It's Preakness time!!

Cannot_Wait_4Disney

The Scalawag of Scallion
Joined
May 18, 2005
The Derby is over. Country House won. End of story. Everything else is sour grapes. It's on to the Preakness.

Some fun facts.
This is the first time since 1996 the Derby winner didn't run the Preakness. Country House got sick. In 1996, Grindstone came up lame after winning the Derby and was retired.

The Preakness Trophy is not only the most valuable of the Triple Crown, it is the most valuable in all U.S. sports. The Woodlawn Vase was created by Tiffany and Co way back in 1860. It is more valuable than the entire purse. During the civil war, it was hidden and buried. Nobody is allowed to actually touch the cup without gloves on. The winners get a replica worth about 30 grand. Prior to being the trophy for the Preakness, it was created as a challenge cup, and was moved around quite a bit.

Favorites tend to hold up at the Preakness. They win 51% of the time and the longest of long shots to ever win was 23-1 in 1975. His name, Ironically was Master Derby

Only 4 times in the last 29 years did the Preakness winner not also race in the Derby.

6 of the last 7 winners did their winter prep races in California or Arkansas.

Largest Margin 11 1/2 lengths by Smarty Jones.

The Race has been run at 7 different distances and has on occasion been run before the Kentucky Derby or after the Belmont. It is currently 1 3/16 miles or

8 winners have been bred in Maryland, the last in 1983.

12 horses are entered.
The line so far.
Improbable 2-1
War of Will 3-1
Alwaysmining 8-1
Win Win Win 8-1
Bourbon War 10-1
Owendale 10-1
Anothertwistafate 12-1
Signalman 14-1
Bodexpress 16-1
Warrior's Charge 16-1
Laughing Fox 20-1
Market King 20-1

The Preakness is not without controversy. The ownership group of Pimlico is making a move to move the Preakness stakes to Laurel citing poor conditions at Pimlico. Well uh there is only one problem with them there poor conditions at Pimlico guys. Uh You own the track. So whose fault are those poor conditions you cite? Maryland State law declares the Preakness can only be moved for emergency or disaster.

My most memorable moment. Secretariat starts last, then just says Hi there rest of the field. Don't mind me, I'm just going to blow right by you here on the back stretch, and take the lead. Then I'm going to hold you all off for the win.
 
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Having grown up in Baltimore, I attended the Preakness in the infield once in my 20s. Biggest party in town and you can't really see the race. There is the famous running of the porta-potties.

That said, I now live near Fair Hill Training Center and will cheer, from in front of my TV, for Win Win Win who was trained there.
 
I'm enjoying my sour grapes - no wagers from me for this and the Belmont. First time in probably 20 something years me, my mother and DH aren't betting or headed to Arlington International to enjoy a day at the races.
 


We used to live near Annapolis. Love watching the Naval Academy Glee Club sing 'Maryland, My Maryland' every year at Preakness!
 
Thank you for all of the history, Cannot Wait!

I love these 3 races every year!
 


OMG! My DD graduated from college today. I just got home. I can’t wait to watch the news.
 
I was really hoping he would win. That would have been so hilarious.

Actually they sometimes do. They don't have the weight of the rider on them any more.

Happy that War of Will got his chance and won. 2nd race in a row that Improbable just didn't put it in gear.
Bodeexpress even ran a victory lap. We'll have to teach him to do the reverse victory lap next time.

On to the Belmont for the Mile and a half.
 
Yeah, riderless horses are disqualified the moment they lose their jock. Its not fair to pit them against horses toting 120+ more pounds. However, they can be a serious danger to the other riders/horses if they aren't caught quickly. They can interfere in the race, and even potentially cause a wreck. This is especially true in jump races. That being said, I'm pretty sure Bodexpress was just having a grand old time out there on the track. "Yay! No rider! Yay! Running! Ha ha, can't catch me!"
 
It was terrifying watching that poor horse run not knowing if he was going to get hurt!
 
I'm glad that other than Bodexpress loosing his jock there was a lack of ongoing drama. I hate seeing a loose horse on the track, I've very glad that nothing happened to him or the other horses due to his actions.
 
It was terrifying watching that poor horse run not knowing if he was going to get hurt!

He was not let go of when the bell rang. And the horse said I'm bode EXPRESS chump leggo, and bucked his rider off in the process.

They generally don't get hurt any more than if they had a rider. The danger is if they are already hurt when the spill that dumped the rider occurs. If they're not hurt at that point the chances of them getting hurt without a rider are probably about the same as with one. He pretty much stayed wide around the turns and otherwise didn't interfere with the race.
 

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