By Liane Crossley
NKyTribune correspondent
When undefeated Nyquist sailed to victory in the Kentucky Derby on May 7, he conjured up dreams of Triple Crown glory. Last year American Pharoah fulfilled that dream, nearly four decades removed from the previous Triple Crown winner in 1978.
Consecutive Triple Crown winners might seem impossible but, in fact, Affirmed swept the series just one year after Seattle Slew won all three jewels in 1977.
Obviously, Nyquist needs to win Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course near Baltimore before his real quest for the Triple Crown begins. From the 19 rivals that finished behind Nyquist in the Derby, only runner-up Exaggerator and ninth-place finisher Lani are back for the Preakness.
The race is something of an equine family reunion as Nyquist and three others have the same sire in Uncle Mo. Although they share the same paternal genes, they are not considered half brothers in Thoroughbred racing terminology. Only siblings with the same dam are deemed half brothers.
At 1 3/16th miles, the Preakness is the shortest of the Triple Crown races and a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the Kentucky Derby. The 141th renewal is set for 6:45 p.m. ET. Live coverage on NBC begins at 5 p.m. with additional pre-race coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network.
Following are summaries of the entrants and their connections to Kentucky in post-position order with native states in parentheses.
1. Cherry Wine (Ky.)
Cherry Wine comes to the Preakness after finishing third in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes in April. He was entered in the Kentucky Derby but did not have enough qualifying points to make the race.
Kentucky connection: He was bred by a partnership that includes Central Kentucky car deal Frank Shoop. His trainer Dale Romans is a Louisville native whose father also was a successful trainer at Churchill Downs. Cherry Wine’s sire Paddy O’Prado is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington.
2. Uncle Lino (Ky.)
Uncle Lino will be racing outside California for the first time in his career. He was competitive but winless in a series of West Coast prep races for the Kentucky Derby before winning against slightly lesser competition on April 30 in his most recent start.
Kentucky connection: He was sold at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $52,000. His sire Uncle Mo is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles.
3. Nyquist (Ky.)
Nyquist stretched his unbeaten streak to eight with his emphatic Kentucky Derby score. His gaudy resume includes the Eclipse Award as outstanding two-year-old male of 2015 and his triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland last year. He opened his three-year-old season by winning the San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita in February and Florida Derby on April 2. He then shipped to Keeneland to prepare for the Derby because trainer Doug O’Neill wanted the option of the all-weather training track. His name honors Gustav Nyquist of the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings.
Kentucky connection: Despite being part of a California-based stable, Nyquist is true Kentucky. Born and raised in the Bluegrass State, he is a two-time graduate of Keeneland auctions selling for $180,000 as a weanling and $230,000 as a yearling. Nyquist was victorious in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland and called the track home for month while he prepped for his Kentucky Derby victory.
He is expected to retire here, too, as Lexington-based Darley secured a deal last year to have him as a stallion. His sire Uncle Mo is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles and his dam Seeking Gabrielle is a broodmare at Hinkle Farm in Paris.
4. Awesome Speed (Ky.)
Awesome Speed literally earned his way to the Preakness by winning the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park in Maryland on April 9. His prize included entry fees to the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Awesome Speed actually crossed the finish line in second place the Federico Tesio, but was promoted to the winning spot because of a rival’s interference.
Kentucky connection: Awesome Speed was sold as yearling at Keeneland’s sale for $30,000. His sire Awesome Again is a stallion at Adena Springs in Paris.
5. Exaggerator (Ky.)
The second choice in the Kentucky Derby lived up to his billing by finishing in that spot with a fast closing effort that left him a little more than a length behind the victorious Nyquist. Exaggerator has something of a home court advantage in several ways. His sire Curlin won the 2007 Preakness and his jockey, Kent Desormeaux is incredibly familiar with the Preakness and Pimlico. He has won the race twice in 13 tries and rose to stardom on the Maryland circuit before relocating to Southern California in the early 1990s. Kent’s brother Keith trains Exaggerator.
Kentucky connection: He was purchased for $110,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale. His sire Curlin is a stallion at Hill ‘n’ Farms in Lexington.
6. Lani (Ky.)
Lani became only the second Japan-based colt to compete in the Kentucky Derby in which he checked in ninth. After winning two of his five starts in Japan, he won the UAE Derby in the United Arab Emirates in March. He has the right genes for the Preakness as his maternal grandsire Sunday Silence won the 1989 renewal.
Kentucky connection: Lani was raised in northern Fayette County at Oak Tree, a division of Woodford County-based Lane’s End. His sire Tapit is a stallion at Gainesway farm in Lexington.
7. Collected (Ky.)
His trainer Bob Baffert has won the Preakness at record six times, most notably with American Pharoah last year. Collected most recently won Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes on April 16.
Kentucky connection: Collected was sold for $150,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale. His sire City Zip is a stallion at Lane’s End in Woodford County.
8. Laoban (Ky.)
In five starts, Laoban has not won but he has finished close in several top tier races including his fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April. In racetrack parlance, his winless status makes him a “maiden.” Laoban, Mandarin Chinese for “boss,” was an “also eligible” because of insufficient qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby but he failed to earn a spot in the starting gate when there were no scratches.
Kentucky connection: He has been sold twice at Keeneland auctions—as a weanling for $40,000 and as a yearling for $260,000. His sire Uncle Mo is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles.
9. Abiding Star (Fla.)
Abiding Star brings a five-race winning streak to the Preakness, capped by his Parx Derby victory in Pennsylvania on May 7. That string is a direct contrast to his early career when he went winless in his first six starts. His fortunes turned on New Year’s Day when he won a claiming race in which entrants could be purchased in advance for $40,000. Abiding Star’s connections undoubtedly relieved when there were no takers.
Kentucky connection: Abiding Star made his career debut at Keeneland on April 23, 2015. His sire Uncle Mo is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles.
10. Fellowship (Fla.)
Fellowship is one of the most experienced racers in the group with 12 starts. His first 11 races were at Gulfstream Park where he finished third in the Florida Derby.
Kentucky connection: Fellowship was in action on Derby Day at Churchill Downs but not in the main event. He finished fourth on the undercard in a stakes race.
11. Stradivari (Ky.)
This newcomer to top shelf racing has raced just three times but he won his last two starts by a combined margin of more than 25 lengths. Most recently, he won at Keeneland on April 17. His trainerTodd Pletcher is one of the sport’s all-time leaders, but he has yet to win the Preakness in seven attempts. Stradivari’s name is a nod to his dam Bending Strings.
Kentucky connection: Stradivari was offered at the 2014 Keeneland yearling sale but failed to sell on a final bid of $335,000. His sire Medaglia d’Oro is a stallion at Darley in Lexington.
Liane Crossley is a Lexington-based freelance writer.
