Officials at Pimlico Race Course slipped 12 pills into the cup and when the dice rolled, Super Saver was in post position number 8 and was made 5-2 early line favorite by Pimlico linemaker Frank Carulli for Preakness 135 on Saturday.
“Eight was very good,” said Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “I’m very happy with that, but I really don’t think that post positions are hugely important in this race.
Pletcher also will saddle Derby Trial runnerup Aikenite, breaking from the rail. “I suppose 1 wouldn’t have been my first choice.”
And, finally, after getting an extreme wide post in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the dreaded rail in the Kentucky Derby, the two biggest races of his life, Lookin At Lucky finally rolled a natural and landed in slip seven and was made the second choice at 3-1.
“I like the 7. I wanted 7, 8 or 9,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “I like those post positions here,” who had the same basic take as Pletcher.
“There’s not a really bad post in the Preakness. I’m so relieved. I’m just glad the horse finally drew a decent post position.” Lookin At Lucky also will have a new rider, with Martin Garcia replacing Garrett Gomez.
Of the high profile horses, only Dublin drew unfavorably, the wide outside post 12. A wide draw didn’t hamper Rachel Alexandra, last year’s Preakness heroine, but, of course, they have different running styles, and levels of ability for that matter.
“I hate it,” said Wayne Lukas, “but there isn’t much I can do about it, just accept what they gave us. We’re out there and we’ll make the best of it.”
That responsibility will fall on Gomez, who replaces Terry Thompson, the rider of the Lukas-trained longshot, Northern Giant (30-1), breaking from post 4.
Derby show finisher Paddy O’ Prado drew post 10, the same as in the Derby, and was made 9-2 third choice.
“Really, in a 12-horse field there's not a terrible position to have,” said trainer Dale Romans. “I didn't want to be in the 1 or 12 if we could help it. Anything else we were going to be happy with.”
Unlike the Derby, the Preakness field is light on early speed, making the Preakness more of a rider’s race. Mike Machowsky, trainer of SoCal invader Coracortado (10-1), was pleased with his draw of post 9.
“It's perfect,” Machowsky said. “I'm thinking I might put my horse on the lead, or in the race early, and I think the only other horse that has any sort of speed inside of me is Jackson Bend. It's a solid field. I think all 12 horses have a shot.”
Borel might have something to say about which horse takes the lead, as Derby winning Super Saver has more than enough tactical speed if the rider chooses to use it. He said as much in a Churchill Downs interview earlier this week.
Clearly, the gamesmanship has begun. So, what does it all mean?
“I remember that Real Quiet got the 11 and I was just sick for a couple of days,” Baffert recalled. “Then all of a sudden I realized that at the end of the day it’s the horse. If you have the horse, it doesn’t matter what post you come out of.”
Tidal Pool Early Black-Eyed Susan Favorite
With Kentucky Oaks winner Blind Luck sitting this dance out, her main East Coast rival, Tidal Pool, is the 8-5 early line choice for the Preakness filly companion race, the Black-Eyed Susan, Grade 2 at nine furlongs.
Surely, all the competitors are happy not to see the divisional leader in the starting gate tomorrow, especially the Black-Eyed Susan favorite who set the pace and stayed on well in both the Fantasy and Oaks, but settled for second and third, respectively.
Calvin Borel, who rode her in both those events, is taking the re-ride. The combination of Borel and the Pimlico oval should make her formidable, indeed.
However, there are a handful of contenders that make this edition an interesting renewal.
Among those are No Such Word (7-2), who after winning the Grade 3 Honeybee returned to finish third behind Blind Luck and Tidal Pool, also at Oaklawn Park.
Seeking the Title (5-1) had a tough trip but still closed lots of ground when third to Quiet Temper in the G2 Fair Grounds Oaks. Dallas Stewart told us in the paddock that he believed this to be a good filly, and was noticeably disappointed when it was over.
The Seeking the Gold filly did not have enough earnings to get into the Oaks, so here she is. She’s been working very well at her Churchill base for her second start in graded company. She has lots of upside.
Harissa (5-1), meanwhile, ships in for David Hofmans from SoCal via Sunland Park, where she was a decisive winner of the Sunland Park Oaks, a race that has produced two next-out winners from two subsequent starters.
Another worthy of serious consideration is Diva Delite (8-1), the pride of South Florida, via the redneck Riviera, where she swept the sophomore filly series at Tampa Bay Downs, culminating with the G3 Tampa Oaks.
Last time she was third in Keeneland’s G2 Beaumont on Polytrack while turning back to seven furlongs and meeting uber talented New York-bred sprinter Franny Freud. The Diva is making her second start for Team Wilkes-Leparoux.
Per usual, there will be a daily double coupling the Black-Eyed Susan and the Preakness.
13 May 2010 at 01:25 pm | #
Looking to avoid the obvious in this race John...but I don’t have a clue what the obvious horse is LOL. Does that make sense. LOL
15 May 2010 at 03:10 pm | #
Went against the obvious (the two favorites)with Fist Dude and Jackson Bend over the choices in exactas. I lose the win bets and the exacta TOUGH GAME sometimes.