Brian Hernandez Jr. is usually in the right spot, but on Kentucky Derby Day, through no fault of his own, he had a tough trip. Earlier in the week, his Derby mount, Art Collector, had to be scratched from the race with a minor hoof injury, depriving Hernandez of what would have been his best chance yet to win the Derby.
Trainer Tommy Drury is living the dream, one that can be rightly assumed is richly deserved. He'll be in the international racing spotlight Saturday at Pimlico Race Course, saddling by far the best horse he has ever trained, Art Collector, the second wagering choice to Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in the 145th Preakness Stakes.
Between the two of them, trainers Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas have won the Preakness Stakes 13 times, and they've amassed 30 Triple Crown race wins. That's a lot of success and experience to bring to hand for one horse, and this year they've combined forces for the final leg of the out-of-order 2020 Triple Crown, with Authentic.
Authentic was assigned post 9 as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 11 3-year-olds entered Monday for the 145th Preakness Stakes, to be run Saturday at historic Pimlico Race Course as the final leg of the 2020 Triple Crown.
Authentic, the Kentucky Derby winner, completed his preparation for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday with a workout Monday morning at Churchill Downs that was officially credited as a half-mile in 47.60 seconds, but included a gallop out of another quarter-mile.
With Tyler Gaffalione otherwise occupied at Keeneland, trainer Kenny McPeek has turned to veteran jockey Robby Albarado to ride Swiss Skydiver on Saturday in Preakness 145 at Pimlico in Baltimore.
Trainer Ken McPeek said shortly after Swiss Skydiver breezed Saturday morning at Churchill Downs that he is “leaning toward” running her against male rivals in the Preakness Stakes, and all indications are that the star filly will indeed be in the starting gate when the final jewel of the 2020 Triple Crown is run next Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore.
Country Grammer, winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Saratoga, will run in next Saturday’s $1 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, trainer Chad Brown said Saturday.
Sheldon Russell had been out of sight and out of mind since mid-July, so he was bowled over when learning that Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will give him a leg up on longshot Excession when the 145th Preakness is run at Pimlico in Baltimore.
A third horse exiting the Kentucky Derby, Max Player, has joined the prospective field for the 145th Preakness.
