3-5 favourite, Nyquist (photo: Maryland Jockey Club)
The draws for the 2016 Preakness Stakes were held on 18 May 2016 where Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist drew berth 3, cementing his 3-5 favouritism for the second leg of this year’s US Triple Crown.
Trainer Doug O’Neill, who was successful in the first two legs of the 2012 Triple Crown before charge I’ll Have Another was a late scratching from the Belmont commented, “It feels awesome. Bringing a Derby winner to Baltimore doesn’t get any better. I think 2012 as I look back it just went so quick, it was a blur, so we’re just trying to soak it all in, live in the moment and trying to slow it down and enjoy every bit of it.”
Jockey Mario Gutierrez expressed confidence in his mount adding, “Any position we would have got, we would have made a good plan of it. Nyquist is the type of horse that will adapt to anything, so at the end of the day I think 3 ended up being good, not a bad thing. So we’re just going to prepare him and try and make the best plan that we can and we’ll be alright.”
Kentucky Derby runner up Exaggerator, who closed from far back in the 20-horse Derby field to finish second behind Nyquist, was rated second at 3-1 in the Preakness morning line. The Keith Desormeaux-trained colt, who captured the Santa Anita Derby by more than six lengths prior to running in the Derby, drew the No. 5 post position and continues his quest to prevail over Nyquist for the first time in five meetings. Kent Desormeaux, who launched his Hall of Fame riding career in Maryland, has the mount aboard the son of 2007 Preakness winner Curlin. Asked for his feelings about the draw, trainer Keith Desormeaux had one word “Inconsequential. For Exaggerator, who comes off the pace, why do we need to worry about what position we are? His style is not dependent on speed and we have this huge run-up to this first turn. There’s just no doubt Kent (Desormeaux) will have the position he wants. He’ll either be five lengths or 15 off, but he’ll be off the pace.”
Todd Pletcher-trained Stradivari, a late-developing colt who most recently captured an allowance race at Keeneland by 14 ½ lengths under jockey John Velazquez, was rated third in the morning line at 8-1 after drawing the No. 11 post position for his stakes debut in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness. Pletcher commented, “You’ve got a good run to the turn so you never feel like anyone’s as concerned with the post positions at the Preakness as they are at the Derby, especially when there doesn’t appear to be one like the dreaded 1 post at Churchill. I’m happy with it. He’s generally a good gate horse and that gives (jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) the ability to break and survey things inside and see where he wants to hopefully position him going into the first turn. The good thing is you can kind of dictate things instead of them being dictated to you when you’re on the outside like that. I don’t think it’ll change anything. I think the most interesting thing is going to be how the track is playing and what the track conditions are like with the forecasted rain. I kind of felt like it would be between us and Collected for third choice. I’m not surprised. He’s got a small body of work but his last two races, in particular his last race at Keeneland, were visually very impressive performances.”
Bob Baffert, who saddled American Pharoah for his 2015 Triple Crown sweep, tilts at a seventh Preakness success with Collected, who captured the Gr3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland in his most recent start. Baffert named Javier Castellano to ride the son of City Zip, who was rated fourth at 10-1 in the morning line after drawing Post 7. “It’s a good post. If you have a speed horse, it’s a good post. The break is going to be so important. The break is going to be monumental. Because when you have a lot of speed horses and you have mud, those speed horses get behind and get that mud in their face – including my horse – I mean, he has to break really well otherwise he’s not going to be effective.”
Cherry Wine, who finished third in the Gr1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, drew pole position, but trainer Dale Romans seemed unperturbed. “My jockey, Corey Lanerie, loves to come up the fence. It’s a good spot with him riding the horse. He never panics; he stays down in there just like I like.” Cherry Wine is currently 20-1.
Trainer Gary Sherlock drew post position 2 for charge Uncle Lino (20-1), who finished third behind Exaggerator in the Santa Anita Derby before winning the California Chrome Stakes at Los Alamitos last time out. He commented, “I would have rather been outside of Nyquist, but it is what it is. Being inside, he’s probably going to go to the front now. If he’d drawn outside we’d have had a few more choices. At least we didn’t get the 1.”
Abiding Star is riding a five-race winning streak into his graded-stakes debut in the Preakness. Trainer Ned Allard was satisfied with his 9 draw and said “I think it’s just fine. You can see what’s happening inside of you. I think it’s a good place to get away from with a long stretch to start off the race and see where you’re at. Is he quick enough to control the pace? I don’t know.”
Eric Guillot saddles Laoban, a maiden who finished second in the Gr3 Gotham and fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes, drew post 8. “I think we drew awesome. I mean all the speed’s inside of me except for (trainer Todd) Pletcher’s horse (Stradivari). I couldn’t ask for much better. Looks like all the stars aligned and the ones that ain’t I’m going to knock them in the head and make them align. Uncle Lino’s speed; Nyquist’s speed; Awesome Speed’s speed; and Collected’s speed. I’ll be stalking.”
UAE Derby winner Lani, who finished ninth in the 20 horse Kentucky Derby, drew post position 6. The Mikio Matsunaga-trained son of Tapit was rated at 30-1 in the morning line and will be partnered by Japanese champion jockey Yutaka Take. Speaking through an interpreter, Matsunaga said, “I wanted an outside draw, so I am pretty much satisfied with the position.”
Awesome Speed, who won a fees-paid spot in the Preakness by winning the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel on 9 April, drew post position 4. Jockey Jevian Toledo commented, “I think it’s a good position between some nice horses (Nyquist and Exaggerator). I didn’t want the 1 or the 2 hole, so I’m pretty happy.”
Fellowship, who finished third behind Nyquist in the Gr1 Florida Derby prior to a fourth-place finish in the Gr3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby under card, drew 10. Assistant trainer Norm Casse commented “We’ve already come in with the idea that we’re just going to let the horse fall out of the gate and let him settle wherever he is. So it really didn’t matter what the post position was. I actually like being drawn outside a little bit. But there’s plenty of time to get over. He’ll be in the second or third flight, and it really didn’t matter.”
The 11 horse field goes to post for the 141st run for the Black-Eyed Susans on Saturday, 21 May 2016 at approximately 23:20 local time.
Full draws below:-
