Justify Wins Preakness

Justify, the charming, blazed chestnut son of Scat Daddy made his backers feel great today.  After several days of rain, this year's 143rd Preakness was run, like the Kentucky Derby, on a sloppy track. The winner of the Derby was today's betting favorite in the eight horse field.  At the break, he and second-place Derby finisher, Good Magic, hooked up and ran eyeball to eyeball for about 7/8 of a mile.  Occasionally, one or the other colt would poke his head in front, and then the other boy would make it even again.  Finally Mike Smith asked Justify to run, and he did.  It was not a huge margin, as two other runners came from farther back to contest the finish, but Justify was the first horse at the finish line.  (See Amber Searls' - USA Today Sports - photo below.)

Justify was first, Bravazo was second, Tenfold was third, Good Magic held on for fourth, and Lone Sailor was fifth.  Of the first five finishers, Tenfold was the only horse not to race in the Derby.  The rest of the field was: Sporting Chance, sixth; Diamond King, seventh; and Quip was eighth.

   There were 134,487 people in attendance at Pimlico today, and visibility was about 1/16 of a mile.  The rain had stopped before the race, but a thick fog followed the rain.    Justify ran the 1 and 3/16 mile race in 1:55.93.

    The pay-outs for a $2 bet were as follows: Justify to win $2.80; Bravazo to place $7.60; Tenfold to show $6.80; the exacta paid $27.40; the trifecta paid $296.60; and the superfecta paid $745.00.

  Will we be graced with another Triple Crown champion?  The question will be answered on  Saturday, 9 June, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.  Justify will have to contend with other, perhaps fresher, horses over the mile and a half track known as the Big Sandy.

    The Belmont Stakes was first run in 1867 at the Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx.  Ruthless won the first running og the Belmont, which was originally 1 and 5/8 miles long.  The distance was shortened to 1 and 1/2 miles in 1973.