Associated video above: Horseracing returns to Pimlico as crews put together for PreaknessRombauer left Medina Spirit behind — and put horse racing’s newest controversy on the again burner.Little-known Rombauer sprung an 11-1 upset to win the Preakness on Saturday, passing Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby winner to finish a possible Triple Crown bid that will have carried an enormous asterisk.Medina Spirit completed third and won’t go on to the Belmont with a Triple Crown on the road and a possible Derby disqualification hanging over the game.“Just a little disenchanted, however we’ll go on from right here,” mentioned assistant coach Jimmy Barnes, who saddled the horses in Baffert’s absence.Baffert was not current at Pimlico Race Course, opting to remain away due to the controversy surrounding Medina Spirit, who examined optimistic for the steroid betamethasone in post-Derby testing. He mentioned in a spotlight-stealing assertion hours earlier than the race: “At present shouldn’t be about Bob Baffert. As an alternative, it’s about Medina Spirit and the entire different equine athletes in our large sport.”All the main target nonetheless was on 2-1 favourite Medina Spirit, Baffert and his different Preakness runner, Live performance Tour, who went off at 4-1. Medina Spirit was handed for the primary time in his profession by Rombauer, who received by 3 1/2 lengths over second-place Midnight Bourbon.“I needed to come out working to get my place,” mentioned Medina Spirit jockey John Velazquez, who fell to 0 for 11 within the Preakness. “I knew that he was going to be pressed at present. I hoped that he wouldn’t overdo it, and we did.”Live performance Tour was a disappointing ninth in a 10-horse area.“I’m perplexed,” mentioned Live performance Tour jockey Mike Smith, who left Midnight Bourbon after the Derby to trip Baffert’s different Preakness horse. “He simply wasn’t going anyplace.”Maryland racing officers required Live performance Tour and Medina Spirit to bear further testing and monitoring as situations to run within the Preakness. These three rounds of assessments got here again Friday, clearing them to race. Not one of the different horses had been topic to that stage of scrutiny, which got here out of the scenario at Churchill Downs and Baffert’s 4 different remedy violations over the previous 13 months with different horses.That was put aside for a minimum of the 1:53.62 it took for Rombauer to finish the 1 3/16-mile race, paying $26.50 to win, $10 to position and $5.20 to indicate.“He broke as anticipated and I believed he put sufficient stress on Medina Spirit to make it a horse race after which he ended up second,” Midnight Bourbon coach Steve Asmussen mentioned. “He confirmed up. He is bettering. And he isn’t there but, all on the similar time.”Midnight Bourbon was sixth within the Kentucky Derby behind Medina Spirit, whose victory nonetheless hangs within the stability with a second check but to be analyzed. It is unclear how lengthy that may take.Coach Michael McCarthy received a Triple Crown race for the primary time and captured the Preakness earlier than Corridor of Famer Todd Pletcher, for whom he labored as an assistant earlier than opening his personal barn. Pletcher gave McCarthy a bear hug after the race.Rombauer is owned by John and Diane Fradkin, a far cry from Medina Spirit’s Zedan Racing Stables and different horse racing conglomerates. He received for the third time in seven begins.McCarthy choked again tears whereas speaking about everybody concerned with Rombauer.“Means lots to be right here, take part on a day like this,” he mentioned. “Completely happy for the Fradkins. Simply goes to indicate you that small gamers within the sport could be profitable, as properly.”Rombauer busted the bias of horses hugging the rail on the filth at Pimlico Race Course all day, going previous Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit down the stretch and successful by 3 1/2 lengths.Jockey Flavien Prat received the Preakness two years after being elevated to the Derby winner aboard Nation Home when Most Safety was disqualified.“After all it’s lots completely different while you cross the wire first: You get that feeling,” Prat mentioned. “It’s a whole lot of pleasure.”With the same old pleasure changed by chatter about Baffert and medicine violations, the Preakness was run in entrance of a restricted capability of 10,000 followers, a fraction of the group of 100,000-plus that sometimes packs Pimlico on the third Saturday in Could. Masks had been nonetheless required due to metropolis and observe protocols.This was a brief turnaround from the 2023 Preakness, which was run final fall because the third leg of the Triple Crown with no followers allowed.
Associated video above: Horseracing returns to Pimlico as crews put together for Preakness
Rombauer left Medina Spirit behind — and put horse racing’s newest controversy on the again burner.
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Little-known Rombauer sprung an 11-1 upset to win the Preakness on Saturday, passing Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby winner to finish a possible Triple Crown bid that will have carried an enormous asterisk.
Medina Spirit completed third and won’t go on to the Belmont with a Triple Crown on the road and a possible Derby disqualification hanging over the game.
“Just a little disenchanted, however we’ll go on from right here,” mentioned assistant coach Jimmy Barnes, who saddled the horses in Baffert’s absence.
Baffert was not current at Pimlico Race Course, opting to remain away due to the controversy surrounding Medina Spirit, who examined optimistic for the steroid betamethasone in post-Derby testing. He mentioned in a spotlight-stealing assertion hours earlier than the race: “At present shouldn’t be about Bob Baffert. As an alternative, it’s about Medina Spirit and the entire different equine athletes in our large sport.”
All the main target nonetheless was on 2-1 favourite Medina Spirit, Baffert and his different Preakness runner, Live performance Tour, who went off at 4-1. Medina Spirit was handed for the primary time in his profession by Rombauer, who received by 3 1/2 lengths over second-place Midnight Bourbon.
“I needed to come out working to get my place,” mentioned Medina Spirit jockey John Velazquez, who fell to 0 for 11 within the Preakness. “I knew that he was going to be pressed at present. I hoped that he wouldn’t overdo it, and we did.”
Live performance Tour was a disappointing ninth in a 10-horse area.
“I’m perplexed,” mentioned Live performance Tour jockey Mike Smith, who left Midnight Bourbon after the Derby to trip Baffert’s different Preakness horse. “He simply wasn’t going anyplace.”
Maryland racing officers required Live performance Tour and Medina Spirit to bear further testing and monitoring as situations to run within the Preakness. These three rounds of assessments got here again Friday, clearing them to race. Not one of the different horses had been topic to that stage of scrutiny, which got here out of the scenario at Churchill Downs and Baffert’s 4 different remedy violations over the previous 13 months with different horses.
That was put aside for a minimum of the 1:53.62 it took for Rombauer to finish the 1 3/16-mile race, paying $26.50 to win, $10 to position and $5.20 to indicate.
“He broke as anticipated and I believed he put sufficient stress on Medina Spirit to make it a horse race after which he ended up second,” Midnight Bourbon coach Steve Asmussen mentioned. “He confirmed up. He is bettering. And he isn’t there but, all on the similar time.”
Midnight Bourbon was sixth within the Kentucky Derby behind Medina Spirit, whose victory nonetheless hangs within the stability with a second check but to be analyzed. It is unclear how lengthy that may take.
Coach Michael McCarthy received a Triple Crown race for the primary time and captured the Preakness earlier than Corridor of Famer Todd Pletcher, for whom he labored as an assistant earlier than opening his personal barn. Pletcher gave McCarthy a bear hug after the race.
Rombauer is owned by John and Diane Fradkin, a far cry from Medina Spirit’s Zedan Racing Stables and different horse racing conglomerates. He received for the third time in seven begins.
McCarthy choked again tears whereas speaking about everybody concerned with Rombauer.
“Means lots to be right here, take part on a day like this,” he mentioned. “Completely happy for the Fradkins. Simply goes to indicate you that small gamers within the sport could be profitable, as properly.”
Rombauer busted the bias of horses hugging the rail on the filth at Pimlico Race Course all day, going previous Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit down the stretch and successful by 3 1/2 lengths.
Jockey Flavien Prat received the Preakness two years after being elevated to the Derby winner aboard Nation Home when Most Safety was disqualified.
“After all it’s lots completely different while you cross the wire first: You get that feeling,” Prat mentioned. “It’s a whole lot of pleasure.”
With the same old pleasure changed by chatter about Baffert and medicine violations, the Preakness was run in entrance of a restricted capability of 10,000 followers, a fraction of the group of 100,000-plus that sometimes packs Pimlico on the third Saturday in Could. Masks had been nonetheless required due to metropolis and observe protocols.
This was a brief turnaround from the 2023 Preakness, which was run final fall because the third leg of the Triple Crown with no followers allowed.
