Preakness Preview

Dateline: 05/15/97

The post positions have been drawn and the morning line odds assigned for this year's running of the Preakness. Only four horses from the Derby decided to contest this year's running and based on past trends the winner should be one of them.

Post  Program #   Horse              Morning line
 1        1       Jack At the Bank      50-1     
 2        2       Wild Tempest          20-1     
 3        1A      Hoxie                 50-1     
 4        3       Free House             9-2     
 5        4       Touch Gold             5-1     
 6        5       Concerto              12-1     
 7        6       Silver Charm           9-5     
 8        7       Frisk Me Now          15-1     
 9        8       Captain Bodgit         2-1     
10        9       Cryp Too              30-1     

The small field size shouldn't compromise anyone's chances, but speedster Cryp Too being on the outside should insure a lively early pace since he will want to get out and over as close to the rail as possible before the first turn. Silver Charm has been working well as has Captain Bodgit so the rematch there should be spirited. Free House should also have more of a say in the outcome since he isn't stuck on the outside this time and Concerto will hopefully redeem himself for his lackluster Derby performance. Owner Robert Perez and trainer Alfredo Callejas have a two horse entry in here that should have little impact on the outcome. The main non-Derby contenders are Touch Gold who won the Lexington rather impressively but has not beaten anyone of consquence, and Frisk Me Now who upset many of the big contenders early in the year. Frisk Me Now was coughing a bit early in the week which may compromise his chances to pick up a check here.

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