Great Horses Who Disappointed In The Preakness

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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Of course we all remember the tragedy that befell 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro which ultimately led to his untimely demise later that year, so it is not really fair to say that he disappointed in the Preakness. The jockey pulled him up right as they crossed the finish line going round the stands for the first time. It might be more accurate to say that we were disappointed that we didn’t get to see one of the most talented Derby winners in a long time show what he could do.
What were some other notable horses that disappointed in the Preakness Stakes?
Alydar was the perpetual bridesmaid to Affirmed. After gaining steadily but not quite being able to run down Affirmed in the 1978 Kentucky Derby, many believed that Alydar could turn the tables on his arch rival. The two of them were locked in battle for a full quarter of a mile, with neither giving an inch, but in the end, Alydar could not overtake the gallant Affirmed and settled for second place, losing by quarter length.
Alydar’s son Easy Goer would inherit his father’s propensity for finishing second to a rival of his own, the great Sunday ...
... Silence. Surprisingly, though the latter had won the Derby, Easy Goer was still made the favorite in the 1989 Preakness at 3-5 odds, so convinced was the public that Easy Goer was the more talented horse. In what was an eerily similar duel to that his father fought with Affirmed, Easy Goer locked horns with Sunday Silence at the far turn and battled head to head until the wire. This time the race was even closer than that of Alydar and Affirmed, with Easy Goer and Sunday Silence never more than a few inches apart from each other. Alas, the proverb like father like son was proved true as Sunday Silence just bested Easy Goer by a couple inches.
Trainer Bobby Frankel made the bold claim that Medaglia D’oro, sire of Rachel Alexandra, would come back and win the Preakness in 2002, after finishing a distant fourth to War Emblem in the Derby, and the public even made him the close second choice behind War Emblem, but he could manage only 8th behind War Emblem who took the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
After Super Saver crossed the wire in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, jockey Calvin Borel predicted that he would win the Triple Crown with him. Not only would that prophecy be unfulfilled, Super Saver would finish a poor 8th in the Preakness.
After Super Saver’s half brother Monarchos ran only the second sub 2 minute winning race in Kentucky Derby history in 2001, many hoped that we would see the first Triple Crown winners since Affirmed in 1978, but the Derby favorite Point Given rebounded and dominated the race, and Monarchos could never quite get on track and failed to finish in the top three.
Great things were expected of Fusaichi Pegasus, a $4 million dollar yearling purchase, who won the 2000 Kentucky Derby convincingly. However, Red Bullet defeated FuPeg in the Preakness, and ruined his Triple Crown hopes.
Street Sense didn’t really disappoint in the 2007 Preakness. He ran a game race taking the lead at the top of the stretch, but the eventual American Horse of the Year Curlin came hard at him near the end and just nipped him at the wire after a game effort. It is always nice to see the Derby winner come back, but there is no shame being defeated by Curlin.
Genuine Risk became the first filly to win the Derby since Regret in 1915, and was sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the 1980 Preakness, but she was beaten by Codex who beat the filly by almost five lengths.
Are there any horses you had your hopes (or your money) on that didn’t come through for you in the Preakness? Leave your comments below.
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