Preakness Results

Greetings all,

Sorry for the delay in sending out the Preakness results for the 12ARFTCHC. I was in Atlanta last weekend for a foundry convention, and I’m still trying to catch up. I was at the convention all day on Saturday, but I made it back to my hotel room just as the horses were entering the Preakness starting gate. I guess you could say the race went pretty much according to plan. Big Brown breaks from the gate. Big Brown tucks in at the rail. Desormeaux does a little bobbing and weaving to establish position outside of the leaders down the backstretch. Big Brown ranges up beside the leaders on the far turn. Desormeaux begins to urge Big Brown. I blink at the wrong moment, and when I open my eyes Big Brown is three lengths ahead. Desormeaux does some rather awkward moves checking for pursuers, and I scream, “Don’t fall off, you idiot!” Big Brown eases across the finish line with his big brown ears flopping, and it’s on to Belmont.

Final order of finish:

Big Brown

Macho Again

Icabad Crane

Racecar Rhapsody

Stevil

Kentucky Bear

Hey Byrn

Giant Moon

Tres Borrachos

Yankee Bravo

Gayego

Riley Tucker

Here are the race comments from the Equibase chart:

BIG BROWN was taken in hand along the inside nearing the first turn, brushed with RILEY TUCKER approaching the backstretch, was wrangled back and angled five wide leaving the three quarter pole, stalked the leaders under confident handling while continuing wide, lodged a bid mid way on the final turn, charged to the front in upper stretch, moved clear under urging nearing the eighth pole then was taken in hand through the final sixteenth. MACHO AGAIN saved ground early, advanced between rivals nearing the half mile marker, steadied when in traffic mid way on the turn, angled out nearing the quarter pole, swung five wide entering the stretch and continued on willingly to gain the place. ICABAD CRANE settled along the inside, commenced a rail run leaving the far turn, steadied when lacking room on the turn, angled out near the quarter pole, split horses in upper stretch and closed late to gain a share. RACECAR RHAPSODY saved ground to the half mile marker, angled out and moved between rivals near the three eighths pole, altered course six wide at the top of the lane, continued his run to mid stretch then flattened out. STEVIL raced two wide in mid pack, bumped with RACECAR RHAPSODY on the far turn, advanced three wide between rivals to reach contention on the turn then failed to sustain his bid. KENTUCKY BEAR stumbled at the break, lost ground four wide entering the backstretch, altered course to the inside nearing the half mile pole, made a sharp move along the rail leaving the far turn, checked behind a wall of horses in upper stretch, angled to the four path then finished evenly. HEY BYRN was four wide chasing the pace along the backstretch, remained a factor to the quarter pole then steadily tired thereafter. GIANT MOON settled in mid pack while well off the rail, chased the leaders five wide down the backstretch, swung eight wide leaving the quarter pole then lacked a late response. TRES BORRACHOS stumbled badly at the break, checked repeatedly in the opening quarter mile, swung wide nearing the quarter pole but failed to reach contention. YANKEE BRAVO devoid of speed while saving ground throughout and lacked the needed response when called upon. GAYEGO leaned in and bumped with GIANT MOON leaving the gate, was hustled up to gain a clear early advantage, set the pace in hand down the backstretch, dueled from the far turn to the head of the stretch, gave way and was not abused late. RILEY TUCKER brushed with the winner nearing the backstretch, stalked the pace two to three wide, moved to challenge leaving the three eighths, gained a brief lead between rivals mid way on the final turn then stopped leaving the three sixteenths marker.

In the 12ARFTCHC Peter again had the exacta and has opened a lead over Jacqueline. Gordon and Brenda each had the exacta and are attempting to keep pace with the leader. The rest of us are diddling around at the back, dreaming of a Silky Sullivan type finish. Don’t know what that means? Check out YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT_YxcoDhtY

Here are the current totals in our contest.

[Click on Charts to Enlarge Them]

Big Brown is awaiting his chance in the Belmont spotlight. He’s dealing with a small complication right now since he’s developed a quarter crack on one foot, but his hoof specialist, Ian McKinlay, says it is healing well. Big Brown jogged around the track yesterday and was out for a gallop today. Trainer Rick Dutrow says he looks great and doesn’t seem concerned about any lost training time. As of now his Belmont competition looks to be a mix of new faces and familiar foes. Anak Nakal, Japanese star Casino Drive, Denis of Cork, Icabad Crane, Macho Again, Tale of Ekati, and Peruvian Wonder Horse Tomcito are all probable starters and Behindatthebar may join in as well.

So now we wait for June 7th.

In the meantime, may the Big Brown horse be with you.

~The Annoyed Hadicapper