Archives > Triple Crown

That Scamp: - Trainer Rick Dutrow's transformation from crass cheat to lovable rogue with tragic backstory continues. Having a Kentucky Derby winner sure improves your media coverage. - The one horse Dutrow claimed to respect in the Preakness is out. Withers winner Harlem Rocker will pass the second leg of the Triple Crown to prep for the Queen's Plate, a more logical spot for the speedy son of Macho Uno. "He wants to play it conservative for now," said trainer Todd Pletcher of owner Frank Stronach's decision (DRF). Recapturetheglory, who came down with fever over the weekend, is also out, which means...; [Posted May 12, 2008 02:00 PM]; ---

Casino Drive 101: - He acted up in the paddock and ran greenly in the stretch, but there's no quibbling with the raw talent Casino Drive displayed winning the Peter Pan, for which the 3-year-old colt was given a Beyer speed figure of 101. "He was good, but he was not top form," said racing manager Nobutaka Tada after the race. "There's so much [room] for him to improve" (DRF). This spring is really shaping up as the season of young horses accomplishing the improbable ... and like commenter John S., I'm not sure how much I enjoy or understand this sort of...; [Posted May 11, 2008 09:15 PM]; ---

Place in History: Casino Drive laid over the field in the Peter Pan on Saturday, prompting all sorts of excitement for the Belmont Stakes in four weeks. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but where would producing three consecutive Belmont Stakes winners place Better Than Honour in the history of the turf? Greatest bloodstock achievement in history? Certainly, yes, but how about in comparison to Secretariat's 1973 Triple Crown or Woody Stephens's five consecutive Belmont victories? Keeping the perspective to this year only, if Big Brown wins the Preakness, he could head to Belmont as a wagering favorite but not a...; [Posted May 10, 2008 05:34 PM]; ---

Friday Morning Links: - Trainer Rick Dutrow's confidence, which dipped regarding the Preakness immediately after Big Brown's Derby win, has begun to return: Asked in a national conference call yesterday what odds he'd take on Big Brown capturing the Triple Crown, Dutrow said, "I guess even money." I might put it at 3-1. As Dutrow said, "if he runs like a 5," the Preakness is no problem. The Belmont is another matter ... - Of course, the Preakness won't be a breeze, not with the field swelling to nine. Recapturetheglory, fifth in the Derby, will be among the starters, and he'll get a...; [Posted May 9, 2008 08:10 AM]; ---

Sunday Night Links: - The 2008 Kentucky Derby, now officially the worst ever. - Larry Jones, eloquent in grief: "She went out in glory," he said, choking on tears. "She went out a champion to us." - Rick Dutrow, exultant in victory: "I told you Big Brown couldn't lose!" So he did, again and again. - Wise Ernie says: "Hug your Spooky Moulders, kiss your Delta Seas ... you never know which race is the last." - Onward, I guess, but to face what competition? - "Yes, that's it, contemplate the koan, meditate upon it ... then arrive at this reconciliation: Big Brown...; [Posted May 4, 2008 11:30 PM]; ---

The Gender Gap: There wasn't much excitement about the Belmont the week before the race. No Triple Crown was on the line and there would be no rematch between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners. Trainer Patrick Biancone was planning to enter his allowance winner Time Squared and owner Larry Roman his grossly overmatched colt, Digger. There was a $1 million purse for the taking, and no one seemed to want it. But then trainer Todd Pletcher entered Rags to Riches, and suddenly, a race was on. There was a storyline, the battle of the sexes, something for handicappers and racing fans to...; [Posted June 11, 2007 12:00 PM]; ---

'Rags' Makes History: Rags to Riches leaving the paddock before the Belmont There may have been only 46,870 people at Belmont yesterday (ThoroTimes), but you wouldn't have guessed that from the cheers that greeted Rags to Riches in the post parade or the roar of the crowd as she crossed the wire a head in front of Curlin, becoming the first filly in 102 years to take the Belmont. Even trainer Todd Pletcher reportedly let go, crying "Come on, baby! Come on, baby! Come on, baby!" (NY Times), as his filly came down the stretch, Curlin dogging her every stride in a...; [Posted June 10, 2007 11:00 AM]; ---

Belmont Day: Like Alan, I'll be watching this afternoon's Belmont Stakes more as a fan than bettor, cheering on Rags to Riches. Sure, no filly has won the Belmont Stakes since Tanya in 1905, but of the 21 fillies that have started, two have won and seven finished second or third (that's 43% in the money) and Rags to Riches has a good shot to become the third filly winner of the Belmont. There's her pedigree (sired by Belmont winner A.P. Indy, half sib to Belmont winner Jazil), her class (three Grade 1 wins this year), and her freshness (she comes into...; [Posted June 9, 2007 09:00 AM]; ---

Belmont Post Positions: PPHorseJockeyTrainerML1Imawildandcrazyguy GuidryKaplan20-12TiagoSmithShirreffs10-13CurlinAlbarado Asmussen 6-54C P WestPradoZito12-15Slew's TizzyBejaranoFox20-16Hard SpunGomezJones5-27Rags to RichesVelasquezPletcher3-1 All will carry 126 pounds, except for Rags to Riches, who will spot the boys five pounds and carry 121. Free Belmont past performances are available from DRF....; [Posted June 6, 2007 06:30 PM]; ---

Pletcher's Sporting Side: What's especially fun about Rags to Riches entering the Belmont is that the move seems to have given trainer Todd Pletcher a chance to reveal his sporting side. The horseman famous for his cool, detached ways around the track and his blandly professional pronouncements is suddenly saying things like, "She is just a good filly.... Aside from having testicles, she has it all" (Blood-Horse), and "At the end of the day, competing in the Belmont with a chance to win is more exciting than going in the Mother Goose and being 1-to-5" (Courier-Journal). Makes me wish we had the chance...; [Posted June 6, 2007 06:25 PM]; ---

Rags to Riches Will Run: This just in: Rags to Riches will run in the Belmont, trainer Todd Pletcher announced this morning....; [Posted June 5, 2007 08:12 AM]; ---

Why Curlin Won't Win: "Class laughs at pace" (DRF)....; [Posted June 5, 2007 08:10 AM]; ---

"Why not take a shot?": "Time Squared, who was sixth in the Blue Grass Stakes in April before winning an allowance race most recently, will run on Saturday in the 139th Belmont Stakes, trainer Patrick Biancone said Sunday" (DRF). Related: Time Squared may be overmatched in this spot, but not outclassed, unlike the unknown Digger. "If the New York stewards had guts, they would stop the madness before Belmont entries are taken Wednesday morning," writes John Pricci of the Maryland-bred 2-for-8 son of Yonaguska....; [Posted June 4, 2007 08:30 AM]; ---

Belmont Notes: Adam Coglianese/NYRA- Hard Spun (right) arrived at Belmont this afternoon. He'll put in his final work for next Saturday's Belmont Stakes on Sunday or Monday, said trainer Larry Jones. - Slew's Tizzy put in his final work for the race, going four furlongs in :49 flat, according to trainer Gregory Fox (NYRA). The Lone Star Derby winner will ship from Lexington on Tuesday. - Here come the longshots: Let's see, only five possible starters and a $1 million purse. It's no wonder the unknown Digger is now a Belmont contender (DRF). - Street Sense has been sold to Darley...; [Posted June 2, 2007 06:00 PM]; ---

Not Belmont Bound: Thursday update: Oops. I read the situation all wrong. Street Sense will skip the Belmont, point to the Travers (DRF). --- That's about the only conclusion that can be drawn from a press release sent out by Churchill Downs today, announcing a news conference at the track with trainer Carl Nafzger on Thursday at 10:30 a.m., a follow-up phone conference for remote journalists at 11:30 a.m., and a web video replay of the conference for the public starting at noon. Oh, and there'll be a "video opportunity" on Wednesday morning, when Street Sense works. So, it looks like we'll have...; [Posted May 29, 2007 06:00 PM]; ---

No Belmont for Nobiz: From Belmont Park notes: Despite a nice five-furlong breeze of 1:00 1/5 over Belmont’s fast main track this morning, Elizabeth Valando’s Nobiz Like Shobiz is doubtful to run in the Belmont Stakes, according to trainer Barclay Tagg. "He worked great, I thought," Tagg said of the move with jockey Cornelio Velasquez up. "He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13, but I'm not planning on running him in the Belmont." A number of factors were considered by Tagg and Valando concerning the Wood Memorial winner’s potential run in the Belmont. "If it were a walkover or a two-horse race, I would...; [Posted May 24, 2007 03:15 PM]; ---

Belmont Possible for Rags: Curlin and Hard Spun are in for sure, Carl Nafzger is now saying Street Sense is possible (although still looking unlikely), and Todd Pletcher is dangling the tantalizing possibility that Rags to Riches will show up: "I would say we're sitting right on the middle of the fence,'' Pletcher said in his barn office. "We're going to monitor two things basically, how she trains and who shows up, then make a decision.'' (DRF) Rags to Riches has won three grade one events this year; if there's a filly out there capable of taking on Curlin, she's it....; [Posted May 22, 2007 08:30 AM]; ---

Preakness Wrap-up: - Curlin's Preakness Beyer came back as 111, a big number for the colt, who mounted a "stunning, brilliant" (WaPo) stretch assault on Street Sense after the Derby winner blew by him at the top of the lane. "Curlin just has this way about him, the last part of the race he wants to win," said jockey Robby Albarado (NY Times). Street Sense duplicated his Kentucky Derby effort, but lost focus near the end, losing to Curlin by a head. "He just got to gawking 40 yards from home and he just got outrun," said Calvin Borel (NY Post). -...; [Posted May 20, 2007 09:00 AM]; ---

Preakness Day: It's a picture perfect day in Baltimore; the Pimlico track is fast, the turf firm, and speed is holding. Results are chalky through the eighth race (in which Diabolical almost set a new track record winning the Maryland Breeders' Cup Sprint); jockeys Ramon Dominguez, Rafael Bejarano, and Mario Pino have won two each so far. Street Sense is 7-5 in the early Preakness wagering, Curlin the second choice at 3-1. --- Rain! And suddenly, Hard Spun is tempting with 4-1 odds. Less than 20 minutes to post and I'm reconsidering my wagering plan ... --- And the winner is ......; [Posted May 19, 2007 03:00 PM]; ---

Preakness Picks: 1. Street Sense: At 7-5 on the morning line, and very likely even money in actual wagering, the Derby winner is hardly a tempting betting proposition, but he has a terrific post position outside Hard Spun and possible pacesetter Flying First Class and there's plenty of speed in here to set up for his closing style. Plus, his class, speed, fitness, etc. make it difficult to get past him. So, I won't even try. 2. Circular Quay: Consider the Derby a prep for the Preakness for this Pletcher-trained closer. 3. Curlin: I wasn't on the Curlin bandwagon going into the...; [Posted May 18, 2007 04:30 PM]; ---

Preakness Post Positions: PPHorseJockeyTrainerML1Mint SlewlepGarciaBailes30-12XchangerDominguez Shuman15-13Circular QuayVelasquezPletcher8-14CurlinAlbaradoAsmussen 7-25King of the Roxy GomezPletcher12-16Flying First ClassGuidryLukas20-17Hard SpunPinoJones5-28Street SenseBorelNafzger7-59CP WestPradoZito20-1 Free Preakness past performances are available from DRF....; [Posted May 16, 2007 05:15 PM]; ---

Circular Quay Possible: Trainer Todd Pletcher, already planning to enter King of the Roxy in the Preakness, surprised on Monday with the announcement that he's strongly considering Circular Quay for the race as well. Circular Quay, who worked four furlongs in :44.4 with A.P. Arrow on Monday morning, finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby. "Basically since the Derby he's trained very well, and I just wanted to keep my options opens," said Pletcher (DRF). Running Circular Quay back in two weeks would be a very un-Pletcher like move: According to Formulator, he's started horses off such short rest just 177 times out of...; [Posted May 14, 2007 09:15 PM]; ---

Preakness Bound: - A very happy Calvin Borel after the Kentucky Derby: - And in white tie, on his way to meet the Queen. - Trainer Carl Nafzger is downplaying Preakness talk, even telling reporters that the race isn't "even on the radar now" (USA Today), but the Derby winner is almost definitely bound for Baltimore, where he'll probably meet up with Hard Spun and Curlin again. Others considered possible for the race are Chelokee and Xchanger. Past performances for likely Preakness starters are up on DRF. - A Street Sense-Hard Spun rivalry is blooming, with trainer Larry Jones appearing to relish...; [Posted May 7, 2007 11:00 PM]; ---

Belmont Day Results: - As usual, Alan at Left at the Gate has a superb post up covering all of Saturday's stakes action at Belmont, and Steve Haskin painstakingly details Jazil's Belmont victory in the Blood-Horse. About all I have to add is that Jazil earned a 102 Beyer speed figure for his Belmont win, and that the colt will be pointed toward the Travers at Saratoga on August 26, as will runner-up Bluegrass Cat and third place finisher Sunriver. - Gary West wraps up this year's Triple Crown season: "It was a long five weeks." - Lava Man became a Grade I...; [Posted June 12, 2006 10:00 PM]; ---

Belmont Day: It looks like a beautiful afternoon in New York, but 300 miles to the north, heavy rain is falling for the fourth day in a row and Suffolk Downs is closed due to a power outage, so I'm watching the races at home and playing along on TVG. So far, the racing on the Belmont undercard hasn't disappointed. (The Just a Game was especially exciting, the way Gorella pounced on pacesetter Pommes Frites in the final yards to win by a neck.) I'm playing a Pick 4 today -- a rare wager for me -- and won the first leg...; [Posted June 10, 2006 04:00 PM]; ---

Belmont Field Grows to 10: - Without the Derby or the Preakness winner in the field, the Belmont looks wide open. Ten horses are considered definite for the race and at least three others are under consideration. Among the definites are Bluegrass Cat, second in the Kentucky Derby, and Steppenwolfer, who finished third. - It's almost certain that Bluegrass Cat will have a familiar rider aboard in the Belmont. Jockey John Velazquez, out since April with an injury, is working horses for trainer Todd Pletcher in the morning and plans to return to racing early in June. "It's looking pretty good that Johnny will be...; [Posted May 28, 2006 10:00 PM]; ---

Bernardini Will Skip Belmont: - Preakness winner Bernardini will skip the Belmont, said Darley USA president Jimmy Bell. "Bernardini has had three races in quick succession, and Sheikh Mohammed feels that the colt deserves a break before his next target, which will be determined in due course." Races being considered for the colt include the Haskell and Travers. Without the Derby or the Preakness winners in the Belmont, the last leg of the Triple Crown series will be starless. That's bad news for TV ratings and NYRA maybe, but good news for horseplayers: This year's race should be a competitive one. - Lost in...; [Posted May 25, 2006 09:45 PM]; ---

Belmont Field Takes Shape: Without the Derby winner, and quite possibly without the Preakness winner as well, the Belmont is shaping up as an anti-climactic end to the Triple Crown season. Only five are confirmed for the race so far, including Steppenwolfer and Jazil; NYRA expects the list "to grow significantly in the coming days."...; [Posted May 23, 2006 09:05 PM]; ---

Barbaro Hurt; Bernardini Wins: One bad step. That's all it takes. Triple Crown dreams disappear in an instant, replaced by one wish: "Let's just hope Barbaro lives." The Derby winner was pulled up on the stretch in front of the Pimlico grandstand shortly after the start of Preakness with an injured right hind leg. "During the race, he took a bad step and I can't really tell you what happened," said jockey Edgar Prado. "I heard a noise about a 100 yards into the race and pulled him right up." The noise was the sound of a catastrophic injury: According to Dr. Larry Bramlage,...; [Posted May 21, 2006 12:00 PM]; ---

Preakness Post Positions: 2007 Preakness post positions are on the homepage: Click here The Preakness field, with jockeys and morning line: 1Like NowGarrett Gomez12-12Platinum CoupleJose Espinoza50-13Hemingway's KeyJeremy Rose30-14Greeley's LegacyRichard Migliore20-15Brother DerekAlex Solis3-16BarbaroEdgar PradoEven7SweetnorthernsaintKent Desormeaux4-18BernardiniJavier Castellano8-19DiabolicalRamon Dominguez30-1...; [Posted May 17, 2006 08:30 PM]; ---

Don't Crown Barbaro Yet: Sounds like the giddiness that followed Barbaro's Derby victory and had sensible people everywhere all but conceding the colt the Triple Crown is fading: "Frankly, I've seen better horses than Barbaro travel this road and fail in the attempt to collect the Triple Crown's famous jewels ... As good as he is, Barbaro may not be quite as good as he appeared in Kentucky. The Kentucky Derby can be like one of those curved mirrors in the fun house at the state fair. Barbaro won by more than six lengths, but he probably wasn't six lengths better than any other...; [Posted May 17, 2006 04:00 PM]; ---

Preakness Field Grows to 9: - The list of Preakness probables has grown to nine, now that trainer Steve Klesaris has decided to enter allowance winner Diabolical, and two other longshots -- Greeley's Legacy and Platinum Couple -- are also expected to enter. "I think he has the ability to compete," said trainer George Weaver of Greeley's Legacy, who finished fourth in the Gotham. "If I can get back to his Gotham race, I think we can be right in the thick of things. That's what it boils down to. I think he fits, the timing is right and the horse is right." - One...; [Posted May 17, 2006 02:30 PM]; ---

Noted: May 15: - Weekend results: "With no impetus other than his own desire, Wanna Runner took possession of Saturday's $300,000 Lone Star Derby." At Hollywood Park, Grey Swallow won the Jim Murray by five lengths, and Surf Cat made an amazing move from last to first to win the Mervyn LeRoy. "I saw a lightning flash," said trainer Bruce Headley. "That was some kind of move." Jockey Alex Solis had a big day at the track, sweeping all three graded stakes at Hollywood on Saturday. - Trainer Bob Baffert said neither Point Determined nor Bob and John would run in the Preakness....; [Posted May 15, 2006 06:00 AM]; ---

Preakness Field in Flux: - With nine days to go, the Preakness has only six definite starters: Barbaro, Brother Derek, Sweetnorthernsaint, Like Now, Bernardini, and trainer Nick Zito's morning glory, Hemingway's Key. "I had this in mind from day one because I thought he was Belmont material," said Zito of the colt, who finished eighth in his last start, the Lexington. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, put off by Barbaro's dominating win in the Derby, has decided not to enter Simon Pure, who finished fourth in the Arkansas Derby. "I think [Barbaro] should scare a few horses away -- me included," said Lukas. Lawyer Ron...; [Posted May 11, 2006 12:30 PM]; ---

"A Tremendous Machine": Watch Secretariat win the Triple Crown, again and again and again ... (If the screen above doesn't work, try this link.)...; [Posted April 3, 2006 10:45 AM]; ---

The Price of Greed: Yearling prices and syndication deals have changed the game and made winning the Triple Crown harder, not easier, Lowell Sun racing correspondent Paul Daley writes in this week's Sun column, reprinted with permission here. The past few days we've witnessed two notable defections from the Kentucky Derby Trail. First, two-year-old Eclipse Award winner Stevie Wonderboy suffered a hairline condylar fracture to his right front ankle on Monday morning, necessitating at least a 90-day absence from the racing wars. Then, on Tuesday, trainer Patrick Byrne declared Arlington Washington Futurity winner, Sorcerer's Stone, out of the Triple Crown due to small ankle...; [Posted February 13, 2006 06:00 PM]; ---

The Questions Begin: Now that the thrill of Saturday has passed and Afleet Alex has established himself as a most superior horse, the question of how he failed to become the first Triple Crown winner in 27 years is coming to the fore. "How did the colt who is clearly the best runner in his generation fail to win the 2005 Triple Crown?," asks Rick Bozich (Courier-Journal). Bill Finley answers: "The only possible answer? It's just a very, very hard thing to do" (ESPN). Expect this conversation to continue for years as people debate whether it was the jockey or the pace that...; [Posted June 13, 2005 11:40 AM]; ---

More Belmont: A mere 62,274 were at Belmont on Saturday to watch the awesome Afleet Alex win the Belmont Stakes (Blood-Horse). With no Triple Crown on the line, the crowd was half of what it was in 2004, and Saturday's attendance was the lowest for the Belmont since 1996. Attendance wasn't the only thing down this year. TV ratings for the Belmont dropped 63% (Boston Globe). Wagering was up, however. A record was set for the non-Triple Crown running of the Belmont, with more than $47.9 million wagered on the race (Thoroughbred Times). Handle for all 13 races on the card was...; [Posted June 12, 2005 10:45 PM]; ---

Quick Post-Belmont Notes: Afleet Alex: There are no questions left about this colt. He can get the distance. He has more than one move. He's agile and powerful. "Where did he come from?," a woman standing next to me shouted as Alex crossed the finish line and the crowd cheered. He came from ninth just before the mile mark to first at the stretch and blew by the competition with incredible ease, winning by seven lengths. It was a thrilling performance. Giacomo: Finished seventh, a showing that makes his Kentucky Derby victory look all the flukier now, given that the likes of maiden...; [Posted June 11, 2005 11:55 PM]; ---

Afleet Alex, Giacomo Exercise: Afleet Alex went out for a two mile jog on Wednesday, in his first trip to the track since winning the Preakness last Saturday. "He was a touch stiff the first mile, which was to be expected," said trainer Tim Ritchey. "But by the time he was jogging the second mile, his ears were up and he was jogging forward and striding right out." (Thoroughbred Times) Derby winner Giacomo jogged Wednesday at Hollywood Park. Trainer John Shirreffs still isn't saying whether or not Giacomo will race in the Belmont. "It's hard to say whether he will run. We just got...; [Posted May 26, 2005 07:15 AM]; ---

Maryland Stewards "Clueless": Paul Moran is ferocious in his indictment of the Maryland stewards for ruling that jockey Ramon Dominguez was not at fault in the incident at the top of in the stretch in the Preakness, when Scrappy T reacted to being struck on the left by veering sharply to the right and running into Afleet Alex: The beauty of being a steward in Maryland is that people are paying attention only one day a year. So, rather than concern themselves with suspensions, hearings and appeals, the Pimlico stewards decided Dominguez would be held blameless for the incident and that there would...; [Posted May 26, 2005 07:10 AM]; ---

Preakness Remainders: Afleet Alex earned a 112 Beyer speed figure in the Preakness. "The Preakness was as legitimate a race as the Derby was flukey." (Daily Racing Form -- sub. req.) More bad luck for trainer Nick Zito: It was discovered Monday that Noble Causeway "entrapped his epiglottis" during the Preakness. The colt will have a myectomy. (Blood-Horse) Wilko is also having surgery. Trainer Craig Dollase said the Breeders' Cup juvenile winner came out of the Preakness with a chip in his right front ankle. He'll have surgery on Thursday to remove it. (Daily Racing Form) There'll be no Triple Crown this...; [Posted May 24, 2005 11:45 AM]; ---

Dominguez Not at Fault: After reviewing the race, Maryland stewards determined that jockey Ramon Dominguez wasn't at fault for the incident at the top of the stretch in the Preakness, when he struck Scrappy T and the horse veered into Afleet Alex's path. "He hit him one time," said steward Bill Passmore. "How many horses do you hit left-handed and they don't move?" (Washington Post) Dominguez apologized immediately after the race, and Jeremy Rose graciously accepted. Trainer Tim Ritchey was noticeably more upset that day and the next, but even he won't say much more than, "My father said a long time ago that...; [Posted May 23, 2005 12:15 PM]; ---

Preakness Notes: Going into the Preakness, Afleet Alex was a suspect horse to a lot of people. He showed up for all his races, he was consistent, yet he didn't seem quite good enough. "Afleet Alex, likeable as he is for his consistency and durability, had a relatively clean trip in the Derby and was simply outfinished by Giacomo and Closing Argument," wrote Steven Crist. "You can say he moved a shade too soon, which is what most people said when he was outfinished by Proud Accolade in the Champagne and by Wilko in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The excuse is wearing...; [Posted May 22, 2005 11:30 AM]; ---

Afleet Alex Wins Preakness!: I am thrilled. What a great race, what an amazing horse, and what a brilliant ride by Jeremy Rose. Final time was 1:55, and Alex won despite a near-disastrous collision with an unfocused and drifting Scrappy T at the top of the stretch. Knocked to his knees, Afleet Alex bounced up and stormed down the stretch as though nothing had happened. It was easily the most impressive performance we've seen all spring. Scrappy T finished second, Giacomo third....; [Posted May 21, 2005 06:30 PM]; ---

Wide Open Preakness: Here's my prediction for today's Preakness: It will be a more exciting race than the Kentucky Derby. Of the 14 starters, 11 are logical contenders to finish on the board. Who will win? A horse with a stalking style such as Afleet Alex, Closing Argument, or High Fly. I'd be delighted if Giacomo won this afternoon, but studying his record and races over the past couple of days, it seems pretty clear that he's a deep closer, and the Preakness isn't likely to set up so favorably for him as did the Derby. He could run second or third --...; [Posted May 21, 2005 09:45 AM]; ---

Greeley's Preakness?: In recent years, the Kentucky Derby winner would be an automatic favorite for the Preakness. Not this spring. Giacomo is on almost everyone's do-not pick list. Andy Beyer is particularly brusque in his dismissal of the gray colt's chances to take the second leg of the Triple Crown: Throw out Giacomo. That's the easy part of handicapping the Preakness. Beyer likes Greeley's Galaxy, as do Ray Kerrison and Steve Haskin. They all point to his "monster move" halfway through the Derby, when Galaxy came within four lengths of the leaders, and his good workouts in the past couple of weeks....; [Posted May 20, 2005 03:10 PM]; ---

Preakness Post Positions: PPHorseJockeyTrainerML1Malibu MoonshineHamiltonLeatherbury20-12High FlyBaileyZito9-23Noble CausewayStevensZito10-14Greeley's GalaxyFloresStute15-15Scrappy TDominguezBailes20-16Hal's ImageSantosRose50-17Closing ArgumentVelasquezMcLaughlin5-18Galloping GrocerBravoSchettino30-19WilkoNakataniDollase10-110Sun KingBejaranoZito15-111High LimitPradoFrankel12-112Afleet AlexRoseRitchey5-213GiacomoSmithShirreffs6-114Going WildAlbaradoLukas30-1 There's been much talk about the importance of post position in the Preakness outcome, which Alan at Left at the Gate has nicely summed up here and here. Full Preakness coverage on Friday ......; [Posted May 19, 2005 06:55 PM]; ---

No Respect for Giacomo: Not one of five turf writers making their Preakness picks choose Giacomo to win (Newsday). Pedigree experts wonder "whether Giacomo's victory wasn't a telltale hoof print about the declining quality of the classic American thoroughbred" (Washington Post). And Bill Finley can't find anything to look forward to this Saturday: It's hard to imagine anything too scintillating happening in Saturday's 130th edition of the Preakness. Not with a Kentucky Derby winner in Giacomo who generates virtually no excitement or buzz. Not with his challengers largely composed of a group of overmatched new shooters and horses who are coming into the race...; [Posted May 17, 2005 11:25 AM]; ---

Bellamy Road Injured: And out of the Preakness and Belmont stakes. Trainer Nick Zito discovered Tuesday that the colt has a popped splint bone. "The bad news is he popped a splint," said Zito. "The good news is the X-rays are clean otherwise. There's no fracture, so he'll be back for the big races this summer." Bellamy Road may start in the Travers. (Daily Racing Form)...; [Posted May 11, 2005 09:25 AM]; ---

Belmont Tickets On Sale: Tickets for the June 11 Belmont Stakes are on sale now. "On sale" meaning follow the link to NYRA, download and print a PDF page, fill it out, and mail it in by February 28 for the seat allotment lottery....; [Posted February 13, 2005 12:10 PM]; ---

Triple Crown Nominees Named: A total of 357358 three-year-olds were nominated for this year's Triple Crown races. Trainer Todd Pletcher leads the pack with 34 nominations. Last year Pletcher nominated 35 horses and none made it the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, or Belmont Stakes. Almost all the three-year-olds you'd expect to be nominated are on the list, including Declan's Moon and Sweet Catomine. Oddly, Lost in the Fog isn't. Did someone in the barn forget the nomination deadline? (Boston Globe) Related: The number of horses nominated this year is down 20% from two years ago, and is the lowest number of nominations since 1996. "But...; [Posted February 7, 2005 09:20 AM]; ---

Dump the Preakness: And sub in the Travers for a new Triple Crown, writes John Williams in Slate: "The Triple Crown might be a grand exalted tradition, but it's not helping the sport of kings. Busting up the sport's precious jewels is the easiest and most logical solution to the problems that beset modern horse racing. So listen up, horse folk: Dump the Preakness and call the Travers Stakes up to the big leagues."...; [Posted August 27, 2004 07:10 PM]; ---

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