Only one week away. This year’s Preakness Stakes at “Old Hilltop” Pimlico Raceway in Baltimore Maryland will be amazing. Nyquist wants to be the first horse since the 1977/1978 years to win the Triple Crown the year after it was just won. Only Seattle Slew and Affirmed did that in 1977/1978 and so it could be American Pharoah and Nyquist in 2015/2016.

We have a probable field of 12 horses so far with 8 new names of horses who skipped the Kentucky Derby and only 4 beaten by Nyquist there. Interestingly, the additional horses are expected to show a lot of early speed. In the Derby, I felt that there was little early speed. This may of contributed to the outcome of the race in the sense that Exaggerator and others had a more difficult time catching the front running Nyquist. Others will point to the fact that Danzing Candy set a fast pace…but remember Nyquist layed back off this and didn’t get pressured. Since there will be more early speed horses this “may” not happen in the Preakness.

Exaggerator is in and his trainer says he is full of energy. Nyquist galloped a mile and a quarter on Friday. Of the new comers watch out for Stradivari who worked 5 furlongs in a very fast 59 3/5ths on Friday and Uncle Lino who worked the 5 furlongs (1/8 mile is one furlong) in 1:004/5ths.

Gun Runner who ran third in the Derby is also expected to be at Pimlico this Saturday.

I have raced horses many times at Pimlico and even once on Preakness day. It is a track that boasts of a lot of fast closers who win…more than most other venues. I stand by my Derby pick Exaggerator making a comeback here. Remember it is the home track for The Desormeaux brothers. I picked Hansel in 1991 to win the Derby, he lost; but came back to win the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Perhaps Exaggerator can do the same this year.

Barry