Preakness

[tonyk]

Belmont is 1 and 1/2 miles ,yet it\'s stretch is actually shorter than Aqueduct\'s and it is a mile and 1/8 ,the distance of the stretch depends upon where the wire is in relation to the top of the stretch for instance in a 6F race you can run a shorter distance to the turn and a longer one out of it,where as in Belmont\'s you do the same but to a lesser degree, because of the sweeping turns

[Michael D.]

Good point..... any Pimlico experts out there care to clear this up? Reading through the trainer quotes since Saturday, I have already seen three trainers talk about the tight turns at Pimlico..... I kind of assumed they knew what they were talking about. You are correct though, the tracks with the longer stretches (ie. Sportsmans, Keeneland) tend to have the tighter turns.

[Mall]

Which, believe it or not, was their marketing slogan when I was a regular there. I don\'t know if attending 3-4 times a week for 2 yrs many yrs ago(71-73) & 23 straight Preakness weekends makes me an expert(particularly since I didn\'t even know why the track was called Old Hilltop until I read Seabiscuit), but my understanding has always been that the 1st turn is the problem, and that the reason is that most or all of the jockeys with speed horses are vying for inside position on a trk that is often very conducive to inside speed, especially in 1 1/16 races. I have seen dramatic changes in the trk condition between Fri & Sat on many occasions & one peculiar thing which has always stuck with me is that the trk seems to favor closers when it is muddy or sloppy. Finally, a word to the wise if you plan on going. Don\'t wander into the surrounding neighborhood, particularly if you are wasted, because it is a little rough, as in the bartender I saw collect the cash in a lazy susan type device behind a bullet proof window.

[fasteddie]

Assuming that the general public, and the
press consider the the Derby as a \"fluke\"
War Emblem will be 9/2, and VALUE! He will
win, then pray for rain in the Belmont.
His victory was powerful, his ears pricked,
and was not asked for it all. There is something left in the tank!

[tonyk]

Yeah ,when Baffert talks to the media he talks all about his job being to win the Derby ,but I gotta believe he wants it all ,the Triple Crown more than anything .He has to be smarting being denied 3 times ,especially getting beat that nose by VG.That has to hurt

[International Sportsman]

I am taking a stand against WE.  He got the easiest of trips in the Derby against the worst field in years.  There are new shooters in the Preakness who are better than many of the horses that ran in the Derby.

International Sportsman

[MO]

What makes you think his trip in the Preakness will be any tougher, or that any other \"non derby\" entrant is better than what ran at Churchill? MO

[JR]

Does anyone else find War Emblem\'s 3yo line a little weird?  8, 10, 1, 1 and a negative?  Does anyone know of another 3yo with a TG sheet even close to this pattern?

[International Sportsman]

I just can\'t see 8 or so top jockeys just sitting there.  I have seen some of the Derby skippers who are running in the Preakness and they look pretty fast.

[tonyk]

I agree,where is the bottom ?How long can this continue?I think he will be a short price in the Preakness and I have to believe that only 2 weeks rest has got to hurt ,the horse had 6 weeks in between the Ill Derby and that monster effort in Ky. ,when this horse hits the wall it should be a beaut.It seems that BB horses peak early then have nothing for later in the year ,I guess he\'s under alot of pressure to race.

[bdhsheets@hotmail.com]

teekay:

Baffy only got the horse after the IL Derby, so he can\'t be blamed if WE peaked already.

[Tim B.]

How can you say that the field for the Preakness is tougher competition for War Emblem than that in the Derby?  There are several Preakness \"contenders\" that probably would have trouble winning ungraded stakes, let alone being formidable in a Triple Crown heat.

I agree that the pace scenario will (probably) be different with horses like Booklet in the race.  But it seems to me like Booklet is simply a pace horse and NO threat to win.

I may try to beat War Emblem, but certainly not because I think the Derby field sucked whereas this field is strong.  I think the Derby field was strong and about 15 of the 18 jockeys in the race rode assuming a fast pace whereas Espinoza and a couple others slipped em a mickey.  It probably won\'t happen that way this time around, but there certainly seems to be several LESS serious contenders in the Preakness than there were in the Derby.  You disagree?

[fasteddie]

The Preakness field is almost always
weaker than the Derby, but the smaller
field (on average) takes away the \"trip excuse\". War Emblem will win because he
can sit the trip. Amazing that this horse
fired big numbers WITHOUT a tongue tie, and
he is not rank anymore since the change to
a ring bit. Baffert IS a genius!