill’s Derby 2012 winner was in a totally different barn as I’ll Have Another and his buddy Lava Man were on the clubhouse side of Barn D in Stall 17. O’Neill housed his 2016 Derby winner Nyquist in Stall 24.
In 2015, instead of putting American Pharoah in Stall 40 Baffert chose to his house Derby winner and his other Preakness starter, Dortmund, next to each other in Stalls 29 and 30.
Baffert always said it was too noisy around Stall 40.
Baffert who has won the most Preakness Stakes with eight told the Ocala StarBanner: “I’ve never been able to win the Triple Crown out of that stall.”
In 2018, Baffert led Justify to Stall 28, not 40.
It’s a good bet that in addition to Justify and American Pharoah the other Baffert horses stayed in stalls other than 40.
Baffert kicked off his Preakness career with a win in 1997 with Silver Charm and 1998 with Real Quiet both of whom also won the Derby.
In 2020, Baffert’s Derby winner Authentic stayed in an unknown location and finished second in the Preakness to Swiss Skydiver.
Seven-time Preakness winner the late D. Wayne Lukas would keep his Derby winners on the Winner Avenue side of the stakes barn alongside the rest of the horses he shipped in.
In 1988, Lukas made his first Preakness start with his Derby winning filly Winning Colors who finished third to the son of Secretariat, Risen Star.
Lukas won the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes in 1994 with the infamous Tabasco Cat who did not run in the Derby. In 1995 Lukas opted to bring to two starters to Pimlico. His Derby winner Thunder Gulch would end up finishing third to stable mate Timber Country. Lukas did score a personal Triple Crown that year with Thunder Gulch also winning the Belmont Stakes.
Winning the Derby again in 1996 with Grindstone, which sadly was the son of Unbridled’s last race, Lukas brought Victory Speech to Pimlico who finished fifth to Louis Quartorze.
In 1999, Lukas would take both spring classics with Charismatic.
“I never put my Derby winners in that one stall (40),” Lukas told reporters with a laugh at this year’s Preakness. “It was never a big tradition for me. We got five [Preakness] winners from the other end of the barn.”
2023 Derby champ Mage did not stay in Stall 40. Gustavo Delgado Sr., opted for the adjacent barns and Mage, who finished third in the Preakness, stayed in stall 33.
Owner Ramiro Restrepo recounted the Preakness experience: “I think what stood out was the responsibility that came with being the Derby winner at Pimlico. The attention from fans and media, the pressure of being the only Derby runner to come back Into the Preakness that year. Every move you made was scrutinized and watched intently. It was quite the eye opener.”
Horse who ship in same day as the Preakness did not stay in the stakes barn at all such Deputed Testamony (1983) shipping in from Bonita Farm and Animal Kingdom (2011) who came in from Fair Hill.
When Derby winner Gato del Sol bypassed the Preakness in 1982, Chick Lang put a goat in Stall 40 (take that Soverignty!)
Another mystery that may remain unsolved is the incongruent numbering system in Barn E. Stall 40 is between 34 and 36.
Traditionally due to superstition there is no Stall 13 at Pimlico.
The two trainers who have won the most Preakness Stakes weighed in on the Pimlico barn’s demolition.
When discussing the impending demolition of the barns Lukas told reporters during 150th Preakness week: “I’m going to really miss it,”
“It’s always been one of my favorites, and I speak for the other trainers, too,” Lukas said. “I have never talked to a trainer that worked the Preakness that didn’t enjoy this the most.”
Baffert who has one more than Lukas commented: “Are they going to tear it down? I mean I like this barn. I’d like to take this barn to Santa Anita.”
2024 Derby winner Mystik Dan’s trainer Kenny McPeek remarked that he would be sad to see the barn go. “All of the stories, the history is in there.”
Soon to be dust, the green sided stables between the far parking lot and the back of the facility are the oldest barns on Pimlico’s property. Stables A, B and C were built sometime in the 1920s while D and E were built sometime in the 1930s.
Barn E is the farthest from the facility backed by tall evergreen trees and at times so quiet you would never know you were in the middle of Baltimore City.
The 14-stall stable is composed of wood, block and aluminum (and likely a bit of asbestos and lead paint).
To us, the stable is composed of the rich history of 150 Preakness winners.
