Preakness

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by Musket Man

Unbridled Honor confirmed, via Pletcher. Which is interesting, because that's not his MO, unless he's won the Derby.

felt like Pletcher heated up a little late in the prep season this year (around Florida Derby - Wood Memorial weekends).

I don't recall Unbridled Honor (guessing maybe Lexington in the slop? IDK), so will have to rewatch his races/form to have any specific opinion.

Possible he was in that late-blooming group, and isn't Belmont bound, so good spot for him?

[Musket Man]

Midnight Bourbon confirmed for Preakness. Irad gets the mount.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by Rex Phinney

It's not Medina Spriit's fault that other horses didn't break well or came up to the race in poor shape.



Medina Spirit has run well in other races without the lead, I'm not sure why he is being made out as a one trick pony here.


If Caddo River wants to enter and let Baffert use him up with Concert Tour, fine. It's possible that just sets the race up for Medina Spirit.

Basically a moot point at this stage, but I never said Medina Spirit was a "one trick pony". I simply said that he would not get the unpressured lead he was handed in the Kentucky Derby.

Elsewhere on this board I suggested his best shot to win the Preakness (with the tentative field at the time) was to stalk in the event of another Concert Tour-Caddo River duel.

[Molesap]

Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun won't run in the Preakness, and neither will his stablemate the speedy Caddo River, trainer Brad Cox announced Thursday afternoon.

[Dream_Police]

Looks like another merry-go-round scenario unless there is someone that really wants to try and burn MS up which would be a mistake, He is fast and as we saw in the Derby, he apparently can carry his speed a bit farther than some of us thought.

[f2tornado]

I'm not very excited for the race but think Medina is the weakest of all Baffert Derby winners therefore potentially vulnerable here. The trick is picking a potential upset and nothing screams a bet. I could make a mild argument for Midnight Bourbon and Keepmeinmind, both who had bad breaks and wide trips throughout the Derby yet held their own after the 3/4 call. A better break and cleaner trip may have put either in the picture. For a skip the Derby angle, Unbridled Honor takes a big step up but would seemingly have some pace to run at. The race is probably too long for Rombauer but the horse is on the right trajectory. Crowded Trade has that Chad Brown Cloud Computing feel but there was no Wood flattery in the Derby.

If I had to pick one now I'd go with Midnight Bourbon.

[Robert Fischer]

Risk Taking (Klaravich/Brown) now will scratch from the Peter Pan tomorrow, and run in the Preakness.

[zico20]

Originally Posted by f2tornado

I'm not very excited for the race but think Medina is the weakest of all Baffert Derby winners therefore potentially vulnerable here. The trick is picking a potential upset and nothing screams a bet. I could make a mild argument for Midnight Bourbon and Keepmeinmind, both who had bad breaks and wide trips throughout the Derby yet held their own after the 3/4 call. A better break and cleaner trip may have put either in the picture. For a skip the Derby angle, Unbridled Honor takes a big step up but would seemingly have some pace to run at. The race is probably too long for Rombauer but the horse is on the right trajectory. Crowded Trade has that Chad Brown Cloud Computing feel but there was no Wood flattery in the Derby.

If I had to pick one now I'd go with Midnight Bourbon.

Midnight Bourbon has absolutely no late kick. He will sit real close and run well, but he couldn't pass a horse in the stretch to save his life when up close to the pace.

[GMB@BP]

Interesting race....so guessing Bourbon will try to be sent to the lead to battle Medina since everyone thought he should have been near the lead in the Derby. No way Concert Tour presses his barn mate in this circumstance so he is likely to get hung out.

I kinda like Rombauer who I thought was a talented sort.

[cj]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

Interesting race....so guessing Bourbon will try to be sent to the lead to battle Medina since everyone thought he should have been near the lead in the Derby. No way Concert Tour presses his barn mate in this circumstance so he is likely to get hung out.

I kinda like Rombauer who I thought was a talented sort.

Your boy Mike is either sending hard or talking the crown of the track tour all the way around .

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

Interesting race....so guessing Bourbon will try to be sent to the lead to battle Medina since everyone thought he should have been near the lead in the Derby. No way Concert Tour presses his barn mate in this circumstance so he is likely to get hung out.

Last year, both Baffert colts ended up dueling for the lead albeit without throwing down. Didn't work out at the wire but the early pace was yet another instance of letting his horses have the run of the race.

Wouldn't be surprised to see more of the same here. Despite being more successful on the pace, Midnight Bourbon doesn't seem to have their kind of early speed even if Asmussen wants to send. If they do send him full out, he would probably be toast after a 1/2 mile.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by cj

Your boy Mike is either sending hard or talking the crown of the track tour all the way around .

I just dont see politically how he can do that to the baffert horse in this spot.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

Last year, both Baffert colts ended up dueling for the lead albeit without throwing down. Didn't work out at the wire but the early pace was yet another instance of letting his horses have the run of the race.

Wouldn't be surprised to see more of the same here. Despite being more successful on the pace, Midnight Bourbon doesn't seem to have their kind of early speed even if Asmussen wants to send. If they do send him full out, he would probably be toast after a 1/2 mile.

According to Timeform Midnight Bourbon has never run a "red" coded fraction in his life, now this field does not have a lot of speed but he is not as fast early as the pp's would make it look like. It feels like the Derby winner will be loose to a certain extent...how he runs not all juiced up is a different story.

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

According to Timeform Midnight Bourbon has never run a "red" coded fraction in his life, now this field does not have a lot of speed but he is not as fast early as the pp's would make it look like. It feels like the Derby winner will be loose to a certain extent...how he runs not all juiced up is a different story.

You don't think Concert Tour will have enough speed to keep pace with Medina Spirit?

The assistant trainer was lamenting that Rosario shouldn't have let Caddo River get away from him in the Arkansas Derby.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

You don't think Concert Tour will have enough speed to keep pace with Medina Spirit?

The assistant trainer was lamenting that Rosario shouldn't have let Caddo River get away from him in the Arkansas Derby.

I think if anything they could be 1-2 setting a glacial pace, he certainly has enough speed, not sure he will be sent.