Exaggerator turned the tables on previously undefeated Nyquist May 21, providing a thrilling homecoming for brothers Kent and Keith Desormeaux with a commanding 3 ½-length triumph in Saturday’s 141st Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Racing in the rain on a sloppy track late Saturday, Exaggerator finally beat Nyquist after losing to the Kentucky Derby victor four times previously. The colt won a mud-filled Preakness Stakes on Saturday, handing rival Nyquist the first loss of his career and ending his shot at a triple crown.
Two horses died ahead of the Preakness Stakes main event, and a jockey broke a collarbone after being thrown in a fall on the muddy course. The Jacksons’ 4-year-old filly Pramedya was euthanized on the track Saturday after she broke down during the fourth race.
This tragedy followed an earlier episode in which Homeboykris, the horse who won the first race of the day, collapsed after having his photo taken in the winner’s circle.
The 9-year-old horse had rallied from behind in the race to pull off a victory in the first contest of the day.
Temperatures are expected to be in the 50s That would mean a very soggy Preakness, which has a post time of 6:45 p.m. “We tried but just didn’t get there”. For the abbreviation I’ve had in his previous starts, I had a dream trip today.
O’Neill, Nyquist jockey Mario Gutierrez and owner Paul Reddam, of Windsor, Ont., teamed in 2012 to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another.
RUFFIAN: After capturing the nation’s attention with dominant wins in her first 10 races, Ruffian shattered her right front ankle in a 1975 match race with Kentucky Derby victor Foolish Pleasure at Belmont Park.
Derby victor Nyquist led out of the gate, but fell behind on a sloppy track at Pimlico, in mud and heavy rain. Land Over Sea was the 2-1 favourite, and part of the same J. Paul Reddam, Doug O’Neill, Mario Gutierrez team that produced Nyquist and 2012 Preakness victor I’ll Have Another. Exaggerator paid $7.20 and ran the mile and three sixteenths in 1 minute, 58.31 seconds.
A race fan walks through the infield before the 141st running of the Preakness Stakes.
Nyquist had won all eight of his races before running third on Saturday.
Nyquist kept trying all the way to wire, but, clearly leg tired, he was unable to catch up, was caught in the final stride by Cherry Wine, and had to settle for third. He’s run three times on “off-tracks” in Japan, with a win, a second- and a fifth-place. A few early stories were written about the horse’s death, but most of us were far too busy covering the first Triple Crown in 37 years to devote even a single sentence to the tragic incident.
Stradivari did not run in the Kentucky Derby, but was the beneficiary of a huge bet that pushed the odds closer.
The rest of the field in order was: Lani, Laoban, Uncle Lino, Fellowship, Awesome Speed, Collected and Abiding Star. “Exaggerator looked great all week and Keith did a good job with him”.
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“I haven’t thought about my brother one time”, Keith said after the race. Please see our terms of service for more information.
