Has it really only been two weeks since the Kentucky Derby? Given the way the dates fall this year, it seems as if it’s been longer (though presumably the trainers wish they had a bit more time). But the Preakness is indeed upon us, and I humbly offer the following thoughts:
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | ML Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Tiger Walk | Ignacio Correas, IV | 30-1 | |
| Ran in the Wood Memorial (rather behind the better horses). Can’t see him being a huge factor here. | ||||
| 2. | Teeth of the Dog | Michael Matz | Joe Bravo | 15-1 |
| I doubt Matz thinks of this horse as the strongest in his barn, although he could develop into a solid G2 prospect. | ||||
| 3. | Pretension | Christopher W. Grove | Javier Santiago | 30-1 |
| Not today (or any other against this level of competition). | ||||
| 4. | Zetterholm | Rick Dutrow | Junior Alvarado | 20-1 |
| Very lightly raced, but perhaps the most interesting of the new shooters. | ||||
| 5. | Went the Day Well | Graham Motion | John R. Velazquez | 6-1 |
| While the Belmont looks tailor-made for him, he’s got a great shot here as well, and I fully expect to see him in the picture at the finish. | ||||
| 6. | Creative Cause | Mike Harrington | Joel Rosario | 6-1 |
| Had one of the worst trips in the Derby but should not have as much ground to make up here – presuming he’s not still tired, he’s a strong threat. | ||||
| 7. | Bodemeister | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 8-5 |
| The quick turnaround is a lot to ask after his Derby performance, but he’s the real deal. | ||||
| 8. | Daddy Nose Best | Steve Asmussen | Julien Leparoux | 12-1 |
| I didn’t love him going into the Derby, but he may be happy to have Leparoux back on board. Still expect to see him behind the first group of finishers. | ||||
| 9. | I’ll Have Another | Doug O’Neill | Mario Gutierrez | 5-2 |
| I can’t complain when my longshot pick wins the Derby and replenishes my TwinSpires account. Again, I’m a fan of his pedigree, I love his association with Lava Man and I expect he’ll win or be in the money here. | ||||
| 10. | Optimizer | D. Wayne Lukas | Corey Nakatani | 30-1 |
| Again, I wasn’t a fan before the Derby, and I can’t see him winning here either. | ||||
| 11. | Cozzetti | Dale Romans | Jose Lezcano | 30-1 |
| Very nice pedigree, but it hasn’t translated to much success on the track yet. | ||||
Prediction: Bodemeister, Went the Day Well, I’ll Have Another, Creative Cause
Longshot: Went the Day Well (insofar as he counts as a longshot)
Read Railbird Corner, the jockey’s mentor’s blog, for more on what having Gutierrez winning a few big stake races in America, has done for the local scene. All that remains is the fitting of the slipper.