shaved
17-05-2002, 17:17
Buoyed by a strong finish in the Kentucky Derby, Medaglia d'Oro drew the number five post position and was installed as the early favourite (5-2) to win Sunday's (Hong Kong time) 127th running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland. Derby winner War Emblem is the second favourite at 3-1 after landing the favoured number eight post.
"We really weren't sure of six, seven, eight or outside," said War Emblem trainer Bob Baffert. "We figured a lot of speed horses would be outside of us. It really doesn't matter. The strength is to get out there and get going."
Baffert, whose strategy for War Emblem during the Derby was to get outside and lead from start-to-finish, said he was likely to do the same this time. "His strength is to get out there and go [and] to let him bounce away from the pack and run his race," Baffert said.
Table Limit's trainer D. Wayne Lukas, with the number two selection for post position, selected position number nine, next to War Emblem and said the Derby winner was the horse to beat, despite the fact only one of the last six Derby winners has won the Preakness.
"Horses that show up in the Derby are usually the ones who show up in the Preakness," Lukas said. "If we couldn't get him early in Louisville, we probably can't do it in Baltimore either."
Lukas's second horse, Proud Citizen, drew post number 12 but goes off as the fourth-favourite at 6-1 odds.
Derby favourite Harlan's Holiday, which finished a disappointing seventh, had the number three selection in the draw and took position number six because he is expected to run much closer to the front than he did at the Derby. Harlan's Holiday has the same 9-2 odds he had at the Derby.
Early favourite, Medaglia d'Oro trainer Bobby Frankel, who feels his horse can win with a cleaner ride, has also switched jockeys, dropping Laffit Pincay for Jerry Bailey. "If he [Medaglia d'Oro] gets a better trip," said Pimlico oddsmaker Frank Carulli, ". . . well, that's why he's the early-morning favourite."
"We really weren't sure of six, seven, eight or outside," said War Emblem trainer Bob Baffert. "We figured a lot of speed horses would be outside of us. It really doesn't matter. The strength is to get out there and get going."
Baffert, whose strategy for War Emblem during the Derby was to get outside and lead from start-to-finish, said he was likely to do the same this time. "His strength is to get out there and go [and] to let him bounce away from the pack and run his race," Baffert said.
Table Limit's trainer D. Wayne Lukas, with the number two selection for post position, selected position number nine, next to War Emblem and said the Derby winner was the horse to beat, despite the fact only one of the last six Derby winners has won the Preakness.
"Horses that show up in the Derby are usually the ones who show up in the Preakness," Lukas said. "If we couldn't get him early in Louisville, we probably can't do it in Baltimore either."
Lukas's second horse, Proud Citizen, drew post number 12 but goes off as the fourth-favourite at 6-1 odds.
Derby favourite Harlan's Holiday, which finished a disappointing seventh, had the number three selection in the draw and took position number six because he is expected to run much closer to the front than he did at the Derby. Harlan's Holiday has the same 9-2 odds he had at the Derby.
Early favourite, Medaglia d'Oro trainer Bobby Frankel, who feels his horse can win with a cleaner ride, has also switched jockeys, dropping Laffit Pincay for Jerry Bailey. "If he [Medaglia d'Oro] gets a better trip," said Pimlico oddsmaker Frank Carulli, ". . . well, that's why he's the early-morning favourite."