American Pharoah tabbed at 4-5 after drawing post one for Preakness
The second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness, is upon us Saturday. Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah made the trip to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Wednesday.
At the post position draw, American Pharoah drew post one in a field of eight and was made the 4-5 favorite on the morning line.
American Pharoah (post 1, 4-5)
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Zayat Stables
Career Record: 6 starts - 5 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $2,830,300
Pedigree: Pioneer of the Nile - Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman
Color: Bay
Running Style: Pacesetter
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: After finishing fifth in his career debut, American Pharoah won a Grade 1 race his next time out and was voted champion 2-year-old male at the 2014 Eclipse Awards. The colt is a Zayat Stables homebred and was actually listed as a $300,000 sale yearling, but bought back by Zayat, who suffered from seller's remorse. His jockey, Victor Espinoza, has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in the same year twice - last year with California Chrome and with War Emblem in 2002. He is aiming to do the same with American Pharoah now that they've won the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby.
Dortmund (post 2, 7-2)
Jockey: Martin Garcia
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Kaleem Shah
Career Record: 7 starts - 6 wins, 0 seconds, 1 thirds
Career Earnings: $1,489,400
Pedigree: Big Brown - Our Josephina, by Tale of the Cat
Color: Chestnut
Running Style: Pacesetter
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Unable to sell as a foal due to his massive size, Dortmund was first sold as a yearling and then again as a 2-year old. Kaleem Shah's bloodstock agent purchased the 2-year-old colt for $140,000 and Shah named him in honor of the German soccer team Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund's sire Big Brown won the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Dortmund's first career loss came in this year's Kentucky Derby where he ran third to American Pharoah and Firing Line.
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Owner: Calumet
Career Record: 13 starts - 1 first, 4 seconds, 4 thirds
Career Earnings: $652,226
Pedigree: Malibu Moon - Stormy Bear, by Storm Cat
Color: Chestnut
Running Style: Stalker
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Mr. Z has had a steady career, competing and placing in a number of graded stakes such as the Grade 2 Toyota Saratoga Special Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes and most recently finished third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby behind American Pharoah and Far Right.
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Trainer: Mark Casse
Owner: John Oxley
Career Record: 6 starts - 1 win, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $311,120
Pedigree: Malibu Moon - Leaveminthedust, by Danzig
Color: Bay
Running Style: Stalker/Closer
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Danzig Moon finished a very strong fifth in the Kentucky Derby at longshot odds of 22.60-to-1. Prior to the Derby, Danzig Moon had finished second to Carpe Diem in the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. He's a son of Malibu Moon, who sired 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who followed up that win with a fourth place finish in the Preakness. Danzig Moon usually runs from off the pace and will likely need a very strong pace in the Preakness to improve upon his placing in the Kentucky Derby.
Tale of Verve (post 5, 30-1)
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Owner: Charles Fipke
Career Record: 6 starts - 1 win, 1 second, 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $54,640
Pedigree: Tale of Ekati - Verve, by Unbridled
Color: Bay
Running Style: Stalker/Closer
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: One of the "new shooters" who was an also eligible entry for the Derby, Tale of Verve is far and away the longest shot to win the Preakness. However, trainer Dallas Stewart knows a thing or two about running long shots in Triple Crown races. Stewart saddled consecutive Kentucky Derby second-place finishers in Golden Soul (2013) and Commanding Curve (2014) at odds of 34.50-to-1 and 37.80-to-1, respectively.
Bodhisattva (post 6. 20-1)
Jockey: Trevor McCarthy
Trainer: Jose Corrales
Post 1 or post 18. The REAL American pharaoh will show up. Count my word he is the champ @JustinZayat @ZayatStables @EspinozasVictor ?????
— Ahmed Zayat (@jazz3162) May 13, 2015
Owner: Jose Corrales
Career Record: 11 starts - 3 win, 1 second, 4 thirds
Career Earnings: $165,095
Pedigree: Student Council - Dr. Cheryl P., by Talk Is Money
Color: Chestnut
Running Style: Pacesetter/Stalker
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Named after a Buddhist term referring to a selfless person capable of reaching Nirvana, Bodhisattva will be a local favorite in the Preakness. He has run his last five races in Maryland, having most recently won the $100,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico. He'll be ridden by leading Maryland rider Trevor McCarthy and he's trained by Jose Corrales - both of whom will be making their first appearances in a Triple Crown race.
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Arnaud Delacour
Owner: Lael Stables
Career Record: 5 starts - 2 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $249,800
Pedigree: Tapit - Precious Kitten, by Catienus
Color: Dark bay
Running Style: Stalker
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: This horse would've been considered a pacesetter until he changed tactics in his last race and stalked the pace to win the Grade 3 Coolmore Lexington Stakes. Prior to that, he nearly won the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at odds of 28.50-to-1. Gretchen and Roy Jackson who bred and own Divining Rod as Lael Stables, famously bred and owned 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.
Jockey: Gary Stevens
Trainer: Simon Callaghan
Owner: Arnold Zetcher
Career Record: 6 starts - 2 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $974,800
Pedigree: Line of David - Sister Girl Blues, by Hold for Gold
Color: Bay
Running Style: Pacesetter/Stalker
Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Firing Line was hand ridden to a record setting victory in the Sunland Derby in his third graded stakes attempt after losing the first two attempts to Dortmund in photo finishes. Firing Line finally beat Dortmund in this year's Kentucky Derby but finished second to Dortmund's fellow Bob Baffert trainee American Pharoah.
