Preakness S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Authentic Draws Nine for Preakness

GI Kentucky Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief) was assigned gate nine in a field of 11 and was installed the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’ GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

John Velazquez has the return call on Authentic, who goes for a third consecutive victory at the Grade I level, having beaten Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. before defying those who concluded he would not stay the 10 furlongs of the Derby by outfighting heavily favored Tiz the Law (Constitution) beneath the Twin Spires Sept. 5. The Sackatoga runner was removed from Preakness consideration last week and will instead train up to the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Authentic is one of two Preakness starters for Bob Baffert, who can become the winningest trainer in Preakness history (currently tied with R. Wyndham Walden on seven winners) with a victory from Authentic or Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile). The $1-million Keeneland September was to represent Spendthrift and Albaugh Family Stable in the Run for the Roses, but was scratched after flipping in the paddock while being saddled. Thousand Words carries Florent Geroux and breaks from gate five as a 6-1 chance.

Art Collector (Bernardini) was no worse than the second betting selection for the Derby, but he, too, was withdrawn from the second leg of this year’s Triple Crown with a minor foot ailment. He has trained well since for trainer Tommy Drury, Jr., and was made the 5-2 second favorite for Saturday’s race. Brian Hernandez, Jr. should have the Bruce Lunsford runner close from the three hole.

After some deliberation, trainer Ken McPeek has opted for a Preakness run for his crack filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), who exits a game runner-up effort in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. The Preakness marks her second start against the boys, as she led into the final furlong of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 12 before being run down by Art Collector. Robby Albarado takes the reins on the 6-1 gamble from gate four.

Saturday, Pimlico Race Course

PREAKNESS S.-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 3/16m

1 Excession (Union Rags), Russell, Asmussen, 30-1

2 Mr. Big News (Giant’s Causeway), Saez, Calhoun, 12-1

3 Art Collector (Bernardini), Hernandez Jr., Drury, Jr, 5-2

4 Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), Albarado, McPeek, 6-1

5 Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile), Geroux, Baffert, 6-1

6 Jesus’ Team (Tapiture), Toledo, D’Angelo, 30-1

7 Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), Joseph Jr., Karamanos, 15-1

8 Max Player (Honor Code), Lopez, Asmussen, 15-1

9 Authentic (Into Mischief), Velazquez, Baffert, 9-5

10 Pneumatic (Uncle Mo), Bravo, Asmussen, 20-1

11 Liveyourbeastlife (Ghostzapper), McCarthy, Abreu, 30-1

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Final Preakness Work for Derby Winner Authentic

Authentic (Into Mischief), winner of the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby, worked for the final time prior to the Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. with a four-furlong move in :47.60 at Churchill Downs Monday morning. The Bob Baffert trainee recorded splits of :12.20, :24, and :36, then galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 and three-quarters in 1:13.40. Jockey Martin Garcia was aboard for the 7:30 a.m. move.

“He’s such an amazing horse,” Garcia said following the work. “He worked awesome. I’ve worked a lot of nice horses for trainer Bob Baffert in California and this horse is just as special. He’s doing amazing for the Preakness.”

Baffert was on hand to watch Authentic’s work. The Derby winner is scheduled to fly from Louisville to Baltimore on Tuesday.

Owned by the partnership of Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, and Starlight Racing, Authentic won the GI TVG.com Haskell S. in his start just prior to the Derby. He sports a record of 6-5-1-0 with his only career loss coming at the hands of Honor A. P. (Honor Code), who has since been retired, in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.

Derby fifth-place finisher Max Player (Honor Code) also worked Monday at Churchill, getting four furlongs in :49.80 in preparation for the Preakness. Owned by George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds, GIII Withers S. winner Max Player was third in both the GI Belmont S. and the GI Runhappy Travers S. He is trained by Steve Asmussen.

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Preakness Hopefuls Tune Up

A trio of candidates for the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Oct. 3 turned in their final serious moves Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

Bruce Lunsford’s Art Collector (Bernardini), who was forced to miss the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby owing to a minor foot injury, tuned up for the final leg of this year’s reconstituted Triple Crown by drilling a half-mile in :48 flat with big-race rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the saddle. The GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and Runhappy Ellis Park Derby hero was caught in fractions of :12.40, :24.40 and :35.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.60. The half-mile clocking ranked as the seventh-fastest of 78 works at the distance.

“Brian and I discussed it beforehand, and that’s what we were shooting for,” said trainer Tommy Drury about the methodical splits, “I told Brian, ‘He’s a 12s kind of horse. He seems to do that easy enough, so let’s just do what he does easily.’ Kind of textbook: 48, out in a minute. I think they had him three-quarters (of a mile) in 1:13. He seems to have bounced out of it well. Now we just stay out of his way for a week.”

“I think he got plenty out of his work last week, so we were just looking for something maintenance this week,” Drury said, “and that’s kind of his maintenance work. Brian was letting him cruise along. I didn’t see that he ever moved his hands. We got exactly what we were looking for.”

With jockey Florent Geroux at the controls and blinkers back on, Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm’s Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) went five furlongs in 1:00.60 in splits of :11.80, :24.40 and :48.20. He, too, was out three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.60. The $1-million Keeneland September yearling purchase was scratched from the Derby after flipping in the paddock.

“We were hoping that he would do something like this,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said from California. “He had to work better than he did last week. Last week, he was just sort of lazy and didn’t get into it, but now he worked really well. This week he was very willing, which is very good. You want to see a horse that is very willing and he was very willing today.”

“I thought he worked a lot better today with blinkers,” Geroux told the Churchill notes team. “Last week was his first work over the track so he didn’t wear them but went very easy. It was a bit more of a serious work today.”

Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) breezed five panels in 1:00.80 beneath Tyler Gaffalione. The GI Alabama S. winner and recent runner-up in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks clicked off fractions of :12, :23.60 and :35.80 before pulling up six furlongs in 1:15.20. Trainer Ken McPeek later told Daily Racing Form that Swiss Skydiver has been given the green light for the Preakness.

Country Grammer (Tonalist), winner of the GIII Peter Pan S. and fifth-place finisher in the GI Runhappy Travers S., breezed a half-mile in :50.25 Saturday morning at Belmont in preparation for a scheduled Preakness start.

Liveyourbeastlife (Ghostzapper), runner-up in the GII Jim Dandy S., worked six furlongs in 1:16.20 at Belmont.

“He had a nice maintenance breeze this morning; nice and steady. I wasn’t looking for anything crazy,” trainer Jorge Abreu said.

Jesus’s Team (Tapiture), third in the Jim Dandy S., breezed five furlongs in 1:03.40 at Monmouth Park Saturday morning in preparation of the Preakness.

Undefeated Federico Tesio S. winner and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Happy Saver (Super Saver) and GI Belmont S. runner-up Dr Post (Quality Road) will both bypass the Preakness. Trainer Todd Pletcher said the former will target the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Oct. 10 at Belmont Park.

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Strict Protocols In Place for Preakness Weekend Jockeys

Edited Press Release

The Maryland Jockey Club announced Friday strict protocols for jockeys intending to ride during Preakness weekend, Oct. 1-3, at Pimlico Race Course.

All jockeys intending to ride during the weekend must arrive at Pimlico’s drive-up COVID-19 testing site located just outside of the Hayward Avenue stable gate no later than 72 hours prior to their first riding assignment:

Monday, Sept. 28 by 10 a.m. for Thurs., Oct. 1
Tuesday, Sept. 29 by 10 a.m. for the Friday, Oct. 2
Wednesday, Sept. 30 by 10 a.m. for Sat., Oct. 3

All jockeys coming to Maryland from out of state will be required to leave Pimlico after being tested and self-isolate until notified of their test results. Those with negative results will be instructed to return to Pimlico for a wristband indicating their status and which barn area they are allowed to access.

Jockeys with positive results will be directed not to enter the grounds at Pimlico and may be referred to the local MedStar Health medical director for clinical evaluation.

Access to the jockeys’ room is limited to riders and their valets, jockeys’ room officials and staff and designated essential personnel. Only jockeys scheduled to ride on the current day’s program will be permitted entry.

All jockeys, valets and officials will have their temperatures taken daily and must demonstrate fair health before entering the jockeys’ room. Any jockey or official showing signs of illness will be denied access. Jockeys that display mild cold-like symptoms may be referred to MedStar for evaluation.

Additional jockeys’ quarters have been established to ensure social distancing. Female riders will utilize their same area adjacent to the Pimlico paddock, while male riders will be relocated to the second-floor clubhouse with split facilities for local and out-of-town jockeys. The jockeys’ room sauna will remain closed.

All jockeys are required to wear gloves, including during races, and are required to change to clean gloves with each race. Face coverings must be worn at all times over the mouth and nose while in the jockeys’ room. Jockeys, valets and officials are not allowed to gather or loiter in the room or jockey areas between races or before and after the race card.

Every employee, jockey, official and horseman are required to maintain social distancing strategies at all times, both within and outside of training and racing hours. The Maryland Department of Health recommends any Marylander returning from out of state or any out-of-state visitors to get tested for COVID-19 promptly upon arrival in or within 72 hours before travel to Maryland.

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