By Nancy Brannon
It was a rainy day with a very muddy, sloppy track at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD for the 141st running of the Preakness, Saturday May 21, 2016. Derby winner and favorite Nyquist lost his bid for the Triple Crown when Exaggerator, ridden by jockey Kent J. Desormeaux and trained by Keith Desormeaux, pulled ahead to win the Preakness Stakes. In four previous races, Exaggerator had lost to Nyquist, including a second at Churchill Downs. But this day, he handed Nyquist his first career loss, dropping his record to 8-1.
Out of the starting gates, Nyquist jumped to the lead, along with Uncle Lino, Awesome Speed, and Collected. Exaggerator was then13 lengths behind Nyquist. The pace for the first ¼ mile was very fast, so Nyquist was forced to work hard early. Nyquist continued to lead, with Uncle Lino and Awesome Speed on either side, but Exaggerator was steadily moving up on the inside rail. Uncle Lino continued to battle Nyquist in the far turn. Coming into the stretch, Nyquist was still leading, but then Exaggerator got the jump on him and took the lead! At the eighth pole Exaggerator was in the lead with Nyquist switching to the outside. Exaggerator kept pulling ahead of the pack to win the Preakness Stakes by 3 ½ lengths. “It was Exaggerator’s day today!” said the race commentator. Officials announced that a record 135,256 people were in attendance at this year’s Preakness.
141st Preakness Results:
1 Exaggerator jockey Kent Desormeaux trainer Keith Desormeaux
2 Cherry Wine jockey Corey Lanerie trainer Dale Romans
3 Nyquist jockey Mario Butierrez trainer Doug O’Neill
4 Stradivari jockey John Velazquez trainer Todd Pletcher
Earlier in the day, the deaths of two horses in prior racers lent a somber tone to the day. Homeboykris, a nine-year-old gelding, had won the first race of the day. He was taken to the winner’s circle for the usual photograph session. Afterwards, he walked about 100 yards, collapsed, and died. Track officials said they believe he suffered cardiovascular collapse. He was sent to New Bolton Center Hospital in Pennsylvania for a necropsy.
In the fourth race, 4-year-old filly Pramedya broke down on the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile turf race, suffering a broken cannon bone in her left front leg. She was euthanized on the track. Jockey Daniel Centeno, who was thrown to the turf, fractured his right clavicle and was taken to Sinai Hospital. Pramedya was owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who also owned Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby champion who shattered his leg in the Preakness.
More information about the Preakness is found at: www.preakness.com.
Sources:
Thinkprogress.org
Bleacherreport.com
The Baltimore Sun
The WashingtonPost.com
It was a rainy day with a very muddy, sloppy track at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD for the 141st running of the Preakness, Saturday May 21, 2016. Derby winner and favorite Nyquist lost his bid for the Triple Crown when Exaggerator, ridden by jockey Kent J. Desormeaux and trained by Keith Desormeaux, pulled ahead to win the Preakness Stakes. In four previous races, Exaggerator had lost to Nyquist, including a second at Churchill Downs. But this day, he handed Nyquist his first career loss, dropping his record to 8-1.
Out of the starting gates, Nyquist jumped to the lead, along with Uncle Lino, Awesome Speed, and Collected. Exaggerator was then13 lengths behind Nyquist. The pace for the first ¼ mile was very fast, so Nyquist was forced to work hard early. Nyquist continued to lead, with Uncle Lino and Awesome Speed on either side, but Exaggerator was steadily moving up on the inside rail. Uncle Lino continued to battle Nyquist in the far turn. Coming into the stretch, Nyquist was still leading, but then Exaggerator got the jump on him and took the lead! At the eighth pole Exaggerator was in the lead with Nyquist switching to the outside. Exaggerator kept pulling ahead of the pack to win the Preakness Stakes by 3 ½ lengths. “It was Exaggerator’s day today!” said the race commentator. Officials announced that a record 135,256 people were in attendance at this year’s Preakness.
141st Preakness Results:
1 Exaggerator jockey Kent Desormeaux trainer Keith Desormeaux
2 Cherry Wine jockey Corey Lanerie trainer Dale Romans
3 Nyquist jockey Mario Butierrez trainer Doug O’Neill
4 Stradivari jockey John Velazquez trainer Todd Pletcher
Earlier in the day, the deaths of two horses in prior racers lent a somber tone to the day. Homeboykris, a nine-year-old gelding, had won the first race of the day. He was taken to the winner’s circle for the usual photograph session. Afterwards, he walked about 100 yards, collapsed, and died. Track officials said they believe he suffered cardiovascular collapse. He was sent to New Bolton Center Hospital in Pennsylvania for a necropsy.
In the fourth race, 4-year-old filly Pramedya broke down on the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile turf race, suffering a broken cannon bone in her left front leg. She was euthanized on the track. Jockey Daniel Centeno, who was thrown to the turf, fractured his right clavicle and was taken to Sinai Hospital. Pramedya was owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who also owned Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby champion who shattered his leg in the Preakness.
More information about the Preakness is found at: www.preakness.com.
Sources:
Thinkprogress.org
Bleacherreport.com
The Baltimore Sun
The WashingtonPost.com
