The 144th edition of the Preakness Stakes will not have the presence of Country House (whatever it may have been) winner of the Kentucky Derby and with it the chances of seeing another Triple crown completely diluted.
His coach William Mott reported him with cough last Monday and was ruled out to try the great feat of the triplet for those born in 2016.
So, for now, Improbable and Mike Smith are shaping up to be the favorite duo for the afternoon of May 18.
Meanwhile Saturday at Belmont Park will be the first of four functions that are scheduled for summer season. Some matches did not reach a large number of participants because some nominees look good in their respective commitments, as Separation of powers a daughter of Candy Ride that will face a heads up against Dawn The Destroyer in The Vagrancy Handicap, first race of the Saturday billboard.
The Peter Pan, which is a race to prepare for the Belmont Stakes, will also have a very small capacity, with five colts in action among which highlights the participation of Intrepid Heart, belonging to the block of Todd Pletcher and that is undefeated in two Departures. The ride will be borne by the Puerto Rican John Velázquez; his rivals in turn have participated in degree races, so they will be excellent synodal for the scion of Tapit that was bought by means of the hammer (auction) for the respectable sum of 750,000 dollars.
Chad Brown is going to take the Beaugay trophy, as he sent two extremely powerful representatives. The first one is Homerique, who comes from running in France with very good results, because of six exits, only one was out of the money. The second is Competitionofideas, who left stops for his opponents in the American Oaks.
In the traditional Runhappy, we like enormidades the colorado Firenze Fire even though in its last two exits has not brought them all with it. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be at the controls of the ward of Jason Servis, who still has his liver inflamed by what happened with Maximus Security at Churchill Downs last Saturday.
The marathon route of 2,200 meters, equivalent to 1 3/8 miles, which is run in honor of the “Great Red” Man O ‘War, attracted the attention of the prestigious Irish coach Aidan O Brien and sent Hunting Horn and Magic Wand, to measure against seven opponents. The latter brought him from the dry to the mecca, because after getting a second place in the Pegasus Invitational, he crossed the Atlantic to participate in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, where he had a gray presentation. The group looks very even in the paper and I dare to point to Channel Maker, as an excellent choice for the trifecta winner.