Saturday, May 16, 2015

The Preakness - and Results of the Black-Eyed Susan

Well, I didn't do very well in picking the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes yesterday.   But I didn't entirely wipe out, either.  Longshot Keen Pauline went to the lead early in the race and stayed there.  Include Betty was running last for most of the race, then came roaring up in the stretch to finish second.  Ahh Chocolate finished in third, after running in fifth place for the majority of the race.  Danessa Deluxe managed to get fourth.  Keen Pauline paid $32.80 for a $2 win bet; Include Betty paid $5.40 for a $2 place bet; and Ahh Chocolate paid $4.40 for a $2 show bet.  The $2 perfecta paid $211; the $2 trifecta paid $1,356; and the $2 superfecta paid $3,253.80.
   The NBC Sports Network will show live Preakness day races, the NBC will take over, then after-race coverage will be by NBC Sports again.  There are eight horses contesting the Preakness Stakes today; all are three-year-olds, all carry 126 pounds over the one mile and three sixteenths.  The purse is worth $1.5 million.  Five of the eight entries ran in the Kentucky Derby, and they will be facing fresh opponents, who did not race two weeks ago.  Here are a list of post positions, horse's name, finish place in the Kentucky Derby, jockey, morning line betting odds and sire:
1   American Pharoah (1st)     Victor Espinoza    4 to 5      Pioneerof the Nile
2   Dortmund  (3rd)                 Martin Garcia        7 to 2     Big Brown
3   Mr. Z  (13th)                      Corey Nakatani    20 to 1    Malibu Moon
4   Danzig Moon  (5th)            Julian Leparoux   15 to 1    Malibu Moon
5   Tale of Verve                     Joel Rosario          30 to 1   Tale of Ekati
6   Badhisattva                        Trevor McCarthy  20 to 1    Student Council
7   Divining Rod                      Javier Castellano   12 to 1   Tapit
8   Firing Line  (2nd)              Gary Stevens            4 to 1    Line of David

Six of the eight colts were born and bred in Kentucky; Danzig Moon was bred in Ontario, Canada, and Badhisattva was bred in California.  There are three chestnut colts and five bays running.  The chestnuts are: Dortmund, Mr. Z, and Badhisattva.
    It would be great to have a Triple Crown champion this year - but can American Pharoah win from the first post position, and with Dortmund in the second slot?  Will D Wayne Lukas surprise us with Mr. Z?  How much did the Kentucky Derby take out of the five colts?   My feelings (which are much good any more) are:  Badhisattva in first; Firing Line in second; and Divining Rod in third.   -  But then, of course, American Pharoah might be able to "Wow!" all of us.

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