Getting Your Preak On

By Jude T. Feld

To access our facebook page, click here.

The 135th Preakness will be contested at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, May 15. Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver will take a run at the Triple Crown bid predicted by his jockey, Calvin Borel, in his post-Derby interview, but there are several sophomores who have been waiting for the second “jewel” to show their best stuff. Here are some notes on the possible contenders, in my current order of preference:

SUPER SAVER (Calvin Borel 105 Highest Two-Turn Brisnet Speed Figure) – Ran the best race of his life in the Kentucky Derby (G1), so running back in two weeks could cause him to “bounce to the moon.” He is on an improving pattern however and the son of Maria’s Mon has had a light schedule leading up to this race so his freshness could be the harbinger of Triple Crown success. On form, he is definitely the horse to beat and trainer Todd Pletcher has stated that the pride of WinStar Farm exited the Derby, “as good as we could have expected.”

LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Martin Garcia 102) – Kept to his task in the Derby despite a rugged trip and what seemed to me to be an overly aggressive ride. According trainer Bob Baffert, he came out of that debacle in good shape and he has impressed on the racetrack in the mornings following the big dance. A smaller field will work to his advantage at Pimlico. Hopefully the son of Smart Strike can avoid a bad post, have a clear journey and show the world his true talent.

PADDY O’PRADO (Kent Desormeaux 102) – Excellent Kentucky Derby run for the perpetual “wise guy” horse. The El Prado colt has more speed than he showed in Louisville and could sit a good trip in the Preakness (G1). Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux is no stranger to Old Hilltop, having won five riding titles in Baltimore during the eighties. It could all add up to the Black-Eyed Susans if the Dale Romans trainee doesn’t regress off his lifetime best 102 Brisnet speed figure.

SCHOOLYARD DREAMS (Eibar Coa 100) – Seemed to be on the verge of something big when narrowly defeated by Odysseus in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). The son of Stephen Got Even outran SUPER SAVER in that one, but came back to get beat up by Eskendereya in the Wood Memorial (G1). A :59 3/5 best of the morning workout at Monmouth on Thursday renewed trainer Derek Ryan’s confidence in his colt. The Ryan-trained Musket Man finished third in last year’s Preakness (G1) won by Rachel Alexandra.

PLEASANT PRINCE (Julien Leparoux 101) – Last-ditch effort to get into the Derby via the Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (G3) was a flop, but he’s got an extra week of rest on those that ran in the big one. Still, he will have started three times in 35 days if he contests the Preakness (G1) and that is a lot by today’s standards. Flattered when Ice Box ran huge at Churchill Downs, he has a chance at a piece of the purse…maybe a big piece if his :59 flat workout at Keeneland on May 9 is a true indication of his current form.

CARACORTADO (Paul Atkinson 96) – California-bred son of Cat Dreams started off his career with five straight wins, culminating with a victory in the Robert B. Lewis (G2) at Santa Anita. He’s been freshened since his troubled trip in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the gelding has blossomed according to trainer Mike Machowsky. Good tactical speed is an advantage at Pimlico, but he’ll have to improve speed figure-wise if he is going to win the Preakness (G1).

AIKENITE (No rider 93) – Has made some encouraging runs, but when analyzing his past performances, the conclusion here is he’s better suited to one-turn races. The Yes It’s True colt will need his best-ever performance to win, but he could be part of the tri or super because of his guts.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 9:59 am and is filed under Featured Articles. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.