Exaggerator, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, denying Kentucky Derby victor Nyquist a chance to win horse racing’s Triple Crown.
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On a rain-soaked spring day in Baltimore, Maryland, Exaggerator – ridden by jockey Kent DesOrmeaux and trained by Kent’s brother, Keith – took charge at the 3/16th pole and outlasted the tiring Nyquist down the stretch. It paid off as he made his decisive move at the top of the stretch to escape with a winning time of 1:58.31.
He was ready with 3/16ths of a mile to go, and splashed his way past Nyquist to finally beat his nemesis after four losses, including a runner-up finish in the Derby.
Whereas Nyquist will ship to NY on Monday for the June 11 Belmont Stakes, Desormeaux will keep Exaggerator in Maryland for up to a week more to allow for recovery.
The owner of Justin Squared is Zayat Stables, who also owned American Pharaoh, last year’s Triple Crown champion.
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.
In the opening race of the day, Homeboykris collapsed and died after winning and having his picture taken in the winner’s circle.
Desormeaux stayed tight on the fence and was able to strategically navigate the turns on the slippery track.
Pramedya’s jockey, Daniel Centeno, fractured his right clavicle and was taken to Sinai Hospital. All that’s left to settle is who wins the rubber match between Exaggerator and Nyquist at the Belmont Stakes. “More than anything Exaggerator ran a wonderful race so hats off to them”.
Exaggerator pulled off the victory, while Cherry Wine rallied up the rail for second.
The three-year-old colt kept gaining ground along the rail.
“Then I started worrying”, Keith picked up, “why in the world is he so close to the lead approaching the far turn, we’re already three or four lengths off. I looked over at my girlfriend (assistant trainer Julie Clark) and said, ‘I hope he’s not asking him to be there’. I had a dream trip today”, said Desormeaux who won his third Preakness.
Derby victor Nyquist led out of the gate, but fell behind on a sloppy track at Pimlico, in mud and heavy rain. “Exaggerator doesn’t have one nervous bone in his body about Nyquist”.
The number of Triple Crown winners will remain at twelve for at least another year. “We tried but just didn’t get there”. Pimlico officials believe the 9-year-old gelding suffered cardiovascular collapse. Maybe just maybe, he figured, Nyquist would be a little exhausted and his horse’s exceptional powers of recovery would flip the script.
Nyquist’s trainer, Doug O’Neill, was pleased with the way his “amazing horse” ran, but it wasn’t enough to beat Exaggerator again.
“It’s a bummer, of course”, O’Neill said.
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O’Neill said he would talk to jockey Mario Gutierrez and watch video replays before offering an analysis of the race. “Nyquist is such an incredible horse, and he still ran a great race….” Keith Desormeaux said he is absolutely heading on to the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes in three weeks, and the Nyquist camp may just be game to try their hand at turning the tables.
