New Shooters for Preakness Stakes
Pletcher, Colt Winless in Triple Crown Races, Enters Behindatthebar
Not many Derby horses want another shot at the hotshot, Big Brown. Top trainer Todd Pletcher will go with new shooter Behindatthebar, victor in the Lexington Stakes.
Will it take a new shooter to stop the freight train called Big Brown in the Preakness Stakes?
Todd Pletcher, Thoroughbred's leading trainer for four straight seasons, is winless with a colt in the Triple Crown series. His top-rated Monba and stablemate Cowboy Cal finished a dismal 20th and barely respectable ninth, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby May 3.
Pletcher had previously stated his plan to point Behindatthebar straight to the Preakness after the colt won an impressive come from behind run in the Apr.19 Lexington Stakes. The win in Lexington made Behindatthebar graded stakes eligible for the Derby.
Praise for Big Brown and Kent Desormeaux
Pletcher, Nick Zito (Cool Coal Man -- 15th and Anak Nakal -- seventh), and Eoin Harty, who trained the Derby's second betting favorite, Colonel John (sixth), all praised the buzz saw performance of Big Brown and his rider, Kent Desormeaux.
None of the trainers of the other Derby entrants have thrown out much interest in taking on Big Brown a second time. The Triple Crown hasn't seen a three-race champion since Affirmed won all three classics in 1978. But talk of Big Brown's chances to turn the trick this season is heating up in the major barns.
Possible new shooters for the Preakness from the next twenty list:
- Halo Najib -- trainer, Dale Romans ----- owner, Zayat Stable, LLC
- Globetrotter -- Graham Motion ----- Earl Mack
- El Gato Malo -- Craig Dollase ----- West Point Thoroughbreds
- Atoned -- Pletcher ----- Dogwood Stable
- Blackberry Road -- David Carroll ----- Dogwood
- My Pal Charlie -- A. Stall ----- B. Wayne Hughes
- Golden Spikes -- M. Wolfson ----- M325 Thoroughbreds, Inc.
- Golden Yank -- G. Thomas ----- Millard Seldin Revocable Trust
- Yankee Bravo -- P. Gallagher ----- Harlequin Ranches, et al
- Indian Sun -- D. Hendricks ----- C. Peacock
- Racecar Rhapsody -- K. McPeek ----- Jerry Carroll, et al
- Elysium Fields -- Barclay Tagg ----- Robert S. Evans
- King's Silver Son -- Steve Asmussen ----- Mike McCarty
- Texas Wildcatter -- Pletcher ----- Starlight, Saylor & Lucarelli
- Hey Byrn -- F. Plesa ----- Bea Oxenberg
- Medjool -- D. Hofmans ----- Equine Prep Management
- Giant Moon -- R. Schosberg ----- Albert Fried, Jr.
- Isabull -- S. Hobby ----- JoAnn & Alex Lieblong
- Liberty Bull -- T. Amoss ----- Kenneth Maier
- Roman Emperor -- S. Klesaris ----- Puglisi, Klesaris & Ruby Stable
Three colts who were graded stakes earnings eligible for the Kentucky Derby but were not entered are Massive Drama, trained by Dale Romans, Turf War (M. Casse), and Salute the Sarge (E. Guilliot).
The Preakness Stakes, second jewel of the Triple Crown series, is scheduled for May 17 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD.
