Preakness Day from Baltimore!
May 18, 2013 13:56:29 GMT -5
Post by cait on May 18, 2013 13:56:29 GMT -5
here's some local material for between races!
Five Preakness story lines to watch
No. 1: Can Orb Do It?
Before his colt even raced in Kentucky, Orb co-owner Stuart Janney III said he felt the Preakness would be a more reasonable test. This is a common refrain from those in the sport: the Derby's unusually large field -- up to 20, though only 19 this year -- makes for an unpredictable race.
Then, it rained. And rained. And rained.
The sloppy track further complicated the race, and hours before the horses went to the gate Janney worried that his would be beaten by an inferior competitor who happened to have a particular fondness for mud.
Then Orb floated away from the rest coming down the stretch, leaving little doubt about which horse was most worthy.
The Preakness is a quintessential middle sibling, often overlooked and hard to define. If the Derby is crowded and Belmont long (a mile and a half), the Preakness avoids a simple explanation.
What it demands, often, is a perfect ride. At just a mile and 3/16ths, it has punished late runners who were not in precisely the right spot to move at exactly the right time.
Orb won with a deep charge in Kentucky but has stalked the leaders before. The pressure will be on jockey Joel Rosario to quickly figure out how to handle this race once the gate opens.
No. 2: Childhood Friends
One of Orb's primary competitors will be a horse he once galloped with through a Kentucky paddock. Departing, like Orb, was born at Claiborne Farm outside of Lexington, and is still owned by the powerful breeding outfit (in partnership with Adele Dilschneider).
Janney runs his breeding operation through Claiborne, working closely with farm manager Seth Hancock, who 40 years ago handled the syndication of Secretariat as the colt worked through the Triple Crown races.
Orb and Departing were once nothing more than promising babies in the same field, sticking to their mothers' sides, taking their first strides, still nameless and not guaranteed to even make it to the race track.
Departing will be fresh, having skipped the Kentucky Derby. He last raced in the Illinois Derby on April 20, winning by 3 ΒΌ lengths.
No. 3: Lukas Trifecta
D. Wayne Lukas, 77, joked in Kentucky that he'd only train until he was 90.
But the man tied for the most Triple Crown race wins of all time - 13 - clearly plans on relentlessly chasing another win for as long as he can.
He'll run three in the Preakness, including Derby finishers Oxbow (sixth) and Will Take Charge (eighth). His newcomer, Titletown Five, is owned by pro football Hall of Fame halfback Paul Hornung, who grew up in Louisville and sold programs at Churchill Downs.
No. 4: Milestone Wins
Kevin Krigger and Rosie Napravnik fearlessly continue pulling the spotlight to their race and gender, respectively.
Krigger would be the first black rider to win the Preakness since 1898, and will be just the seventh to run in it. He rides Goldencents, trained by last year's Derby and Preakness winner Doug O'Neill. Krigger has taken the unusual step of accompanying Goldencents to Baltimore to work with the colt daily, and O'Neill appears determined to prove that his horse's 17th place retreating run at the Derby was a fluke.
Napravnik will be aboard Mylute as trainer Tom Amoss has decided to take another run at Orb. Napravnik began her career in Maryland, leaving high school a year early and racing under her initials to hide her name from perspective clients who wouldn't want to hire a woman.
Julie Krone is the only woman to win a Triple Crown race, on Colonial Affair in the 1993 Belmont.
No. 5: Who Else?
Just nine horses will start the Preakness. Bob Baffert, a five-time winner of the Preakness who lacked a Derby entry for the first time since 2008, has brought Govenor Charlie to Baltimore. The colts has raced just three times, but appears to be the most promising contender. Departing is another shooter who merits a look.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/preakness/bal-5-preakness-story-lines-to-watch-20130518,0,7221071.photogallery#ixzz2TfjB4BMk
Five Preakness story lines to watch
No. 1: Can Orb Do It?
Before his colt even raced in Kentucky, Orb co-owner Stuart Janney III said he felt the Preakness would be a more reasonable test. This is a common refrain from those in the sport: the Derby's unusually large field -- up to 20, though only 19 this year -- makes for an unpredictable race.
Then, it rained. And rained. And rained.
The sloppy track further complicated the race, and hours before the horses went to the gate Janney worried that his would be beaten by an inferior competitor who happened to have a particular fondness for mud.
Then Orb floated away from the rest coming down the stretch, leaving little doubt about which horse was most worthy.
The Preakness is a quintessential middle sibling, often overlooked and hard to define. If the Derby is crowded and Belmont long (a mile and a half), the Preakness avoids a simple explanation.
What it demands, often, is a perfect ride. At just a mile and 3/16ths, it has punished late runners who were not in precisely the right spot to move at exactly the right time.
Orb won with a deep charge in Kentucky but has stalked the leaders before. The pressure will be on jockey Joel Rosario to quickly figure out how to handle this race once the gate opens.
No. 2: Childhood Friends
One of Orb's primary competitors will be a horse he once galloped with through a Kentucky paddock. Departing, like Orb, was born at Claiborne Farm outside of Lexington, and is still owned by the powerful breeding outfit (in partnership with Adele Dilschneider).
Janney runs his breeding operation through Claiborne, working closely with farm manager Seth Hancock, who 40 years ago handled the syndication of Secretariat as the colt worked through the Triple Crown races.
Orb and Departing were once nothing more than promising babies in the same field, sticking to their mothers' sides, taking their first strides, still nameless and not guaranteed to even make it to the race track.
Departing will be fresh, having skipped the Kentucky Derby. He last raced in the Illinois Derby on April 20, winning by 3 ΒΌ lengths.
No. 3: Lukas Trifecta
D. Wayne Lukas, 77, joked in Kentucky that he'd only train until he was 90.
But the man tied for the most Triple Crown race wins of all time - 13 - clearly plans on relentlessly chasing another win for as long as he can.
He'll run three in the Preakness, including Derby finishers Oxbow (sixth) and Will Take Charge (eighth). His newcomer, Titletown Five, is owned by pro football Hall of Fame halfback Paul Hornung, who grew up in Louisville and sold programs at Churchill Downs.
No. 4: Milestone Wins
Kevin Krigger and Rosie Napravnik fearlessly continue pulling the spotlight to their race and gender, respectively.
Krigger would be the first black rider to win the Preakness since 1898, and will be just the seventh to run in it. He rides Goldencents, trained by last year's Derby and Preakness winner Doug O'Neill. Krigger has taken the unusual step of accompanying Goldencents to Baltimore to work with the colt daily, and O'Neill appears determined to prove that his horse's 17th place retreating run at the Derby was a fluke.
Napravnik will be aboard Mylute as trainer Tom Amoss has decided to take another run at Orb. Napravnik began her career in Maryland, leaving high school a year early and racing under her initials to hide her name from perspective clients who wouldn't want to hire a woman.
Julie Krone is the only woman to win a Triple Crown race, on Colonial Affair in the 1993 Belmont.
No. 5: Who Else?
Just nine horses will start the Preakness. Bob Baffert, a five-time winner of the Preakness who lacked a Derby entry for the first time since 2008, has brought Govenor Charlie to Baltimore. The colts has raced just three times, but appears to be the most promising contender. Departing is another shooter who merits a look.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/preakness/bal-5-preakness-story-lines-to-watch-20130518,0,7221071.photogallery#ixzz2TfjB4BMk
