Bottom line is, Derby Day just wasn’t their day.
For a not-insignificant number of Preakness winners, the
disappointment of their efforts two weeks beforehand in the Kentucky
Derby sometimes has been difficult to rationalize. Some, such as Snow
Chief (1986), Point Given (2001), and Lookin At Lucky (2010), were
victimized by pace or trip. Others, such as Hansel (1991) and Tabasco
Cat (1994), supposedly didn’t care for the Churchill Downs surface.
Still others, such as Tank’s Prospect (1985) and Shackleford (2011),
just plain weren’t good enough.
Ten of the last 30 Preakness winners ran fourth or worse in the
Derby, and yet all was forgiven and forgotten a couple of weeks later at
Pimlico. Four starters in the 137th running of the Preakness on
Saturday are in similar situations: Went the Day Well (fourth in the
Derby), Creative Cause (fifth), Daddy Nose Best (10th), and Optimizer
(11th).
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