BALTIMORE (AP) — There won’t be a Triple Crown winner this year. Exaggerator has won the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course Saturday, May 21. Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner, finished third.
A steady rain pelted Pimilco Race Course late Saturday afternoon, meaning the Preakness was run on a messy track for a second straight year. In 2015, American Pharoah won the second jewel of the Triple Crown in a driving storm.
In spite of the rain, officials estimated the crowd to be 134,000 — a new Preakness record.
On the undercard Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert won a second 3-year-old stakes when American Freedom earned a gutty victory in the $100,000 Sir Barton. Baffert also won $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes.
Takeover Target closed furiously to beat Ring Weekend by a neck in the $250,000 Dixie Stakes, the richest event on the Preakness undercard.
Tragedy at the Track
Two horses died the same day in earlier races.
Ten years after Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro broke down at the start of the Preakness, the owners of the ill-fated colt have had another horse die on a damp, rainy Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.
In a tragic start to Preakness day, two horses died and a jockey broke his collarbone in the first four races.
Pramedya broke down around the turn in the fourth race, tumbled to the turf as jockey Daniel Centeno was thrown to the ground. Pimlico racing officials said the 4-year-old filly owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables was euthanized on the track after breaking her left front cannon bone.
In 2006, Barbaro shattered bones in his right hind leg just after the start of the Preakness, survived surgery but developed laminitis and was euthanized in January, 2007.
Pramedya was bred and owned by the Jacksons.
Centeno was driven off in ambulance. Officials said he broke his right collarbone.
In the opening race, Homeboykris collapsed and died after his victory and having his picture taken in the winner’s circle. Track officials believe the 9-year-old gelding suffered cardiovascular collapse.
The horse is being taken to New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania for an autopsy. It’s the same animal hospital Barbaro was taken to after his injuries.
Homeboykris won the Champagne Stakes in 2009, and a year later finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby. He had just won his 14th race in 63 career starts.
