It can change. No. It will change. But for now the field for Preakness Stakes 2022 is full of opportunities. Another question is the probabilities.
Here are the candidates for the second jewel of the Triple Crown on May 21 in Pimlico, Baltimore, subject to – well – change. They are listed better – intrigue.
Rich Strike
Condition: probably. Coach:
Eric Reed. jockey: Sony Leon. Last race: He won the Kentucky derby. style: Deep closer. The story: Winning the derby with a factor of 80-1 ruined all his conditions. Now he cannot be included in “other than” competitions. It’s been 10 years since the Derby winner entered Preakness as the favorite for “another one”. Then I will have another upset Bodemeister. It will feel even more like 2009, when Mine That Bird won the derby 50-1 and was no better than Pimlico’s third pick before losing in length to Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra.
RELATED: The coach who won the derby is in the whirlwind of Triple Crown.
Secret oath
Condition: Possible. Coach:
D. Wayne Lucas. jockey: Luis Contreras. Last race: Win the Kentucky Oaks. style: Medium package. The story: She finished third against the men in the Arkansas Derby (G1), so why not try this for a coach who was there and did it? Lucas sent the Winning Colors Derby winner against the Baltimore boys in 1988. She finished third as a Preakness favorite. If not here, Lucas said Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on May 16 in Pimlico could be the next stop on Secret Oath.
Epicenter
Condition: No solution. Coach:
Steve Asmussen. jockey: Joel Rosario. Last race: 2nd in the Kentucky derby. style: Early speed or pursuer. The story: He won the derby until the last 10 steps. If he goes, he is the likely favorite in Preakness. He will return to the gallop track on Wednesday in Churchill Downs. Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds racing manager David Fiske said that if Epicenter looks good, it could be sent to Baltimore.
Early voting
Condition: probably. Coach:
Chad Brown. jockey: Jose Ortiz. Last race: 2nd at the Wood Memorial (G2). style: Early speed. The story: Although he qualified for the Derby, Brown turned to Preakness all the time for this Gun Runner stallion, which won Withers (G3) in hand riding and was caught on a wire by Mo Donegal in the woods. Only this loss prevented him from being undefeated in three races.
Simplification
Condition: probably. Coach:
Antonio Sano. jockey: It remains to be seen. Last race: 4th in the Kentucky derby. style: Medium package. The story: With Jose Ortiz riding him from the back of the pack, Simplification avoided a suicidal early pace in the derby. No matter who drives him, he will not be 35-1 in Pimlico.
Smile happily
Condition: Possible. Coach:
Kenny McPeak. jockey: Corey Lannery. Last race: 8th in the Kentucky derby. style: Medium package. The story: Before fading in the Churchill Downs home, he got caught in the traffic and stabilized on the second turn. Still, he struggles before running out of gas. If he doesn’t get too much in the derby, he might like Preakness’s shorter distance.
Zandan
Condition: No solution. Coach:
Chad Brown. jockey: Flavian Pratt. Last race: 3rd in the Kentucky derby. style: Closer. The story: He would be more intrigued if Brown didn’t seem inclined not to go to Baltimore. As promised before the derby, Zandon stayed in the middle of the pack, not far behind, and charged at just the right moment. He simply lost to a better horse in his duel with Epicenter. Oh yeah. There was this railroad horse, too.
Taiba
Condition: Possible. Coach:
Tim Yaktyn. jockey: Mike Smith. Last race: 12th in the Kentucky derby. style: Persecutor. The story: Only in his third race did he receive a serious baptism and a face full of dirt. He didn’t change the lead in the section, so who knows how much better he could do? Accepting the cynical opinion that this is still Bob Baffert’s stallion, then he may be the eighth to win Preakness. On the other hand, six of the first seven were winners in the derby, and Taiba is not.
Congratulations Jack
Condition: probably. Coach:
Doug O’Neill. jockey: Rafael Beharano. Last race: 14th in the Kentucky derby. style: Deep closer. The story: He expends his energy before the derby hangs his tail in the starting door. Then she slowly slipped out of it. No wonder relationships are eager to return to battle.
Creative Minister
Condition: Possible. Coach:
Kenny McPeak. jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. Last race: Earn a 1 1/16 mile bonus on the Derby subcard. style: Medium package. The story:
Had it not been for the loss of a neck in his debut, this Creative Causeway stallion with an impressive turn of the leg would have been 3 to 3. He would come down from Lasix for Preakness.
Skippylongstocking
Condition: probably. Coach:
Safi Joseph Jr. jockey: Junior Alvarado. Last race: 3rd place in the Tree Memorial (G2). style: Persecutor. The story: This stallion Exaggerator is a return to the time when racehorses raced. The Preakness will be his 10th start, but only his second away from Gulfstream Park, where he won his two girls’ victories. Joseph won the winter-spring title in the Gulf Stream. He continues to try to achieve the same kind of dominance north of there.
One eye
Condition: probably. Coach: Ricky Curville. jockey: Ramon Vazquez. Last race: 8th in the Arkansas derby (G1). style: Persecutor. The story: A leg bruise diagnosed on the day he entered protected him from the Kentucky derby, where he would be the longest hit on the board. He still had dinner for his 75-1 rescue breakthrough in winning the Rebel (G2).
Rattle N Roll
Condition: Possible. Coach: Kenny McPeak. jockey: It remains to be seen. Last race: 6th in the Blue Grass (G1). style: Medium package. The story: If there was just one more desertion, he could take part in the derby. His last victory was last fall in Breeders’ Futurity (G1). He finished the board in his three starts as a 3-year-old, all preparing for the Derby. McPeek said that if Smile Happy goes to Preakness, Rattle N Roll probably won’t, as they are both owned by the Mackin family.
An ethereal road
Condition: Possible. Coach:
D. Wayne Lucas. jockey: It remains to be seen. Last race: 4th in Lexington (G3). style: Closer. The story: When the foal was “equal” on Friday morning, Lucas scratched it from the derby, saying: “If I had run it again, I would have spent a lot of summer.” Ethereal Road raced twice in eight days last month in Keeneland, and his only victory in seven starts was in his first race in Oaklawn in January.
Shake Em Loose
Condition: Possible. Coach:
Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon. jockey: It remains to be seen. Last race: 3rd in Federico Tesio. style: Closer. The story: After a restless trip last April 16 in traditional Preakness training, owner-coach Sanchez-Salomon weighed the classic against a mile on the turf of James W. Murphy on the same map. Caring, who won two black bets at Laurel Park, claimed $ 16,000 last fall.
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