Fort Washington scores first Dinner Party repeat in a century

On May 3, 1926, Hall of Famer Sarazen won the Dixie H. for the second year in a row. Exactly 100 years and 13 days later, Fort Washington scored a repeat victory in its successor race, Saturday’s $247,500 Dinner Party (G3) at Laurel Park, to become its only other two-time winner. 

Trainer Shug McGaughey was winning the turf feature for a remarkable seventh time. His first, and most memorable winner, was Hall of Famer Lure (1993), followed by Parading (2009), Ironicus (2015), Fire Away (2018), and Never Explain (2023) before Fort Washington’s back-to-back titles.

Sent off as the 2.90-1 second choice, Fort Washington did not drop as far off the pace as usual for regular rider Junior Alvarado. The seven-year-old veteran was well placed within striking range of the modest splits of :24.53, :49.19, and 1:12.53 carved out by Harrow.

Cruise the Nile, the 2-5 favorite, attended the pace and took command on the far turn, but Fort Washington covered his move. Pouncing in the stretch, the defending champion wore down Cruise the Nile and then held the late bid of A Bourbon for Toby.

Fort Washington had three-quarters of a length to spare at the wire. After covering 1 1/8 miles on the firm course in 1:47.15, he paid $7.80.

A Bourbon for Toby was a length up on Cruise the Nile. There was a 4 1/2-length gap back to What Say Thee in fourth, and Harrow dropped back to last of the quintet. Dresden Row and Thundering were scratched.

Magic Cap Stables’ Fort Washington has now bankrolled $1,560,291 from his 32-8-3-8 line. The son of War Front has won or placed in a total of 14 stakes, with his marquee win coming in last summer’s Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs. 

His Dinner Party exploits deserve to be placed in a historical context. 

As the name change from the Dixie suggests, the venerable stakes have had their conditions altered over time. In Sarazen’s day, the Dixie was a 1 3/16-mile handicap on the traditional American surface, dirt, at Pimlico. The great gelding toted 130 pounds in 1925, spotting 15 pounds to the runner-up, and as the defending champion in 1926, he carried 128 pounds but gave 23 to his nearest pursuer.

Subsequently evolving into a turf feature, the Dixie has been held over a few different distances. In 2020, it reverted to its original name, the Dinner Party, whose inaugural running in 1870 was won by Preakness, the horse who would give his name to the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

Thus, Fort Washington technically matched Sarazen on the honor roll, but the modern incarnation of the Dinner Party as a turf affair poses little resemblance to the old-school Dixie. Aside from the differences in surface and distance, no weight-carrying prowess is required in a race where Fort Washington was saddled with 122 pounds last year and 120 pounds on Saturday. 

In any event, Fort Washington achieved a notable feat in his own right, especially because his Dinner Parties took place at two different venues. His 2025 coup came at its traditional home of Pimlico, but that facility’s redevelopment forced the switch to Laurel this year. 

The change in venue makes Fort Washington’s Dinner Party double a unique one, differentiating him from a turf great who arguably should have two Dixies to his credit. Hall of Famer Fort Marcy should be considered a two-time winner of the Dixie on the Pimlico turf, as historians like Vance Hanson argue, at least morally if not officially. As the late, great jockey Ron Turcotte said in his interview with Hanson, Fort Marcy was much the best in his 1971 title defense, only to be the victim of a terrible disqualification. 

Gallorette (G3)

The companion stakes for turf distaffers, the $150,000 Gallorette (G3), appeared to be anyone’s game on paper, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Warming jumped up to spring the $19.80 upset.

One of two entrants for trainer Graham Motion, the Global Campaign filly was content to settle in sixth as stablemate Ribaltagaia set the tempo. Ribaltagaia, who popped her gate open prior to the start but did not get away, had lather on her neck and a possibly keyed-up state of mind. 

The hovering presence of Austere did not help matters, and Ribaltagia was unable to relax despite steady fractions of :23.95, :48.12, and 1:12.05. Austere challenged Ribaltagaia, turning for home and began to get the upper hand down the lane. 

But wider out, Warming was building up a lethal head of steam for John Velazquez. Once she got past scrimmaging with Child of the Moon and into the clear, Warming rolled past the leaders to prevail by a length.

Child of the Moon stayed on for second, and Cheetah Lady, the 16.50-1 longest shot on the board, rallied from last to snatch third. Next came Austere, Accent, slight 3.40-1 favorite Awesome Czech, Ribaltagaia, and Mahra’s Love.

Warming finished 1 1/16 grassy miles in 1:41.10 to advance her record to 11-4-1-2, $326,450. The winner of last year’s Autumn Miss (G3) at Santa Anita, she was coming off a third in the Latonia S. on the Turfway Park Tapeta. 

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