Replies

1. War of Will, 4-1 (Mark Casse/Tyler Gaffalione): There were anxious moments in the Derby, but by all accounts he has bounced out of the race with plenty of energy and has reason to improve if he can avoid traffic trouble. The pace pressing son of War Front should vie for favoritism. He's twice a graded stakes winner in 2019.

2. Bourbon War, 12-1 (Mark Hennig/Irad Ortiz Jr.): Another that had Derby dreams dashed, he’s a confirmed late runner who will add some small-cupped blinkers in hopes the son of Tapit sits closer to the pace. He had little to run at in the Florida Derby (G1) but delivered a nice rally to be second two back in the Fountain of Youth (G2).

3. Warrior’s Charge, 12-1 (Brad Cox/Javier Castellano): Supplemented by his owners for $150,000, the Florida-bred son of Munnings proved to connections he can win around two turns and registered speed figures at Oaklawn that make him a fit here. A relatively late addition to the prospective field, he contributes plenty of early pace.

4. Improbable, 5-2 (Bob Baffert/Mike Smith): The trainer is seeking his record-breaking eighth Preakness score — all his eventual winners have exited the Derby — and adds Smith for the first time. The jockey insists he can improve this horse, who is winless on the year and may finally get involved earlier at Pimlico under the new pilot.

5. Owendale, 10-1 (Brad Cox/Florent Geroux): The Into Mischief colt bounced back in a big way from missing the board in the Risen Star (G2) to win Keeneland’s Lexington (G3), circling the field through the far turn. Cox says the distance is “a question mark,” but Owendale’s running style makes him a fit to last.

6. Market King, 30-1 (D. Wayne Lukas/Jon Court): What’s a Preakness without Lukas? His record 44th starter ran 11th last time in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2), but the trainer took the blame for turning around quickly after a third in Oaklawn’s Rebel (G2). Market King is now fresh, and Lukas will discover whether his colt is more than a miler.

7. Alwaysmining, 8-1 (Kelly Rubley/Daniel Centeno): On a six-race winning streak at Laurel Park, he has passed every test, extending in distance and last time rating in a dominant Federico Tesio Stakes victory. Next comes a question of class. He’s bidding to be the first Maryland-bred Preakness winner since 1983.

8. Signalman, 30-1 (Kenny McPeek/Brian Hernandez Jr.): Connections to the Grade 2 winner passed on entering the Derby as an also-eligible — Signalman had a gash over his eye that required some time — and bring a fresh horse into this race. The son of General Quarters was third last time in Keeneland’s Blue Grass (G2).

9. Bodexpress, 20-1 (Gustavo Delgado/John Velazquez): The horse is a maiden, and the Preakness is one major race missing from Velazquez’s resume. Even though Bodexpress finished 13th in the Derby, he more than justified a trip there, getting cut off on the front stretch and shuffled back while making a bid through the far turn.

10. Everfast, 50-1 (Dale Romans/Joel Rosario): Maybe he’s the next Oxbow. That Preakness longshot upset in 2013 for Calumet Farm, which next sends this winner of one race in 10 lifetime starts. Everfast's best race came when rallying for second in the Holy Bull (G2) at 128-1. Since then, he hasn't hit the board in three starts.

11. Laughing Fox, 20-1 (Steve Asmussen/Ricardo Santana Jr.): The son of Union Rags has won three of five starts this season and last time took the inaugural Oaklawn Invitational on May 4 against a bit of a speed bias. He was also fourth behind some classy colts — Omaha Beach, Improbable and Country House — in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

12. Anothertwistafate, 6-1 (Blaine Wright/Jose Ortiz): Connections passed on the Derby with a “Win and You’re In” free trip to the Preakness in hand. The colt, three times a dominant winner on synthetic, has run second in back-to-back Grade 3 starts on dirt. Do you chalk that up to the trip or a preference for another surface?

13. Win Win Win, 15-1 (Michael Trombetta/Julian Pimentel): He exits a ninth-place finish in the Derby with a valid excuse. This one just didn't take to the slop. Trombetta bases his charge in Maryland, where he has already butted heads once with Alwaysmining. The son of Hat Trick may get the setup he needs to close into a nice finish.

From ESPN...

There won’t be a Triple Crown winner in 2019, as an already weird and wacky month in horse racing just gets weirder.

The Preakness Stakes is set to go off at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore at 6:48 p.m. ET on Saturday without the Kentucky Derby winner.

It’s the first time since 1996, when Grindstone was retired due to injury, that the Preakness won’t feature the winner from the first leg of the Triple Crown.

It doesn’t matter whether you believe the true Kentucky Derby winner is Maximum Security, who was disqualified from first place for interference, or Country House, the runner-up who was elevated to winner. They’re both skipping the Preakness.

Country House is out of the race because of an illness, and Maximum Security’s connections said they won’t run the colt again with just a two-week break without a Triple Crown on the line.

But even without Country House or Maximum Security in the race, there are still several intriguing subplots in the Preakness.

Here are five storylines to watch for the middle leg of the Triple Crown.
Derby fallout

The Kentucky Derby finish might hang over this particular Triple Crown series for years to come.

The Derby sent spectators and bettors into a frenzy when Maximum Security became the first horse in the 145-year history of the event to be disqualified for a race-riding incident after finishing first.

But things didn't end there, as the owners of Maximum Security have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn his disqualification after an unsuccessful appeal to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Maximum Security's jockey, Luis Saez, was also suspended 15 racing days for his ride in the Kentucky Derby, which he has appealed.

The only historical precedent for a disqualification in the Kentucky Derby is the case of Dancer's Image, who was disqualified days after the 1968 race following a positive drug trust for a then-banned substance. His owners also filed a lawsuit and initially won, but it was overturned upon appeal in 1972 after years of legal battles.

http://www.espn.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/26764916/what-watch-preakness-derby-fallout-wide-open-field

_______________________________________________

Here is the order of finish for the 2019 Kentucky Derby, followed by (brief) expert comments on each horse's trip.

Footnotes

MAXIMUM SECURITY came away in good order to take a short lead through the stretch the first time, edged away up the backstretch slightly off the rail, veered out sharply forcing WAR OF WILL out into LONG RANGE TODDY and BODEXPRESS nearing the five-sixteenths pole, responded when challenged from both flanks by CODE OF HONOR and COUNTRY HOUSE, and edged away from the latter through the final stages.

COUNTRY HOUSE settled in the middle of the field three wide off the first turn, advanced four wide into the far turn, was brushed by LONG RANGE TODDY while largely unaffected by the incident five-sixteenths out, loomed boldly outside MAXIMUM SECURITY coming to the eighth-pole, was repelled by that one and held the place.

CODE OF HONOR moved closer to the first flight saving ground after a half-mile, was presented with a large opening slipping through to take a short lead after a mile, but flattened out through upper stretch.

TACITUS steadied while unsettled behind horses first time through the stretch, found a better rhythm through the middle stages, came five wide off the far turn, exchanged brushes with GAME WINNER late and finished with good courage.

IMPROBABLE went along in striking range covered up in the two-path, idled through the far turn in traffic losing some position, shifted out in the drive and offered a mild response.

GAME WINNER was well in arrears widest arriving midway up the backstretch, bumped solidly with BY MY STANDARDS near the half-mile pole, continued extremely wide around the far turn and into the stretch, exchanged brushes with TACITUS late and did not have enough.

MASTER FENCER (JPN) veered out to get away behind his field, was crowded from heavy outside pressure at the start, went along striding a bit awkwardly far back early inside, moved out up the backstretch, began taking better hold of the track in the two-path into the stretch, moved back inside and finished willingly.

WAR OF WILL [#1, also w/pink jockey silks] found a good spot saving ground off the leaders under a firm hold, continued along reserved waiting for room into the far turn, shifted outside MAXIMUM SECURITY leaving the three-eighths pole, was forced out by that rival into LONG RANGE TODDY, checked hard off heels, remained prominent in the three-path to upper stretch and weakened.

PLUS QUE PARFAIT was unhurried early two wide, moved through along the rail improving position after the first mile, moved back out to the two-path and could not sustain the bid.

WIN WIN WIN raced four wide early, moved inward after that and failed to menace.

CUTTING HUMOR entered the backstretch five wide and well back, made a run into the far turn getting fanned six wide in the process, and gave way through the stretch.

BY MY STANDARDS was squeezed back at the start to get away slowly, raced three wide around the first turn, moved out wider bumping with GAME WINNER near the half-mile marker, and lacked a serious response.

VEKOMA stayed close four wide through the opening half-mile, and began to
fade steadily after six furlongs.

BODEXPRESS angled inward after breaking alertly, was forwardly placed three wide for six furlongs, was forced to take up sharply between LONG RANGE TODDY and COUNTRY HOUSE near the five-sixteenths, and dropped back.

TAX saved ground throughout and was no factor.

ROADSTER was six or seven wide off the first turn, continued along extremely wide the rest of the way and was never in contention.

LONG RANGE TODDY angled inward after an alert beginning, attended the pace outside MAXIMUM SECURITY, was bumped and forced out into BODEXPRESS while checking sharply approaching the five-sixteenths, and retreated.

SPINOFF raced five wide early, moved further out around the far turn and was empty by the quarter-pole.

GRAY MAGICIAN gained mildly two wide after six furlongs, but was finished by the quarter-pole.

The jockeys of LONG RANGE TODDY and COUNTRY HOUSE lodged an objection against MAXIMUM SECURITY for interference nearing the five-sixteenths marker.

Following the Stewards review MAXIMUM SECURITY was disqualified from first and placed seventeenth for veering out and stacking up WAR OF WILL, LONG RANGE TODDY,and BODEXPRESS.

Due to the scratches of OMAHA BEACH and HAIKAL, the inside stall of the starting gate was left vacant.

Source:
http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/CD050419USA12.pdf

The 2019 Preakness Stakes will begin at 6:48 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 18th, on NBC

If I were playing long: Signalman.

My exacta would be Bourbon War/Signalman up and down.

All of Baltimore is a bad neighborhood.
It’s not unusual to have lockdowns at the baseball and football stadiums when nearby shootings are happening.

Thanks for all this, ETL.

Although my heart is with War Of Will, because of what happened to him in the Derby...

I bet $60.00 to show on lightly raced long shot Wariior's Charge. There are usually nice place and show payoffs in large field major races like this one. If it pays $6.00 to show I'd get back $180.00 for my $60. Not bad, huh?

Damn! He (Warrior’s Challenge) came real close to holding on for show! (ie, 3rd place). He looked really good, but ran way too fast early on. 21+ for the first quarter! Surprised he lasted as strongly as he did, just getting beat for 3rd.

Again, Damn!

Make that, Warrior’s Charge (not Warrior’s challenge), the number 3 horse.

He probably would have paid $7 or more for show/3rd place. So, for $60.00 I would have gotten back over $200.

Oh well, that’s why they call it gambling. :(