They won a Win and You're In - and now they're in

BALTIMORE - The Maryland Jockey Club added two new Win and You’re In races for the Preakness this year, bringing the total to three. All three have made it into the entries.

The Federico Tesio has been a Preakness Win and You’re In since 2015. This year’s Tesio winner Alwaysmining will make the race 4 for 5 in producing Preakness starters.

Last year, the Tesio was won by Diamond King. Awesome Speed was placed first by the stewards in 2016. Bodhisattva was the 2015 winner. All ran back in the Preakness, although Diamond King’s seventh is the best placing of the group. Twisted Tom, who won in 2017, finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes in his next start.

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The two Win and You’re In races added this year were the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, which was won by Anothertwistafate, and the inaugural Oaklawn Invitational, which was held on Kentucky Derby Day and won by Laughing Fox. Both horses are at Pimlico for the Preakness.

Chris Merz, racing secretary of the Maryland Jockey Club, said the rationale behind the added Win and You’re In races was twofold.

“We wanted to do more recruiting for the Preakness,” Merz said. “We don’t usually get a big field and we wanted more horses. Our theory was that by offering these added berths we could help promote the Preakness during the year as these races came up and also draw a few more horses.”

Golden Gate Fields, like Pimlico, is owned by The Stronach Group. Oaklawn is privately owned by the Cella family.

“When Oaklawn created the Invitational, we thought it might be something we could try with them,” Merz said. “Jed Doro, the director of racing at Oaklawn, appreciated the idea so we did it.

“It’s good to get all the tracks working together. That’s how things get done. For all three horses to come is just the ideal scenario.”

The Preakness Win and You’re In horses are guaranteed a starting berth in the race and have their entry and starting fees, which total $30,000, waived.

The Weber City Miss, which is held at Laurel Park the same day as the Tesio, was a Win and You’re In for the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on Friday. Las Setas, who won the Weber City Miss, comes into the Black-Eyed Susan on a four-race win streak.