Photo:
Jeffrey Snyder / The Maryland Jockey Club
Just because Golden Tempo is not in the Preakness Stakes does not mean a woman can’t make history as the first to train the winner of the middle jewel of American Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux made history on May 2 when Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby, and trainer Brittany Russell will be looking to do similar on May 16 at Laurel Park when Taj Mahal puts his undefeated streak on the line against what looks to be a full field for the 1 3/16-mile classic.
Taj Mahal has won his three career starts by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, including a 8 1/4-length score in the Federico Tesio Stakes going nine furlongs on April 18 at Laurel. The Nyquist colt owned by a partnership of SF Racing, Madaket Stable and Starlight Racing has fired a bullet workout since and looks like the horse to catch.
Silent Tactic scratched from the Kentucky Derby and immediately targeted this spot. His stock has risen most in the past week, as the defection of Crude Velocity leaves him as the beneficiary of what I envision will be the ideal trip if Taj Mahal is not able to see out the 9 1/2 furlongs of this crucible. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has also intimated that John Oxley’s Tacitus colt has overcome issues that plagued him going back to his Arkansas Derby training.
Getting a gauge for Preakness betting is much more difficult than pre-Derby betting, but a peek at international markets indicate that Silent Tactic will be favored, and we’re likely to get our price on Taj Mahal with Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Ocelli almost certain to be underlaid.
Horse
Trainer
Ed’s fair odds
Bull by the Horns
Saffie Joseph Jr.
125-1
Cherokee Nation
Bob Baffert
6-1
Chip Honcho
Steve Asmussen
10-1
Corona de Oro
Dallas Stewart
124-1
Crupper
Donnie Von Hemel
125-1
Express Kid
Justin Evans
48-1
Great White
John Ennis
100-1
Iron Honor
Chad Brown
8-1
Napoleon Solo
Chad Summers
12-1
Ocelli
Whit Beckman
22-1
Pretty Boy Miah
Jeremiah Engelhart
21-1
Robusta
Doug O’Neill
125-1
Silent Tactic
Mark Casse
5-1
Smoovin Saturday
Michael McCarthy
125-1
Taj Mahal
Brittany Russell
9-2
Talkin
Danny Gargan
25-1
The Hell We Did
Todd Fincher
30-1
