Alwaysmining has won six straight races, including five stakes, at Laurel Park in his home state of Maryland. If he keeps his win streak going in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, he will become the ninth Maryland-bred and the first in more than three decades to win his state’s signature race.
Maryland-breds to win the Preakness are Cloverbrook (1877), Dunboyne (1887), Refund (1888), Sly Fox (1898), Challedon (1939), Kauai King (1966), Bee Bee Bee (1972), and Deputed Testamony (1983).
Owners and breeders Robert Manfuso and Katy Voss have a long and prolific background in the Maryland racing industry. They are writing one of the latest chapters in their partnership with the broodmare Tanca, a multiple stakes producer.
The mare recorded a rarity in March, as her offspring Cordmaker and Las Setas won stakes on the same day. The two will attempt to take that to a higher level Friday in Baltimore, as Cordmaker will start in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special about a half-hour before Las Setas looks to keep her winning streak going in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.
Following a Kentucky Derby whose unsatisfying ending continues to reverberate, the Triple Crown scene moves to Pimlico on Saturday for the 144th Preakness Stakes, which looks set to have its biggest field since 2011, with eight horses who did not run in the Derby joining four exiting the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Last year, each passing race in the Triple Crown highlighted the magnitude of the loss of the stallion Scat Daddy, as his son Justify swept through Louisville, Baltimore, and New York undefeated.
There was still one more crop of runners waiting in the wings for Scat Daddy, who had died at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky in December 2015 at age 11. And one of those runners is bound for Baltimore this week.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bob Baffert has implicit trust in his longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes, but the Hall of Fame trainer felt like it wouldn’t hurt anything to stop by Churchill Downs on his way to another Preakness just to check in on Improbable.
“I just wanted to make sure he’s still got a lot of energy and going over the ground really well,” Baffert said Monday morning after an easy half-mile breeze in 51.80 seconds by Improbable, the morning-line favorite for the 144th Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore. “He looks really healthy. He’s held his weight really well.”
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s home track is Oaklawn Park in their home state of Arkansas. The Lieblongs chose their blue and white racing colors based on their shared alma mater, Conway High School. Alex Lieblong is further involved in the state industry as the chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission, and the couple was among the leading owners at Oaklawn’s recently concluded meet.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Topped by a five-furlong breeze in 59.20 seconds by Lexington Stakes winner Owendale, three new players joining the Triple Crown trail worked Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Grade 1 Preakness at Pimlico on May 18.
Though they were one year removed from teaming up to win the Triple Crown, trainer Bob Baffert didn’t hold any ill feelings toward Mike Smith when the Hall of Fame jockey chose to ride Omaha Beach rather than the Baffert-trained Roadster in the Kentucky Derby.
While neither Baffert nor Smith were wearing roses a week ago, they will be reunited in Baltimore next Saturday with Improbable, who most likely will be favored in the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Baffert will be seeking his eighth Preakness victory, Smith his third.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Like a lot of people, Tyler Gaffalione is about over the Kentucky Derby. He just wants to take things one day at a time, a deliberate process that will put his difficult trip on War of Will – and having to rehash it over and over – ever further in the rearview mirror.
“I’m really looking forward to the Preakness,” said Gaffalione. “I think [War of Will] can compete with anybody given the opportunity.”
If you’re wanting to feel bad for Gaffalione because his mount was impeded by Maximum Security in the Derby – don’t.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Last year’s Kentucky Derby runners dominated the 2018 Preakness, with Justify winning, Bravazo finishing second, Good Magic fourth, and Lone Sailor fifth. Only the newcomer Tenfold, who rallied to be third, prevented a Kentucky Derby sweep of the Preakness superfecta.
