Derby trio to skip Preakness
Bluegrass Cat, Steppenwolfer, and Jazil - the second-, third-, and co-fourth-place finishers in the Kentucky Derby - will all forego the Preakness Stakes to concentrate on the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 10.
The trainers of all three horses are based in New York and feel that running their horses back in two weeks at Pimlico is not the best thing to do.
Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Bluegrass Cat, said the only horse he has run back in the Preakness out of the Derby was Impeachment, who finished third in both races in 2000. Pletcher said that Impeachment's late-running style was conducive to doing that because he only ran for the last three furlongs of the Derby. Bluegrass Cat, on the other hand, gets into his races earlier than did Impeachment.
"I don't really like rushing them back in two weeks," Pletcher said. "I don't see the point."
Pletcher also confirmed that Sunriver, who was excluded from the Derby field for lack of sufficient graded stakes earnings, would run next in the Peter Pan here on May 20. Pletcher said he does not want to run Sunriver in a Triple Crown race off a seven-week layoff.
Danny Peitz, the trainer of Steppenwolfer, said running back in two weeks was the biggest reason that he plans to skip the Preakness and wait for the Belmont.
"I'm just thinking the shorter race, the tighter turns, the speed-favoring nature of Pimlico, it just seems like it makes the most sense," said Peitz, whose horse is a one-run closer. "More than anything, though, it's the two weeks."
Peitz said that Steppenwolfer stepped on himself in his stall at Churchill on Monday morning and cut his right front hoof, but he added that it wasn't a big deal. Peitz said Steppenwolfer was due to van to New York from Louisville, Ky., on Wednesday.
Initially, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he would consider Jazil for the Preakness. But on Monday, McLaughlin said he would skip the race and aim for the Belmont. McLaughlin will be represented in the Preakness with Gotham winner and Lexington Stakes runner-up Like Now.
"It's quick back and didn't seem like the thing to do," McLaughlin said on why Jazil would skip the Preakness. "He's a very nice horse; we want to look after him and pick the right spot. The Belmont may not be the right spot, either, but we'll give it some time and consider it."
Source: horseracing.sportsline.com
The trainers of all three horses are based in New York and feel that running their horses back in two weeks at Pimlico is not the best thing to do.
Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Bluegrass Cat, said the only horse he has run back in the Preakness out of the Derby was Impeachment, who finished third in both races in 2000. Pletcher said that Impeachment's late-running style was conducive to doing that because he only ran for the last three furlongs of the Derby. Bluegrass Cat, on the other hand, gets into his races earlier than did Impeachment.
"I don't really like rushing them back in two weeks," Pletcher said. "I don't see the point."
Pletcher also confirmed that Sunriver, who was excluded from the Derby field for lack of sufficient graded stakes earnings, would run next in the Peter Pan here on May 20. Pletcher said he does not want to run Sunriver in a Triple Crown race off a seven-week layoff.
Danny Peitz, the trainer of Steppenwolfer, said running back in two weeks was the biggest reason that he plans to skip the Preakness and wait for the Belmont.
"I'm just thinking the shorter race, the tighter turns, the speed-favoring nature of Pimlico, it just seems like it makes the most sense," said Peitz, whose horse is a one-run closer. "More than anything, though, it's the two weeks."
Peitz said that Steppenwolfer stepped on himself in his stall at Churchill on Monday morning and cut his right front hoof, but he added that it wasn't a big deal. Peitz said Steppenwolfer was due to van to New York from Louisville, Ky., on Wednesday.
Initially, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he would consider Jazil for the Preakness. But on Monday, McLaughlin said he would skip the race and aim for the Belmont. McLaughlin will be represented in the Preakness with Gotham winner and Lexington Stakes runner-up Like Now.
"It's quick back and didn't seem like the thing to do," McLaughlin said on why Jazil would skip the Preakness. "He's a very nice horse; we want to look after him and pick the right spot. The Belmont may not be the right spot, either, but we'll give it some time and consider it."
Source: horseracing.sportsline.com
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