Mr Ed’s Preakness Stakes Race Profiles
Saturday marks the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes. Let’s meet the horses running for the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Muth was scratched on Wednesday morning with a fever, so we are down to an 8-horse field.
1 MUGATU (20-1)
Record: 12-1-1-3
Trainer: Jeff Engler
Jockey: Joe Bravo
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 87
Earnings: $80,570
Mr. Ed: Has finished up the track in the last seven following a lone maiden win over the synthetic oval. Best speed figure earned in lackluster fifth at Keeneland last month. NOT TODAY.
2 UNCLE HEAVY (20-1)
Record: 5-3-0-0
Trainer: Robert Reid
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 84
Earnings: $323,580
Mr. Ed: Seasoned Parx-based trainer comes to town accompanied by the nation’s top rider. The best of three wins was in the mud at Aqueduct in the G3 Withers. LONGEST SHOT.
3 CATCHING FREEDOM (6-1)
Record: 6-3-0-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 97
Earnings: $1,127,350
Mr. Ed: Top trainer wheels the costly son of Constitution back after rallying fourth in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. Speed figures show steady improvement. Excellent rider stays aboard. CONTENDER.
SCRATCHED — 4 MUTH (8-5)
Record: 6-4-2-0
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 98
Earnings: $1,540,100
Mr. Ed: The Arkansas Derby winner has never finished out of the money in six starts. West Coast-based Baffert has won this race eight times. Expensive grandson of Uncle Mo, he holds a victory over Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. DON’T COUNT OUT.
5 MYSTIK DAN (5-2)
Record: 7-3-1-1
Trainer: Kenny McPeak
Jockey: Brian Hernandez
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 101
Earnings: $3,741,360
Mr. Ed: Modestly bred Dan upset 18 others in the Kentucky Derby, returning $39.22 for a deuce. Respected veteran rider guided the colt to a near-perfect, rail-riding trip. Popular Kentucky-based conditioner celebrated rare Oaks-Derby double. Railbirds question preparedness off 14 days between races. CHASING CROWN.
6 SEIZE THE GRAY (15-1)
Record: 9-3-0-3
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Jamie Torres
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 95
Earnings: $619,938
Mr. Ed: “Coach” has conditioned six Preakness winners over the last three decades. Son of Arrogate won Pay Day Mile on KD undercard. Should handle stretchout, but in too deep. DOUBTFUL.
7. JUST STEEL (15-1)
Record: 12-2-4-1
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 95
Earnings: $724,545
Mr. Ed: “Coach” gives journeyman a shot at glory. Seventeenth in KD does not inspire. The cutback in the distance might put the son of Justify in the mix early. He should have stayed in Kentucky. NO MAN OF STEEL.
8 TUSCAN GOLD (8-1)
Record: 3-1-0-1
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 95
Earnings: $147,100
Mr. Ed: While always-tough conditioner rests Sierra Leone for Belmont in three weeks, Brown brings fresh stablemate to Baltimore in search of treasure. High-priced colt shows improving speed numbers and could set a perfect trip from an outside post. MIND THE GOLD.
9 IMAGINATION (6-1)
Record: 6-2-4-0
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Best Beyer Speed Figure: 96
Earnings: $406,800
Mr. Ed: Powerful trainer-jockey combo appears loaded with a costly colt who appears fast enough to clear the field early — and never look back. California invader only six lengths shy of unblemished record. IMAGINE A WINNER.
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