Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby champion, undefeated in eight previous races, had everything go wrong for him Saturday – the worst track conditions he has ever faced, a trip that was far from ideal and a blistering early pace he could not keep up – and faded to third at the end, behind both Exaggerator and Cherry Wine.
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Exaggerator, the second favorite at 5 to 2 odds, trailed much of the race, but made a huge move on the backstretch to get close to Nyquist and the other leaders.
With a field of 11 horses, the betting was very sporadic, but in a surprising turn, it was Stradivari who shot to a 3-5 favorite over Nyquist, with Exaggerator hanging in there at third. Cherry Wine, left, with Corey Lanerie aboard places second and Nyquist with Mario Gutierrez riding placed third.
Before American Pharoah won last year’s Preakness on a sloppy track, the event hadn’t been run on sloppy or muddy terrain since 1983.
You’ve got to feel a bit for the Preakness. “I think that Nyquist had company all the way around the course”. If Exaggerator and Nyquist do enter the Belmont it will be the first time a Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner face off in the Belmont since 2005 when Derby winner Giacomo faced Preakness victor Afleet Alex. Two horses died and a jockey was injured in the first four races, one of the horses bred and owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson – the owners of the ill-fated Barbaro.
Saturday was the 141st running of the Preakness, a 1 3/16-mile test at Pimlico for 3-year-old colts, geldings and fillies. He has raced in California, New York, Louisiana, Kentucky and now Maryland and has fired nearly every time, with five wins and nine finishes in the money.
But Exaggerator, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, produced a masterful display on a sodden course to overhaul the favourite on the home straight.
“I had a dream trip today”, jockey Kent Desormeaux said.
Nyquist’s trainer, Doug O’Neill, said, “I didn’t think we’d get beat, to tell you the truth”. “Maybe we’ll try again”. It collapsed on the way back to the barn after exiting the winner’s circle. Homeboykris won the day’s first race and died shortly after, apparently of a heart attack.
Matt Bryan and Ron Ortowski – who races as Rocker O Ranch – were the original partners in Exaggerator. The horse was being taken to New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania for an autopsy – the same animal hospital Barbaro was taken to after his break down.
Jockey Kent Desormeaux saw an opening around the final turn, angled outside and Exaggerator took over.
“It wasn’t like we felt we could grind him down”, Keith said.
The Belmont Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, June 11.
Despite the dreary weather, racetrack officials said a record crowd of 135,256 attended the races and the infield concert that included sets by Fetty Wap and the Chainsmokers.
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Unlike the Derby, the Preakness is full of front-runners, horses who like to run on the lead.
