Wicked Whisper gets first win of 2020 in Miss Preakness

While a Brad Cox trainee got the hype ahead of the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Pimlico, it would not be her day.

Down the stretch four horses had a chance to win, but it was Wicked Whisper who took the three-quarter-length victory for her first win since last October.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Wicked Whisper moved into fourth place after a half-mile of the six-furlong sprint, giving her a chance with Ain’t No Elmers in first. In the stretch, she made an inside move to outrun all of them. Ain’t No Elmers finished second and Sound Machine third.

Mundaye Call, Cox's 1-2 post time favorite, got boxed in down the stretch of the six-furlong sprint on the main track, finishing fourth.

“She’s been definitely interrupted by this year’s racing calendar,” Asmussen said after Wicked Whisper's victory. “She was getting ready late for things and then with the cancellations, we got off track. It’s beautiful to see her show the quality that she’s always had.”

Splits for the race were 23.08, 45.78 and 57.97. The winning time was 1:10.08.

Ridden by Joe Bravo, Wicked Whisper is a daughter of Liam’s Map out of Zayanna, by Bernardini. Her last start was a second-place finish in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) on Aug. 28.

“She was able to breathe around the turn,” Bravo said. “I know (Mundaye Call) is a very good filly, but all horses relaxed, and it just gave me all the confidence.”

Wicked Whisper is owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, who purchased her at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale for $500,000.

Wicked Whisper returned $12.60 for the win.