The 145th edition of the $ 1 million dollar, Grade 1, Preakness Stakes is a 1 and 3/16th miles (9.5 furlongs) dirt race for 3 year-old thoroughbreds. It is the 11th race on a card of 12 (all stakes) races at Pimlico. Racing begins at 11 AM EST. The Preakness Stakes post at 5:36 PM EST.
Eleven have entered, only one will win the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans! Here are the contenders by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/breeder/and morning-line odds:
- Excession/Sheldon Russell/S M Asmussen/Calumet Farm/Randal Family Trust, R David and Marylyn A Randal Trustees/30-1
- Mr. Big News/Gabriel Saez/W B Calhoun/Allied Racing Stable, LLC./Don Alberto Corporation/12-1
- Art Collector/Brian Hernandez Jr./T Drury Jr./Bruce Lunsford/W. Bruce Lunsford/5-2
- Swiss Skydiver/Robby Albarado/K G McPeek/Peter J. Callahan/WinStar Farm, LLC./6-1
- Thousand Words/Florent Geroux/B Baffert/Albaugh Family Stables, LLC. and Spendthrift Farm, LLC./Hardacre Farm/6-1
- Jesus Team/Jevian Toledo/J F D’Angelo/Grupo Seven C Stable/Pamela P. Gartin/30-1
- NY Traffic/Horacio Karamanos/S A Joseph Jr./John Fanelli, Cash is King, LLC, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley/Brian Culnan/15-1
- Max Player/Paco Lopez/S M Asmussen/George e. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp./K and G Stables/15-1
- Authentic/John Velazquez/B Baffert/Spendthrift Farm, LLC., My Racehorse Stable, Madaket Stables, LLC. and Starlight Racing/Peter E. Blum Throroughbreds, LLC./9-5
- Pneumatic/Joe Bravo/S M Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC./Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC./20-1
- Liveyourbestlife/Trevor McCarthy/J R Abreu/William H. Lawrence/Phillips Racing Partnership/30-1
What a collection of fabulous 3 year-olds! Read on to appreciate some of the details about each contender. Here they are broken down by horse (state of breeding) dire-dam: (career entries – wins:2nds:3rds) and a bit more…
Excession (KY) Union Rags – Draw It: (9-1:1:3) This entry had a nice career early and he was second in his last start, a Kentucky Derby prep race, but that was way back in March. He had a minor surgery to remove a bone chip in his knee since. This horse adds an element of surprise without having a lot of current races for comparison. Owner, Calumet Farm, holds the title for most Preakness wins. Trainer, Asmussen, has won the Preakness twice and has 3 entries in this edition.
Mr. Big News (KY) Giant’s Causeway – Unappeased :(8-2:1:1) is my pick for the Preakness. This colt has raced twice at my home track, Keeneland. He is coming off a thrilling third place finish in the KY Derby!
Art Collector (KY) Bernardini – Distorted Legacy: (9-5:1:0) was headed to the KY Derby on a 4 win streak when just days prior to the big race he sustained a minor foot injury. Now he will have a chance to show us how he competes at the top. He has also raced twice at Keeneland and would make a nice contender there in next months Breeders’ Cup. His sire, Bernardini, won the Preakness in 2006.
Swiss Skydiver (KY) Daredevil – Expo Gold: (10-5:3:1) This little lady is making a transition away from the classic filly races. Will she be the sixth filly to win the Preakness? She qualified to race the KY Derby with her second place finish at Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes then she was guided to the KY Oaks instead and kept her second place status there, as well. Perhaps, she ready to win again? Her jockey, Albarado, has experienced the thrill of winning the Preakness.
Thousand Words (FL) Pioneerof the Nile – Pomeroy’s Pistol: (7-4:1:0) made it all the way to the paddock on KY Derby day for The Run for the Roses but perhaps the excitement was too much? He reared up and fell down and was instantly scratched due to concerns for his safety. Uninjured, he will aim to compete at the triple crown level again. His trainer, Baffert, is tied for the most wins,7, in the Preakness. Baffert has 2 entries in this edition.
Jesus’ Team (KY) Tapiture – Golden Memories: (10-2:3:2) He spent half of his career to break his maiden. His has since finished in the top 4 of two graded and one listed stakes. He finished third on KY Derby day in the Jim Dandy in Saratoga!
Ny Traffic (NY) Cross Traffic – Mamie Reilly: (10-2:3:2) is a grey! He had an unexpected 8th place finish in the KY Derby which surprised me coming off a nice close finishes in 4 prior stakes. His owners have won the Preakness once before. He has even raced well at Churchill before. Interesting that in this Preakness, Pimlico does not provide a home track experience to any of the horse contenders.
Max Player (KY) Honor Code – Fools in Love: (6-2:1:2) had an inspiring 5th place finish in the KY Derby and third place in the Belmont Stakes. Max Player’s connections get my full respect for keeping the triple crown tradition alive and competing in all three jewels! He shares trainer, Asmussen.
Authentic (KY) Into Mischief – Flawless: (6-5:1:0) This champ here was the 146th KY Derby winner! Need I say more? I will… Seeing that he nearly always wins, from first asking to the KY Derby with just one defeat, but keeping a 2nd place, in the Santa Anita Derby. This is another of Baffert’s entries. Some of his many,many owners have tasted Preakness win fame.
Pneumatic (KY) Uncle Mo – Teardrop: (5-3:0:1) had a nice win to race ratio. He started racing at 3. He finished forth in the Belmont this year but then he unfortunately skipped the KY Derby despite improving to win the Pegasus by more than 2 lengths. Pneumatic is also trained by Asmussen.
Liveyourbestlife (KY) Ghostzapper – Ellie’s Moment: (8:2-1-1) Unraced on the official road to the Kentucky Derby/triple crown, Liveyourbestlife is going for it! This horse may have stayed off the radar before but he took a big step up placing second in the Jim Dandy. His owner knows what a Preakness winner looks like, having just owned one in 2017.
That is your field for the 2020 Preakness and you will see one or more of them again at Keeneland for the 37th Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. Speaking of Keeneland, their meet begins today, 10/2/20. In the 17 days of live racing at Keeneland there will be 18 stakes, 10 of which are “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup berth races.
Watch Keeneland live on TVG daily. NBCSN will cover the Darley Alcibiades (G1) and Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) from 5 to 6 PM ET today from Keeneland. On Saturday, 10/3, NBC will offer the Preakness from 4:30 to 6 PM ET. Then, Sunday, NBCSN returns to Keeneland 4:30 to 6 PM for the Juddmonte Spinster (G1), the Bourbon Stakes (G2) and the Indian Summer. After that, Keeneland breaks until Wednesday, when NBCSN will cover the JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2) from 4-5 PM ET.
Enjoy the final jewel of the triple crown and all of it’s unconventional splendor. Watch the latest selections for November’s Breeders’ Cup and continue to check with Thoroughbred U on Keeneland, BC updates and more.
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