A lukewarm 9-2 favorite in the Kentucky Derby, Always Dreaming is an overwhelming early choice to capture the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
After winning his second straight Grade 1 race May 6 at Churchill Downs, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt is the 4-5 program favorite in the 142nd Preakness Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. He seeks to become the fourth horse in six years to sweep both the Derby and Preakness, a year younger and a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the 10-furlong Run for the Roses.
I'll Have Another in 2012, California Chrome in 2014 and American Pharoah in 2015 also won both races, American Pharoah going on to take the Belmont Stakes and become the sport's 12th Triple Crown winner and first in 37 years. Derby runner-up Exaggerator turned the tables on Nyquist in last year's Preakness, which for the second year in a row was contested on a sloppy track.
Always Dreaming, who shipped from Churchill Downs early last week, drew post four on Wednesday, hoping to snap trainer Todd Pletcher's 0-for-8 record in the Preakness. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the mount on the son of 2012 Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister, owned in part by Brooklyn Boyz Stable.
"I think (the post) is fine," Pletcher said. "He was four in the Florida Derby and five in the Kentucky Derby. He's generally a very good horse away from the gate. We'll just come away and try to establish some position and see what some other horses are doing."
Always Dreaming drew nine rivals, including four from the 20-horse Kentucky Derby. Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, a troubled fourth in Louisville, is the early second choice at 3-1. Lookin At Lee (second), Gunnevera (seventh) and Hence (11th) also ran at Churchill Downs while five newcomers -- Cloud Computing, Conquest Mo Money, Multiplier, Senior Investment and Term of Art -- round out the field.
Post time for the Preakness is 5:48 p.m. CDT with Pimlico's first race set for 9:30 a.m.
Classic Empire, wiped out early in the Derby from post 14, starts from post five in the Preakness. Julien Leparoux remains aboard the Pioneerof the Nile colt, owned by Tulsa, Okla., oilman John Oxley.
"I don't think (Classic Empire being in post five) matters, as long as everybody breaks cleanly," Pletcher said. "I would imagine that Classic Empire is going to keep an eye on where we are. The first and second choices are side by side."
"We'll hope for a good break," said Classic Empire trainer Mark Casse. "Always Dreaming is obviously a very good horse. We just want a fair shot at him. Conquest Mo Money will probably show speed from the outside and Always Dreaming will be right there, but if we break running, we can be there, too. It's a good post."
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen seeks his third Preakness victory with Lookin At Lee and Hence. Lookin At Lee rode the rail to a second-place Kentucky Derby finish, 2 3/4 lengths behind Always Dreaming, after rallying for third in the Arkansas Derby April 15. Lookin At Lee is 10-1 from post nine, Corey Lanerie aboard, and Hence 20-1 from post three with Florent Geroux. Hence won a January maiden race at Oaklawn then took the Grade 3 Sunland Derby in March with Conquest Mo Money second.
"In past years, they've shown a lot of pace in the Preakness," said Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi. "It's supposed to be a fast track that day. Both of our horses close. I thought Hence got shuffled back quite a bit in the Derby, farther back than he normally would be. Lee is going to run his race every time. He always does he tries so hard. We just need a few things to go our way and for there to be some good pace in the race."
Trainer Miguel Hernandez said he is fine with outside post 10 for Conquest Mo Money, last seen finishing second in the Arkansas Derby, a half-length behind Classic Empire after dueling Rebel Stakes winner Malagacy in the stretch. Jorge Carreno keeps the mount.
"The last three times I had all outside positions and the best happened to us," said Hernandez, who trains the Uncle Mo colt for 81-year-old Tom McKenna. "You are out of trouble and you can see how it is going to play. ... From there, you can go in front or go behind. You can play many, many things."
Oaklawn allowance winner Senior Investment, Keeneland's Grade 3 Lexington winner April 15, is 30-1 from post eight. "He's a closer," said trainer Ken McPeek. "I don't see it being an issue."
Hence and the Doug O'Neill-trained Term of Art both are owned by Calumet Farm (Lexington, Ky.), which won its eighth Preakness title in 2013 with the Wayne Lukas-trained Oxbow, an Oaklawn campaigner.
Preakness Odds
Multiplier (Rosario) 30-1, 126
Cloud Computing (J. Castellano) 12-1, 126
Hence (Geroux) 20-1, 126
Always Dreaming (Velazquez) 4-5, 126
Classic Empire (Leparoux) 3-1, 126
Gunnevera (M. Smith) 15-1, 126
Term of Art (J. Ortiz) 30-1, 126
Senior Investment (Hill) 30-1, 126
Lookin At Lee (Lanerie) 10-1, 126
Conquest Mo Money (Carreno) 15-1, 126
Trainers (by post position): 1, Brendan Walsh. 2, Chad Brown. 3, Steve Asmussen. 4, Todd Pletcher. 5, Mark Casse. 6, Antonio Sano. 7, Doug O'Neill. 8, Ken McPeek. 9, Steve Asmussen. 10, Miguel Hernandez.
Owners (by post position): 1, Gary Barber and partners. 2, Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence. 3, Calumet Farm. 4, Brooklyn Boyz Stables and partners . 5, John C. Oxley. 6, Peacock Racing Stables. 7, Calumet Farm. 8, Fern Circle Stables. 9, L and N Racing LLC. 10, Judge Lanier Racing.
Weights: 126 each. Distance: 1 3/16 miles. Purse: $1,500,000. First place: $900,000. Second place: $300,000. Third place: $165,000. Fourth place: $90,000. Fifth place: $45,000. Post time: 5:48 p.m. CDT Saturday (NBC Sports -- Resort Channel 4).
Sports on 05/18/2017