The global coronavirus pandemic turned life, including the Thoroughbred racing and sales calendar, upside down in 2020. But the shuffling of the sales calendar actually played out in favor of the small breeding program of John and Diane Fradkin.
The Fradkins had planned to offer for sale their homebred Rombauer, but the auction he was intended for was postponed. As a result, they campaigned Rombauer, and on Saturday he won the Preakness Stakes.
BALTIMORE - Though the first two victories of Rombauer’s career came on turf and synthetic, there was never any doubt in trainer Michael McCarthy’s mind the colt would be successful on dirt as well.
Rombauer’s first start on dirt resulted in a second-place finish in the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita last September. Subsequent starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Blue Grass Stakes - while both defeats at Keeneland - also gave McCarthy reasons for optimism.
For the second time of the last four that the Preakness has been run two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, a fresh horse proved best. This time it was ROMBAUER, who got the pace duel he craves compared to what unfolded in his prior start, the Blue Grass, resulting in an 11-1 upset Saturday at Pimlico.
He got a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102 for the victory.
BALTIMORE – There’s something more tangible, more solid, more exhilarating, about actually crossing under the wire in front of everyone else.
Yes, Flavien Prat won the 2019 Kentucky Derby when Country House was declared the winner via disqualification, but the unbridled joy he experienced Saturday in winning the Preakness made this brand new territory. Ooh la la, indeed.
“It does feel different,” Prat said on the NBC telecast moments after guiding Rombauer to a 3 1/2-length triumph in the 146th Preakness at Pimlico. “Oh, what a feeling.”
Total betting on the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday was a record $68.69 million, up 8.6 percent over the record set in 2005 for the same race and up 10.7 percent over the total amount bet the last time it was held on its traditional date, in 2019, according to charts of the races.
Complete order of finish from the 146th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 15, 2021, at Pimlico.
1st Rombauer
2nd Midnight Bourbon
3rd Medina Spirit
4th Keepmeinmind
5th Crowded Trade
6th Unbridled Honor
7th France Go de Ina
8th Risk Taking
9th Concert Tour
10th Ram
BALTIMORE - Trainer Bob Baffert didn’t come to Baltimore this week because he didn’t want Preakness 146 to be about him. Of course, the lead-up to the race was all about him and the failed medication test of his Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.
For the first six furlongs of Saturday’s $1 million Preakness, Medina Spirit was doing his best to continue the drama. But early pace pressure from Midnight Bourbon had softened up Medina Spirit by the top of the stretch.
It’s Preakness Day, and if you haven’t done so yet, it’s time to pop open a new tab in your web browser and pull up the Pimlico past performances – DRF Formulator style.
“Daily Racing Form” and “past performances” are synonymous terms in Thoroughbred racing, and for several years now, DRF has been enhancing its digitized, sortable, interactive version of the past performances that racing bettors and fans have come to rely upon.
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Preakness Stakes, was the 3-1 second choice in early wagering as of 6:15 p.m. Eastern on Friday.
Midnight Bourbon, sixth in the Derby, is the 5-2 favorite and also the chalk in the Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness Double will-pays. The double combining Black-Eyed Susan winner Army Wife (#1) and Midnight Bourbon (#5) would return $46.80 for a $2 wager.
Medina Spirit and two other horses trained by Bob Baffert have cleared pre-race drug tests that were a requirement of the horses being allowed to run this weekend at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, the owner of the track said on Friday.
