At the northwest corner of the stakes barn here at Pimlico Race Course, trainer D. Wayne Lukas settled into a plastic chair on Wednesday, his morning training done. The spot afforded him a view down the shedrow of, among others, his filly Secret Oath, who runs in the Preakness on Saturday. But it also afforded him a view of all he's done here over the years.
Two weeks after making his first Kentucky Derby walkover as a trainer of record, Tim Yakteen is back for the Preakness Stakes. He brings in new a face in Armagnac while his Derby starters, Messier and Taiba, rest from their efforts.
Tami Bobo has built her career around trading young horses, and she sold a Kentucky Derby starter a decade ago. Now, a colt she held on to is giving her a first taste of the Triple Crown as an owner.
For all the caterwauling about Rich Strike missing the Preakness – and to be certain it is always more interesting when the Derby winner is here – the fact remains the 147th Preakness Stakes on Saturday here at Pimlico has both the most accomplished colt of this crop, and the current leader among the fillies.
Kevin McKathan and his family specialize in the breaking and training of young horses. On Saturday, McKathan puts on his racetrack trainer's hat when he sends longshot Fenwick in the Preakness.
Epicenter's presence in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday here at Pimlico marks the sixth straight year that trainer Steve Asmussen will have at least one runner in the race. It's a testament to the appeal of the Preakness as a Triple Crown event, the depth of his barn, but, perhaps most significantly, how well prepared his horses are for the Kentucky Derby, enabling them to come back in two weeks.
For a man who grew up three blocks from Pimlico Race Course, what could be better than winning the Preakness Stakes the day before your 60th birthday? Maybe winning it again on your 65th birthday?Owner Seth Klarman has the chance to do just that when he and his four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown send out Early Voting in Saturday's 147th Preakness Stakes.
Rob and Stacy Mitchell take pride in being hands-on owners and breeders, doing their own work with their horses at their Briland Farm in Lexington, Ky. That includes delivering the foals. As the Mitchells' homebred Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath faces males again in Saturday's Preakness Stakes, the couple may still be in Lexington awaiting a very special delivery.
Adare Manor was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite when the field was drawn Monday for Friday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Pimlico. The Black-Eyed Susan shares top billing on the program with the Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special
Epicenter was favored in the Kentucky Derby but finished second. He'll try to go one position better, this time as an even stronger favorite, on Saturday at Pimlico in the Preakness Stakes, for which he drew post 8 in a field of nine on Monday.
