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The next 2 horses scored equal points and are listed alphabetically:
Hey Byrn won the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park at the same 1 3/16 mile distance as the Preakness, but did not go on to the Kentucky Derby, instead laying off 5 weeks to now, which is within the acceptable range. He likes to race close to the pace, and his best Beyer is a 97 in an allowance in February, too slow for this race. On the positive side, he has made 4 starts this year, has a stakes win at 3, a sharp prep, and lacks Professional points on his Dosage profile.
Kentucky Bear represents Canadian connections but is a Kentucky bred, exiting a third place effort in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in his last race. This gives him a sharp prep race in his third start of 2008. He also lacks Professional points on his dosage profile and is coming off a 5 week layoff, just within range. However, his best Beyer of 93 in his debut is too slow for the Preakness, he lacks a stakes win this year, and he skipped the Kentucky Derby.
The next 4 horses scored equal points and are listed alphabetically:
Giant Moon was fourth in the Wood Memorial in his last start, but because he was within 2 lengths of the winner, he earned points for a sharp prep here. The Wood was his third start as a 3-year-old, and he has a stakes win this year, the Count Fleet at Aqueduct in January. He also lacks professional points. On the negative side, he skipped the Derby, races close to the pace, has a career best Beyer of just 93, and is coming to the Preakness on 6 weeks rest.
Riley Tucker finished a close third in the Lexington which gives him a sharp prep within the 2-5 week layoff limit we are looking for. He has 4 starts this year and lacks Professional points. However, he lacks a stakes win lifetime, has a best Beyer of 96 in the Lexington (too slow, and worst yet a bounce possibility), and his running style is generally close to the pace within 2 lengths.
Stevil was fourth in the Blue Grass beaten 2 1/2 lengths in his last start, which does not qualify as a sharp prep. In that race he earned an 88 Beyer which is well below triple digits, and he does not have a stakes win. Worst yet he was not in the Kentucky Derby, having insufficient graded earnings. On the positive side he does attempt to close from off the pace, has 4 starts this year, is within the layoff range, and lacks Professional points.
Yankee Bravo started his career with a maiden win at Redcar in England before coming to America. In his last start he was fourth beaten 4 lengths in the Santa Anita Derby, not a sharp prep at all, but he does have a stakes win this year, in the California Derby at Golden Gate. He has 3 starts this year, lacks Professional points, and rallies from off the pace. However, he did not make the Derby field, has a career best Beyer of 89 when third in the Louisiana Derby, and is coming to the Preakness off a 6 week layoff.
The last 2 horses scored equal points and are listed alphabetically.
Racecar Rhapsody should go off at long odds in the Preakness on Saturday. The only positive angles he qualified for are: a fourth place finish in the Lexington beaten just 2 lengths which is considered a "sharp" prep, 5 weeks rest which is within range, and he does not have points in the Professional wing of his Dosage profile. He failed to qualify on all the others: did not race in the Kentucky Derby, rallies from too far off the pace (usually more than 10 lengths out), has a best Beyer of just 95, and lacks a stakes win.
Tres Borrachos comes to Baltimore off a sharp prep, a third place finish in the Arkansas Derby, his third start this year. At 5 weeks out this is within the acceptable range. On the negative side, he does not have a stakes win, has a career best Beyer of just 95 (at Oaklawn), has points in the Professional wing of his Dosage profile, races close to the pace, and did not race in the Kentucky Derby.
