Legends of the Track: Baffert's Muth draws Post 4, installed as the ML favorite, Affirmed v’s Alydar, One of the Great Rivalries in Sports + Ken McPeek Invites Jason Kelce To Preakness!
Tuesday Edition - May 14th, 2024 (Edition 85)
Muth | Benoit
IN TODAY’S EMAIL
Good Morning!
Today, we're taking a stroll down memory lane to celebrate one of the great rivalries in sports. Like the fierce clashes between the Yankees and Red Sox to the legendary showdowns of the Celtics and the Lakers, Liverpool and Man Utd, and the unforgettable bouts between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier—these are more than just games or matches; they're stories woven into the fabric of sports history, getting better with every retelling. The 1978 Preakness stands tall among these tales of rivalry.
Now, shifting our gaze to this Saturday's Preakness, last night's draw revealed Bob Baffert's Muth drew Post 4, the multiple Grade 1 winner has been installed as the morning-line favorite at 8-5,
In an intriguing twist, Ken McPeek has extended an exclusive 'inside look' invitation to Jason Kelce for the Preakness Stakes. Kelce drew the ‘ire’ of horse race fans when he suggested that Secretariat was was ‘juiced to the gills’ when he won the 1973 Triple Crown. If nothing else it will keep Horse Race Twitter fans buzzing for a few more days!
Crossing over to the Epsom Derby, Aiden O'Brien and the Coolmore partners are “back dreaming again” with City Of Troy ahead of the Betfred Derby. The master trainer shares his unprecedented confidence in their horse, saying, "I’m not sure we’ve ever sent a horse to the Derby with as much ability as this." Who would dare to doubt the most successful Epsom Derby trainer of all time.
Rider’s Up!
Steve
GREATEST WINNERS OF THE PREAKNESS STAKES
Affirmed v’s Alydar (USA)
Affirmed (Benoit photo)
On May 20, 1978, the dirt oval of Pimlico Racecourse became the battle grounds of an intense rivalry that would forever go down in racing history. Kentucky Derby winner Affirmed, was set to square off with the runner-up, Alydar, in pursuit of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The stage was set for an epic rematch between the two heavyweights of the sport.
Affirmed and Alydar headed to post in the Preakness Stakes as familiar foes. In fact, the tenacious duo had already faced each other six times before the “Run for the Roses,” starting in the Youthful Stakes the year before. The budding rivalry continued through the Great American Stakes, Hopeful Stakes, Futurity Stakes, Champagne Stakes, and the Laurel Futurity, with Affirmed winning all but the Great American Stakes and Champagne Stakes. From the very beginning it was clear that Affirmed possessed an uncanny desire to win, and it was that very quality that carried him through one of the most brutal rivalries in all of sports.
“He knew he was special,” Affirmed’s jockey Steve Cauthen, said of the horse in an interview with The Baltimore Sun, adding that he realized it the second time he rode him. “We were coming down the stretch, and Alydar came up to challenge me,” Cauthen said. “We accelerated like two rockets. It was the first time I had ever felt that on a horse.”
Only five horses dared to challenge Affirmed and Alydar in the Preakness Stakes. However, the size of the field did not matter because Affirmed, with Cauthen up, and Alydar and Jorge Velasquez ended up turning the event into a two-horse race.
Read the Full Article at theracingbiz.com
Watch Affirmed win the Preakness by a neck
THE PREAKNESS STAKES
Muth Favored in Preakness, Mystik Dan Second Choice (USA)
Muth winning the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan draws Post 5 in Preakness (G1) field of nine.
As much as the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will see a couple of familiar foes in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), it's a new face who attracted the attention of the oddsmaker.
While 18-1 Run for the Roses winner Mystik Dan will try to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive in the May 18 second jewel of the series at Pimlico Race Course, it was trainer Bob Baffert's multiple grade 1 winner Muth who was installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite from Post 4 in a field of nine at the May 13 post position draw in Baltimore. Mystik Dan drew Post 5 and is listed at 5-2.
"I am not surprised that Bob's horse is the favorite," said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will send out a pair of Preakness starters in Just Steel (Post 7, 15-1) and Seize the Grey (Post 6, 15-1).
Read the full article at bloodhorse.com
PREAKNESS STAKES
Ken McPeek Invites Jason Kelce To Preakness Stakes For 'Inside Look'
The invitation was prompted by Kelce's public comments speculating that 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat raced on steroids
Trainer Ken McPeek has invited retired National Football League star Jason Kelce to attend this Saturday's Preakness Stakes, following Jason's public assertion that Triple Crown winner Secretariat raced on steroids.
Jason first made the claim on his “New Heights” podcast that he hosts with his brother, Travis, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, after both attended the Kentucky Derby. Travis Kelce is also in the spotlight because of his highly publicized relationship with music superstar Taylor Swift.
“It’s not that wild, because Secretariat was juiced to the gills,” Jason speculated. “What are we talking about here? Secretariat just happens to be right in the heart of the steroids era; 1973, every NFL player, every baseball player, they were juicing them to the gills. You don’t think Secretariat was (expletive deleted) juiced to the rafters. Of course it’s the fastest horse of all time. They didn’t drug test Secretariat the way they did Mystik Dan. Nobody talks about it. Secretariat was doping. There’s no chance that Secretariat wasn’t doping. They weren’t testing for steroids in 1973.”
Read the full article at the paulickreport.com
EPSOM DERBY
Derby dream well and truly alive for City Of Troy (Ire)
I’m not sure we’ve ever sent a horse to the Derby with as much ability as this’.
Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners are “back dreaming again” with City Of Troy ahead of the Betfred Derby.
The Justify colt has reclaimed his position at the head of the betting for the premier Classic, despite running a most lacklustre race in the 2000 Guineas on his first start at three.
O’Brien has raised several theories for his eclipse at Newmarket, but his faith in last year’s champion juvenile has never remotely wavered.
In fact, in time spent with the Ballydoyle supremo it is hard not to get carried along with his enthusiasm and given the superstars to have passed through his hands, some of his statements regarding City Of Troy’s ability are startling.
“Everything has been good since (the Guineas) and we just accepted that all these things just happened and went wrong on the day and we’ve decided to stay with the plan. He’s done nothing since to make us change the plan. The plan was always to start with the Guineas and go on to the Derby and then go wherever after that and that’s where we still are,” he said.
Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners are “back dreaming again” with City Of Troy ahead of the Betfred Derby.
The Justify colt has reclaimed his position at the head of the betting for the premier Classic, despite running a most lacklustre race in the 2000 Guineas on his first start at three.
O’Brien has raised several theories for his eclipse at Newmarket, but his faith in last year’s champion juvenile has never remotely wavered.
In fact, in time spent with the Ballydoyle supremo it is hard not to get carried along with his enthusiasm and given the superstars to have passed through his hands, some of his statements regarding City Of Troy’s ability are startling.
“Everything has been good since (the Guineas) and we just accepted that all these things just happened and went wrong on the day and we’ve decided to stay with the plan. He’s done nothing since to make us change the plan. The plan was always to start with the Guineas and go on to the Derby and then go wherever after that and that’s where we still are,” he said.
Read the full article at attheraces.com
PODCAST OF THE DAY
Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast
Jason opens the show discussing the Preakness draw and the Black-Eyed Susan race. Then we welcome Oklahoma and Texas-based trainer Scott Young to talk about his career as a jockey and trainer.
Listen to Jason’s Podcast Here
TRIVIA QUESTION
Can you name the British Racecourse?
Racing is recorded as having taken place as early as 1648, just before the local Castle was taken by the forces of Oliver Cromwell
Visit USASteeplechase X page and Scroll through the comments for the answer
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Riders Up!
Best, Steve