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Preakness Quick Sheet: Get to Know the 2021 Preakness Horses

Following an exciting edition of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1 at Churchill Downs, the racing world’s attention now switches to Baltimore and Pimlico, where the 146th edition of the race will be held. th the process of Stakes for the Preakness Saturday, May 15th has been selected as the date.

Ten horses are set to compete in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, which will be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. ET. The Preakness is scheduled to begin at roughly 6:47 p.m. ET. NBCSN will broadcast earlier races on Pimlico’s card, as well as highlights on the Preakness Stakes, beginning at 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. ET. On Friday, May 14, at 5 p.m., NBCSN will broadcast a Preakness preview as well as the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for fillies. until 6 p.m. ET.

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Continue reading for additional information on all Preakness Stakes starters, who are listed in post-position order with morning-line odds.


1. Ram is a character in the film Ram (30-1)

Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. is a musician from the Dominican Republic.

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas is a professional basketball player.

Owners: William Mack and Christina Baker

Career history: 9 races – 2 victories, 1 second, and 0 thirds

Earnings from your job: $119,615

Start-up earnings: $13,291

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 88

Pedigree: Mineshaft’s American Pharoah – Miner’s Secret

Color: Chestnut

jogging style : Follower

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: As he becomes the 45th horse in the Preakness, this riddle is a good bet to carry the longest odds. th For famed trainer D. Wayne Lukas, this is the first Preakness starter in history. Wayne Lukas extends his winning streak. Ram comes into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve having won his first two races, a two-length win in a maiden claiming race at Oaklawn Park on April 16 and then a rallying 3 12 length win in an allowance-optional claiming race at Churchill Downs on May 1, the opening race on the card. In that allowance triumph, he looked every bit the improving horse, surging into contention at the top of the stretch of the one-mile, one-turn race and powering ahead, but he only scored a moderate Equibase Speed Figure of 88. That number isn’t competitive in this Preakness field, and despite having a strong distance pedigree, it’s difficult to see Ram winning in anything other than a complete pace collapse in which not only the front-running horses but even multiple stalkers and closers fail to fire. History of the Preakness: D. Wayne Lukas, a Hall of Famer, won the Preakness in 1980 with Codex, his very first starter in the race. Since then, he’s sent 44 more horses to Pimlico, with six victories (Codex, Tank’s Prospect in 1985, Tabasco Cat in 1994, Timber Country in 1995, Charismatic in 1999, and Oxbow in 2013), two seconds (Corporate Report in 1991, Bravazo in 2018), and five thirds. Ricardo Santana Jr. is running in his third Preakness, having finished third behind Justify and Bravazo on Tenfold in 2018.


2. Keepmeinmind (15-1)

Jockey: Cohen, David

Trainer: Diodoro Robertino

Owners: Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek Equine, and Arnold Bennewith

Career history: 7 races – 1 victory, 2 seconds, and 1 third

Earnings from your job: $424,987

Start-up earnings: $60,712

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 99

Pedigree: Victory Gallop’s Laoban – Inclination

Color: Bay

jogging style : A little bit closer

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Keepmeinmind improved in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, outrunning his 49-1 odds and finishing seventh, after two lackluster efforts in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve preps this spring. After a poor start, he trailed the entire pack and steadily improved his position over the backstretch and far turn, swinging eight wide at the top of the stretch and closing well. Keepmeinmind was still defeated by 8 12 lengths in the Derby, and his overall race record and Equibase Speed Figures give him a longshot Preakness winner potential. Still, Keepmeinmind has shown that he belongs in graded stakes against the best of his age group, winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and placing in two Grade 1 stakes won by champion Essential Quality last fall, and he should have a solid pace to close into on Saturday with regular rider David Cohen aboard. Keepmeinmind can round out the superfecta at premium odds if he has a better trip in the Preakness than he did in the Derby, which should be possible with a smaller field. Anything more would come as a shock. History of the Preakness: Cohen and his trainer Robertino Diodoro will be making their first Preakness appearance. Last year’s Preakness runner-up, Authentic, was co-owned by B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm.


3. Medina Spirit      (9-5)

Jockey: Velazquez, John

Trainer: Bob Baffert is an American football coach.

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables is a stable that specializes in horse racing.

Career history: 6 races – 3 victories, 3 seconds, and 0 thirds

Earnings from your job: $2,175,200

Start-up earnings: $362,533

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 110

Pedigree: Brilliant Speed’s Protonico – Mongolian Changa

Color: Brown or dark bay

jogging style : Set the pace/push the pace

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Medina Spirit’s hard-fought victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is being investigated after a drug test indicated that the colt had betamethasone, a corticosteroid, in his bloodstream after the race. Betamethasone is permitted as a therapeutic therapy in horses, but a 14-day withdrawal period is required, and the chemical must be entirely removed from the body by race day. Medina Spirit’s connections, along with the rest of the horse racing world, are waiting for the results of a second blood test, as well as the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s verdict on his Derby victory, which may take weeks. Meanwhile, Medina Spirit is one of the favorites for the Preakness, and he showed both brilliance and toughness in the Kentucky Derby, when he was challenged all the way through Churchill Downs’ homestretch by Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie, and Essential Quality and refused to let any of them past him. In the Kentucky Derby, he set a nice pace and was able to maintain it all the way around the far turn until Mandaloun turned up the heat. It’s doubtful he’ll enjoy such a favorable early scenario in the Preakness, especially with stablemate Concert Tour in the race. Concert Tour also tends to run on or near the early lead, making things much more difficult for Medina Spirit. This colt ran a career-best race in the Derby, finishing second with a 111 Equibase Speed Figure, and he could build on that performance with a quick turnaround despite facing several new shooters, but he’s never finished worse than second in six career races. Regardless of the issue, he is a strong contender for the Preakness and will, at the very least, play a vital role in establishing the pace scenario.  History of the Preakness: Bob Baffert passed Ben Jones as the all-time winningest Kentucky Derby trainer ten days earlier when he won his seventh race. Because of the positive drug test, that achievement may now be undone. With either Medina Spirit or Concert Tour, Baffert has a chance to take exclusive possession of the trainer’s all-time Preakness triumphs on Saturday. He’s won the race seven times and is tied for 19th. th Last September, Century trainer Robert Wyndham Walden came close to winning his eighth race when Authentic came up just short against Swiss Skydiver. Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin At Lucky (2010), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2015) were among Baffert’s victories (2018). Except for Point Given and Lookin At Lucky, all of the horses won the Kentucky Derby before the Preakness, and American Pharoah and Justify won the Triple Crown. From a total of 22 starters, Baffert’s two Preakness runners-up are Bodemeister in 2012 and the aforementioned Authentic. John Velazquez, a Hall of Famer, has run in the Preakness 10 times before, placing second three times on Derby winner Animal Kingdom in 2011, Itsmyluckyday in 2013, and Authentic in 2020.


4. Overcrowding in the Market  (10-1)

Jockey: Castellano, Javier

Trainer: Brown, Chad

Owner: Klaravich Stables is a stable in Klaravich, Russia.

Career history: Three starts – one win, one second, and one third

Earnings from your job: $179,000

Start-up earnings: $59,667

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 105

Pedigree: Jump Start — Maude S, More Than Ready

Color: Chestnut

jogging style : Follower

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Crowded Trade is making only his fourth career start in the Preakness on Saturday, with his previous three all coming at Aqueduct earlier this year. In all of them, he’s shown talent and grit, winning his debut by a length in January, finishing second by a nose to longshot Weyburn in the Gotham Stakes at a mile on March 6, and then battling in the stretch before settling for third, 14 lengths behind longshots Bourbonic and Dynamic One in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino. Those two horses returned to run in the 13th race. th and also 18 th , respectively, in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, and the 3-year-old class in New York has been disappointing this spring. Crowded Trade and his stablemate Risk Taking, on the other hand, are both from a very successful barn and should be considered for exotic tickets in the Preakness, albeit Risk Taking has a superior pedigree for the 1 3/16-mile distance. As the field approaches the far turn, expect Crowded Trade to chase the early leaders in midpack through the backstretch before jockey Javier Castellano drives him to surge into contention. History of the Preakness: Cloud Computing, co-owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, and ridden by Hall of Famer Castellano, won the Preakness in Chad Brown’s first start in 2017. In 2006, Castellano won the Preakness atop Bernardini, which was his first start in eight starts prior to this year.


5.  Midnight Bourbon     & (5-1)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. is a member of the Irad Ortiz family.

Trainer: Asmussen, Steve

Owner: Thoroughbreds Winchell

Career history: Eight starts – two victories, two seconds, and three thirds

Earnings from your job: $461,420

Start-up earnings: $57,678

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 99

Pedigree: Malibu Moon – Tiznow – Catch the Moon

Color: Bay

jogging style 1 Pick up the pace

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Midnight Bourbon had a poor start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, having to race wide on both bends and come from further back than he prefers, but he still finished sixth, losing by 8 14% of a length. Expect a far stronger showing from this well-bred, polished horse in the Preakness if he breaks cleanly. He won the Lecomte Stakes from start to finish, finished third in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford, and finished second in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby during Fair Grounds’ three-race string of Kentucky Derby preps earlier this year. Midnight Bourbon should run third in the Preakness behind Medina Spirit and Concert Tour, giving him first crack at those horses, and having champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the first time is a positive. Midnight Bourbon had been working well all week leading up to the Kentucky Derby, and he was one of the more appealing longshots in the race, according to Steve Asmussen. Although things didn’t work out under the Twin Spires, and he’ll be favored less than the Derby’s 13.20-1 in Saturday’s Preakness, this colt still has a chance to pull off a minor upset. History of the Preakness: Asmussen, a Hall of Fame trainer, won the Preakness in 2007 and 2009 with Curlin and Rachel Alexandra, two future Horses of the Year and Hall of Fame inductees. He’s also placed third twice out of a total of 13 starters. In 2018, Winchell Thoroughbreds owned Tenfold, one of the third-place horses. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be making only his third Preakness start, which is somewhat unusual.


6. Rombauer (12-1)

Jockey: Prat, Flavien

Trainer: McCarthy, Mike

Owners: Fradkin, John and Diane

Career history: Six starts – two victories, one second, and one third

Earnings from your job: $290,500

Start-up earnings: $48,417

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 100

Pedigree: Cowboy Cal’s Twirling Candy – Cashmere

Color: Bay

Running technique: Closer

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: When Rombauer won the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in February, he gained an automatic spot in the Preakness, and his connections missed the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve to focus on this race. He’s a consistent type who, during his first five starts, had a one-dimensional closer profile, but in his only race since the El Camino Real, he exhibited a little different dimension. Rather than settling near the back of the field in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3, Rombauer tracked in third behind pacesetter Highly Motivated and pressing Essential Quality (the eventual winner), and he maintained that position throughout the race, never threatening the top two. Flavien Prat, who has had another outstanding season, will ride Rombauer in the Preakness for the first time, and it will be interesting to watch if he follows the same plan in a race where the early pace could be quick. This horse had a career-best Equibase Speed Figure in the Blue Grass and will need to improve that number to win the Preakness, but he might spice up trifecta and/or superfecta tickets at reasonable odds. In order to prepare for this marathon, he has been training hard in California. History of the Preakness: All of Rombauer’s connections are making their maiden Preakness appearance.


7. Go de Ina, France (20-1)

Jockey: Rosario, Joel

Trainer: Mori Hideyuki

Owner: Yuji Inaida is a Japanese actor.

Career history: 2 victories, 0 seconds, and 0 thirds in 4 starts

Earnings from your job: $145,291

Start-up earnings: $36,323

Figure of top Equibase Speed: n/a

Pedigree: Curlin’s Will Take Charge – Dreamy Blues

Color: Chestnut

jogging style : Set the pace/push the pace

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: This Kentucky-bred globetrotter based in Japan is the Preakness’ wild card entry. He’s raced four times, breaking his maiden in front-running fashion in his second career start in Japan last November, then winning an allowance race by an open-length to close out 2020, and then finishing sixth in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Emirates NBD on March 27 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai to begin his 3-year-old campaign. He got off to a poor start, settled in last of 14 into the first bend, and saved ground until the homestretch, when he improved his position but still finished 12 lengths behind the winner Rebel’s Romance. Joel Rosario rode France Go de Ina in the UAE Derby and will ride him again in the Preakness. Once the starting gate opens, expect Rosario to be aggressive with his mount and get him into a good stalking position behind what might be a tight early pace amongst Medina Spirit, Concert Tour, and Midnight Bourbon. It wouldn’t be surprising if Rosario put France Go de Ina in front early and lead the race to Medina Spirit and/or Concert Tour, given his two victories – both in races of around 1 1/8 mile – have come either in the lead or in second and pressuring the pace. He’s a long-striding type who doesn’t look to have a quick turn of foot, but being a son of Travers Stakes winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Will Take Charge and out of a mare by Preakness and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Curlin, he’s worth including in exotic bets. History of the Preakness: The Japanese owner and trainer of France Go de Ina is making his first Preakness appearance. Joel Rosario has rode six horses in the Preakness, with his finest performances coming aboard runners-up Ride On Curlin, Tale of Verve, and Everfast in 2014, 2015, and 2019.


 Unbridled Honor     & (15-1)

Jockey: Luis Saez is a Spanish actor.

Trainer: Todd Pletcher is a writer and director.

Owner: Whisper Hill Farm is a small farm on the outskirts of

Career history: 5 races – 1 victory, 1 second, and 0 thirds

Earnings from your job: $78,550

Start-up earnings: $15,710

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 98

Pedigree: Silvery Starlet by Unbridled’s Song, Honor Code

Color: Whether it’s a roan or a gray, it’s

jogging style : A little bit closer

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Unbridled Honor, who finished second in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 10, will be one of the longest shots in the Preakness field. On a soggy track, he came from last of nine to finish 2 34 lengths behind the winner, King Fury, who is currently injured. He also made up some late ground in his previous Derby preparation, finishing a nonthreatening fourth in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby in March. This son of Honor Code has a terrific pedigree for the Preakness distance (he’s related to Grade 1 winners Roman Ruler and El Corredor), and in the Lexington, he improved his top career Equibase Speed Figure from 83 to 98, indicating that he’s finally starting to realize his promise. Unbridled Honor will need to make a quantum leap forward in development to win the Preakness Stakes, but if the early pace is quick enough, he could be able to pick up enough pieces in the stretch to win. History of the Preakness: Mylute, who finished third in the 2013 Preakness, was co-owned by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill farm. Todd Pletcher, who will be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame this summer, is looking for his first Preakness victory; his best performance from nine previous starts was third with Impeachment in 2000. Luis Saez returns to the Preakness for the second time after finishing a half-length behind eventual Triple Crown champion Justify atop Bravazo last year.


9. Taking Risks       (15-1)

Jockey: Jose Ortiz is a Colombian baseball player.

Trainer: Brown, Chad

Owner: Klaravich Stables is a stable in Klaravich, Russia.

Career history: 2 victories, 0 seconds, and 0 thirds in 5 starts

Earnings from your job: $200,030

Start-up earnings: $40,006

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 102

Pedigree: Distorted Humor’s Medaglia d’Oro – Take a Chance

Color: Bay

jogging style : Closer/stalker

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Risk Taking was scratched from the May 8 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in favor of a greater prize at Pimlico on May 14, joining stablemate Crowded Trade in the 2021 Preakness lineup. He got on the Kentucky Derby trail with a commanding 3 34-length victory in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 6, earning a 102 Equibase Speed Figure, but then finished a perplexing seventh as the 2.35-1 favorite in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct on April 6, bypassing the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. Risk Taking’s growth since that misstep has pleased trainer Chad Brown, and if this son of Medaglia d’Oro can reclaim his Withers form, his come-from-behind manner could be favorable in a Preakness that looks to have a steady pace set by front-runners Medina Spirit and Concert Tour. Early backers of Risk Taking should get appealing odds Saturday if they are ready to get back on board. Triple Crown contenders based in New York have been underwhelming this year to say the least, and early backers of Risk Taking should get appealing odds Saturday if they are ready to get back on board. History of the Preakness: With Cloud Computing, Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables (together with William Lawrence) and Chad Brown won the 2017 Preakness. Jose Ortiz rides in his fourth Preakness, having finished fourth last year aboard Good Magic, who is also trained by Brown.


Concert Tour  (5-2)

Jockey: Mike Smith is a well-known figure in the

Trainer: Bob Baffert is an American football coach.

Owners: Gary and Mary West are a husband and wife team.

Career history: Four starts – three victories – zero seconds – one third

Earnings from your job: $856,600

Start-up earnings: $214,450

Figure of top Equibase Speed: 105

Pedigree: Tapit’s Street Sense – Purse Strings

Color: Bay

Running technique: Set the tempo/push the pace

Interesting facts and notable accomplishments: Concert Tour was a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve this winter and spring, but he decided to forgo the race in order to focus on the Preakness following a dismal third place result in the Arkansas Derby on April 10 at Oaklawn Park. Prior to that event, he had won his first three races with ease, appearing to improve each time. He won two one-turn races at Santa Anita Park before transferring to Oaklawn in March and wiring the field in the Rebel Stakes by 4 14 lengths. Concert Tour did not take a clear early lead in the Arkansas Derby, and he battled Caddo River all the way until the homestretch, when Super Stock passed both of them and Concert Tour finished second by a head. Mike Smith will ride Concert Tour for the first time on Saturday, and given his outside post position, Smith could push his steed to the front as soon as the gate opens to take advantage of his mount’s pace. If that occurs, and stablemate Medina Spirit attempts to repeat his front-running Derby victory, a Preakness pace duel might emerge, hurting both horses’ prospects. Concert Tour is a fresh horse with proven form, and as such, he logically profiles as a leading win candidate in Saturday’s second jewel of the Triple Crown. Jockey strategy will be crucial in the Preakness – as it is in any race – but overall, Concert Tour is a fresh horse with proven form, and as such, he logically profiles as a leading win candidate in Saturday’s second jewel of the Triple Crown. History of the Preakness: If Concert Tour or Medina Spirit finish first on Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert will become the all-time winningest trainer in Preakness history. Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin At Lucky (2010), and Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2015) were among his seven previous victories (2018). Mike Smith, a Hall of Famer, was aboard Justify as he won the Preakness in 2018. Smith has also won the Preakness on Prairie Bayou in 1993, as well as finishing second twice (Mine That Bird in 2009 and Bodemeister in 2012) and third four times in 18 career starts.

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