Preakness Stakes Expert Predictions and Handicapping
Preakness Stakes Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert is on the cusp of placing another notable album in horse racing — if he win the 1 million Preakness (G1) for the eighth time.
Authentic, together with stablemate Thousand Words, provide Baffert two shots at Preakness win No. 8, that will move him forward of 19th century coach Robert Wyndham Walden. Baffert is seeking to go 6-for-6 when he directs his Derby winner to what he’s become the next leg of the Triple Crown, and two weeks after a Derby run on the first Saturday in May.
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“2 weeks, however. It had been fourteen days. We have got a month today,” Baffert, who has two Triple Crown winners in Western Pharoah and Justify, clarified. “I’d have loved to conduct two weeks after because he [Authentic] was only full of himself fourteen days later. It is simply giving horses moment to freshen up. You’ve got fresh shooters now. It turned around today.”
Preakness Stakes Odds: Thousand Words, Authentic
Authentic Winning The Kentucky Derby – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
And why not he? Try this: When he wins the Preakness, together with Authentic or Thousand Words (6-1), his album will be 8-for-the-19-years he has had a horse/horses at the race. And he would increase his”batting” ordinary from .388 into .421 — maybe not too many .400 hitters around nowadays, particularly in Baltimore.
I believe that he [Authentic] will run his own race,” Baffert said. “He has not regressed. He looks excellent.”
A little more intrigue was inserted when coach Kenny McPeek entered his celebrity filly Swiss Skydiver to shoot on Baffert’s duo in addition to second-betting decision Art Collector (5-2), a horse which beat the filly from the Blue Grass (G2).
“She proceeds to do great. She continues to impress us daily,” McPeek said. “She eats terrific. You can not have fear. We’d love to find the big prize, and now we are.”
Swiss Skydiver, winner of this Alabama (G1) and second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) following her loss from the Blue Grass, has an Opportunity to become the sixth largest filly to win the Preakness, and also the first because Rachel Alexandra at 2009.
Just like Authentic, Swiss Skydiver enjoys to be at or near the front of the package.
Bob Baffert and Maximum Security – Courtesy of Santa Anita press release