Preakness Stakes Contender: American Promise

The $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), the second leg of the Triple Crown, is Saturday, May 17, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The US Racing team has published profiles on each horse in the race, updated with post positions and Preakness Stakes betting odds.

Preakness Stakes Contender: American Promise

American Promise's 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1), beaten more than 38 lengths, isn't as bad as it appears. How's that for a backhanded compliment? Despite getting bumped at the start, the tall, rangy colt was third, only a length off the lead, after 6 furlongs before getting blocked on the far turn and backing up.

“It was a bit of a dogfight,” jockey Nik Juarez said. “Citizen Bull broke out from the rail, and two horses to my inside were impacted. I had to make a trip for American Promise the best way I could.”

It would be hard to imagine him getting into more trouble in the Preakness Stakes, whose field is much weaker and smaller than the Derby's. Fortunately for American Promise, fellow frontrunners East Avenue, Rodriguez, Citizen Bull, and Owen Almighty aren't entered, so maybe D. Wayne Lukas' colt can make an easy lead. That's what Seize the Grey did last year, giving Lukas his seventh Preakness Stakes trophy.

“It all went to hell in a handbasket right out of the gate when Citizen Bull came over,” Lukas said. “... American Promise is a big horse, and when he gets stopped, it's hard to get him going again.”

Yet he didn't quit and showed grit after encountering trouble at the start. “I just think he got a lot out of the race,” Juarez said.

Maybe he did. The son of 2018 Triple Crown hero Justify was up against it in the Derby, coming into his first graded stakes off a seven-week layoff. Few handicappers took Seize the Grey seriously last year, and look what happened. They might not catch him if American Promise can get loose on the lead, as he did while dominating the Virginia Derby.

Preakness Stakes Betting Advice

A less talented field and a better pace scenario give American Promise an upset chance. Not the worst stab for a few bucks.

Contender Information Card

• Post position: 3
• Preakness Stakes Betting Odds: 15-1 (BUSR Odds)
• Jockey: Nik Juarez
• Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
• Owner: BC Stables
• Career record: 10-2-1-1
• Career earnings: $444,874 
• Last race: Kentucky Derby, May 3, 16th
• Top Equibase speed figure: 102
• Pedigree: Justify-Tapella, by Tapit
• Color: Chestnut
• Running style: Frontrunner/stalker
• Notes: Juarez grew up in suburban Baltimore and will have his first mount in his hometown race. Lukas was 88 last year when he became the oldest trainer to win the Preakness. That record could last forever, just as Woody Stephens' five straight Belmont Stakes victories (1982-86) will. The Wisconsin native will turn 90 in September and still gets on his pony early every morning to supervise training. No trainer has saddled Preakness winners in consecutive years since Bob Baffert did it in 2001 and 2002 with Point Given and War Emblem. Lukas won in 1994 and 1995 with Tabasco Cat and Timber Country.

US Racing Team

The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.