Preakness Picks

[Catalano 951]

Preakness Stakes 2016: Here’s Who We Think Will Win

By MELISSA HOPPERT and JOE DRAPE

(New York Times) -- The horses for the 141st running of the Preakness Stakesare listed in order of post position, with comments by Joe Drape and Melissa Hoppert of The New York Times. The morning-line odds were set by Keith Feustle of Pimlico Race Course.

Purse: $1.5 million guaranteed Distance: 1 3/16 miles

Track record: 1:52.2 (Farma Way, 1991) Weight: 126 pounds

Post time: 6:45 p.m. Eastern Television: NBC

Joe Drape’s picks: Exaggerator, Nyquist, Collected

Melissa Hoppert’s picks: Nyquist, Exaggerator, Stradivari

1. Cherry Wine

Trainer: Dale Romans Jockey: Corey Lanerie Odds: 20-1

Joe Drape: He chased Brody’s Cause and My Man Sam in last. Neither of them lifted a hoof in the Kentucky Derby.

Melissa Hoppert: He was third in his last race, the Blue Grass, but he is a strong closer and has scored a nine-and-a-quarter-length victory on a wet track.

2. Uncle Lino

Trainer: Gary Sherlock Jockey: Fernando Perez Odds: 20-1

J.D.: Uncle Buck has a better chance of hitting the board.

M.H.: He turned in a solid effort in the Santa Anita Derby, finishing third behind Exaggerator and Mor Spirit.

3. Nyquist

Trainer: Doug O’Neill Jockey: Mario Gutierrez Odds: 3-5

J.D.: The horse to beat, and he will make things interesting if he comes to New York with a Triple Crown bid. I can’t pick him at 3-5.

M.H.: Hope we can all agree now that he is the real deal. Rain should not dampen his Triple Crown quest.

4. Awesome Speed

Trainer: Alan Goldberg Jockey: Jevian Toledo Odds: 30-1

J.D.: A nice colt, but he is stepping way, way up. Better off shooting for the Ohio Derby.

M.H.: He won his last race, the Federico Tesio Stakes, via disqualification on a wet track. Still, he is in over his head.

5. Exaggerator

Trainer: Keith Desormeaux Jockey: Kent Desormeaux Odds: 3-1

J.D.: Gritty colt who always comes a-running. Here’s hoping the fifth time is a charm when it comes to vanquishing Nyquist.

M.H.: With rain in the forecast, it is tempting to think Exaggerator can finally best Nyquist on his fifth try.

6. Lani

Trainer: Mikio Matsunaga Jockey: Yutaka Take Odds: 30-1

J.D.: Love this eccentric colt: This is his prep for the 1½-mile Belmont Stakes.

M.H.: He became unglued at the Derby, where he finished ninth, and has been hiding from the crowds at Belmont ever since. A nice price, but he’s too much of a wild card.

7. Collected

Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Javier Castellano Odds: 10-1

J.D.: He caught the attention of clockers pre-Derby with superb works. Expect a big effort.

M.H.: The Lexington Stakes winner has been working well, and I do believe you can never count a Baffert horse out.

8. Laoban

Trainer: Eric Guillot Jockey: Florent Geroux Odds: 30-1

JD: Along with Uncle Lino, this one will make Nyquist run fast early.

MH: The fourth-place finisher in the Blue Grass has yet to win a race. Pass.

9. Abiding Star

Trainer: Ned Allard Jockey: J.D. Acosta Odds: 30-1

J.D.: Undefeated this year in minor stakes and allowance company. He will add to the early pace as well.

M.H.: Good news: He’s an Uncle Mo colt and has won five in a row. Bad news: He’s beat no one worthwhile.

10. Fellowship

Trainer: Mark Casse Jockey: Jose Lezcano Odds: 30-1

JD: Excellent trainer and underrated jockey add to this colt’s intrigue. He might run a big one.

MH: He placed third in the Florida Derby but has since changed barns and finished fourth in his last race, the Pat Day Mile.

11. Stradivari

Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez Odds: 8-1

J.D.: Nation’s leading trainer usually skips this race. My guess is this lightly raced colt has been kicking down the barn and made him enter. Don’t dismiss.

M.H.: He has raced only three times but has won twice, by 11 ¼ and 14 ½ lengths, while notching a triple-digit speed figure. One of those wins came on a wet track.

Click Here to see the story as it appeared on the New York Times website.

Copyright 2016 The New York Times Company

[Tauhei Notts 1,412]

The TAB could have had betting on Nowra or Pimlico on Sunday.

They chose Nowra.

Yeah, right!!

[Irish 270]

I had a mate in Aussie, more years ago than I care to remember, who told me: you can't educate idiots.

Sad to say, in relation to the NZ TAB, he was 100% accurate.

The bad news is:  I am just hearing Trackside telling us we can see the Preakness on ESPN (or EPNS. I can never remember which way round the letters should be.  I think EPNS is in relation to silver. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong)

The good news:  there isn't any.

Well, that's a great bloody help isn't it?  Not worth a knob of nanny goat shit to us plebs who don't have Sky Sports.

I shall have a couple of shekels on Stradivari.  

By Medaglio D'Oro out of Bending Strings - which made me think of violins and thus Stradivari.  

Isn't it amazing how my mind works in such mysterious ways.  

 

Good luck to Nyquist.  May the best horse win.  

[Leggy 4,076]

Track Muddy. Looks like two horse race to me.

[Swoopa 281]

If Exaggerator can sit a few lengths  closer then he could make a race of it.He was closing late last start and the wet track will help.But as Leggy says,it's a two horse race.

[Midget 4,489]

I'm in Chicago, coverage here is outstanding, shall I report in with updates ?

It's on NBC Sports if you've got that channel on your Sky.

[Canelo 459]

28 minutes ago, Leggy said:

Track Muddy. Looks like two horse race to me.

I like Bafferts horse Collected but hard to see him beating the 2 favs.

[Midget 4,489]

Be careful backing Exaggerator, he does love the wet according to NBC ( and it's pissing down ) but they've just shown him at the track and he's sweating up badly and weaving like a lunatic in his box.

For what it's worth Nyquist looks remarkably relaxed, extraordinarily so, he's walking around like an old hack in a coma, but I suppose he's got no wet track record to speak of so you'd need to proceed with caution with him too.

Doug O'Neill says it won't be a problem, if you listen to trainers of course.

The " people's party " inside the track is raging, thousands of blonds with big fun bags bouncing around in the rain, and it looks like Snoog Dog is spinning the vinyl.

Chainsmokers are next up on the main stage, and for the deviants out there, the bikini contest is over and I think one of Rod Stewart's future wives won it.

[Leggy 4,076]

25 minutes ago, Midget said:

I'm in Chicago, coverage here is outstanding, shall I report in with updates ?

It's on NBC Sports if you've got that channel on your Sky.

Would find that next to the Shopping Channel Midget?

Btw, don't wreck the kiwi rep there. I have to go for the Million in a couple of months.

 

[Midget 4,489]

[Midget 4,489]

Not sure how much news you guys are getting but I'll presume SFA and give you a few snippets.

Two horses have already been euthanased today, and one jockey taken away with a broken collar bone.

One of the horses put down was owned by the same people who owned Bardaro, and I think he got badly hurt here didn't he ?

[Midget 4,489]

They're about to run the Dixie, it's 1700m on the turf.

First 400m in 23.8

800 in 48 and change.

Takeover Target won it in 1.44.76

I doubt this track is wet like we know it, more like about a soft 7.

 

[Leggy 4,076]

Turf was rated Good this morning so I'd say about right despite some showers.

[Leggy 4,076]

23 minutes ago, Midget said:

OK. Looks like you're onto it.

[Ohokaman 5,825]

36 minutes ago, Midget said:

Be careful backing Exaggerator, he does love the wet according to NBC ( and it's pissing down ) but they've just shown him at the track and he's sweating up badly and weaving like a lunatic in his box.

For what it's worth Nyquist looks remarkably relaxed, extraordinarily so, he's walking around like an old hack in a coma, but I suppose he's got no wet track record to speak of so you'd need to proceed with caution with him too.

Doug O'Neill says it won't be a problem, if you listen to trainers of course.

The " people's party " inside the track is raging, thousands of blonds with big fun bags bouncing around in the rain, and it looks like Snoog Dog is spinning the vinyl.

Chainsmokers are next up on the main stage, and for the deviants out there, the bikini contest is over and I think one of Rod Stewart's future wives won it.

4th from the left...?? And good to see equality is alive and well in the ole USA.....

[N1MUE 1,877]

Caught the end of an ESPN documentary (30 for 30) this morning about Chris Antley. Chris Antley was a champion US jockey in the 80s and 90s who had issues with drugs, weight, ....  He made a comeback in the late 90s and rode Charismatic to win the 1999 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and ran 3rd in the Belmont (and broke down just past the line in that race).   Chris Antley died in 2000 of a drug overdose.  Rode 3,480 winners, rode 469 in one year (at the age of 18) and rode nine winners in a day (two meetings).

Had never heard his story before but it was a very interesting documentary.  Followed up by reading some more articles about Chris Antley and watched a few video clips including his induction into the Racing Hall of Fame - very nice speech from his wife about the polarity in his life - the highs of racecourse success and some of the depths that he hit, and what his induction into the Hall of Fame meant for his family - very moving.

If you get a chance to watch the documentary I would recommend you do.

[Canelo 459]

1 minute ago, N1MUE said:

Caught the end of an ESPN documentary (30 for 30) this morning about Chris Antley. Chris Antley was a champion US jockey in the 80s and 90s who had issues with drugs, weight, ....  He made a comeback in the late 90s and rode Charismatic to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and ran 3rd in the Belmont (and broke down just past the line in that race).   Chris Antley died in 2000 of a drug overdose.  Rode 3,480 winners, rode 469 in one year (at the age of 18) and rode nine winners in a day (two meetings).

Had never heard his story before but it was a very interesting documentary.  Followed up by reading some more articles about Chris Antley and watched a few video clips including his induction into the Racing Hall of Fame - very nice speech from his wife about the polarity in his life - the highs of racecourse success and some of the depths that he hit, and what his induction into the Hall of Fame meant for his family - very moving.

If you get a chance to watch the documentary I would recommend you do.

Yes Nimue that was a really sad story

[pogo(aus) 876]

LAY nyquist over the gap, LAY nyquist with a trowel.

just LAY it .

[Swoopa 281]

Still looks pretty  wet there Midget.

(And no that is not a pun).

[Midget 4,489]

1 minute ago, pogo(aus) said:

LAY nyquist over the gap, LAY nyquist with a trowel.

just LAY it .

What about the girls in the bikini contest, would ya' lay them too or would you need to rinse them in lanolin first ?

[Canelo 459]

Good even field field. I'd be inclined to risk laying any one in particular and just box the field.

[Midget 4,489]

I understand you guys are getting a feed off ESPN, but if you're not I'd point out that Exaggerator is now quite settled so ignore my earlier comments.

[zelda kratchanova 2 501]

funniest paste ever, n0?

is pimilco nearby silicone valley ?

[Swoopa 281]

Both look settled.It will be a interesting  race.Lets hope Exaggerators jock doesn't  fall asleep like the Derby.

[zelda kratchanova 2 501]

what horse is jarrod hayne riding?