The 2024 Preakness Stakes
As Your Faithful Correspondent (YFC) looks back on his prescient notes and musings regarding this year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby penned a short two weeks ago, he is struck by the observation about the winner, Mystik Dan, and the open question as to what kind of legs he would show (stout…or more like Lieutenant Dan?). Well, we know now that Mystik Dan and his jockey, Brian Hernandez, showed plenty of gumption in squeezing through the narrowestofopenings to take down the prize in this year’s Derby.
In years past the powers that be that run the Preakness would typically find themselves spurned by everyone in the Derby field except the winner, the also rans being held out in favor of waiting for future races down the road. They must have felt like people advertising free pizza outside a junior high school at dismissal time being told instead “No thanks. I’d rather have an acai bowl.”
Modern racehorse trainers use a handicapping tool called “The Sheets” which are purported to be insightful indicators of future performance. Not as inisightful, it goes without saying, as the wisdom contained in this missive.
Having said that, the Sheets tend to be very dubious about the ability of a thoroughbred to repeat a hard run race in the short turnaround time of two weeks that the Preakness requires. Meaning that the Sheets, which look like a combination of ancient hieroglyphics and O.J. Simpson’s DNA test results, really don’t give a sheet about tradition.
But it appears that three trainers who had charges in the Derby have chosen to throw their Sheets to the wind. So we’ve got a competitive field lined up on Saturday and potential money to be made so let’s squeeze whatever juice we can out of this year’s Preakness and figure out who just might fit and acquit themselves well in Baltimore.
The field for the 2024 Preakness Stakes, in post position order;
Mugatu
Races in the colors of the Average Joe Racing Stables. Unfortunately for Mugatu, this field is above average.
Uncle Heavy
All in good fun nickname various nieces and nephews have hung on YFC. I repeat (burp) all in good (burp) fun.
Despite doing most of his training on the second rung mid-Atlantic circuit trainer Robert Reid knows how to win big races. This guy isn’t exactly carrying the weight of significant expectations but Heavy has the ability to surprise this field with top jockey Irad Ortiz on board.
Catching Freedom
4th place Derby finisher unable to catch an easy trip down the backside until shaking free late in Louisville. Expecting better from this one in smaller Preakness field.
Mystik Dan
Hard to leave the Derby winner off of your tickets but…Dan was getting noticeably leg weary (no pun intended) in the late stretches of the Derby and trainer Kenny McPeek was on the fence for a full week after they crossed the wire in Louisville about running Dan in the spot here. If the trainer isn’t confident, should you be?
Seize the Grey
Does trainer D. Wayne Lukas have some kind of secret grecian formula that will put this guy’s colors in the winner’s circle on Saturday? His last win over a solid field in the one mile Pat Day Stakes at Churchill on Kentucky Derby day has Grey’s backers seeing green.
Just Steel
Has just a few things to iron out after a 17th place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Tuscan Gold
Regally bred Chad Brown runner hoping to get a big Pisa the purse Saturday. Tough to lean on a horse with only one win on his resume but it is Chad Brown, he of the towering winning percentage.
Imagination
Jockey Frankie Dettori goes from no-hoper Society Man in the Derby to solid contender Imagination for trainer Bob Baffert here. Imagine that! Temptation to say we’ll just see Imagination, running away with the title.
Selections
Will Bob Baffert be denied in his quest for a record nine Preakness victories? Nein! Doesn’t require much Imagination to select that one. Recommend using Tuscan Gold with Imagination in exactas to grab some value from what otherwise will be a low-priced winner.
Good luck and hold all tickets!
