Preakness Stakes Hopefuls Remain on Target

Blood-Horse

Trainer Bob Baffert said May 11 he was pleased with the morning activity of American Pharoah and Dortmund at Churchill Downs as they prepare for the May 16 Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

Baffert was at Churchill to check on Zayat Stable’s American Pharoah and Kaleem Shah’s Dortmund, first and third, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Both colts galloped 1 1/2 miles.

“I was happy with both of them,” he said. “It looks like they have kept the same energy level (as before the Kentucky Derby). American Pharoah floated over the ground and picked up his gallop the last half-mile. He wanted to do more. Dortmund got aggressive with (exercise rider) Dana (Barnes) and galloped well.”

Baffert, who had returned to his Southern California base the day after the Derby, has traditionally kept his Preakness starters at Churchill until the middle of Preakness week. The horses are scheduled to ship to Pimlico Race Course May 13.

“Coming out of a big race like the Derby, you don’t have to do too much. It is just a matter of keeping them at the same level,” Baffert said. “The good horses are easier to train. These two are used to running a lot and coming back in two weeks is not a big concern with them.”

Arnold Zetcher’s Firing Line, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, joined the Baffert-trained Preakness contenders on the Churchill track. Trained by Simon Callaghan, Firing Line stood at the six-furlong gap for a few minutes before backtracking to the front side.

Under exercise rider Humberto Gomez, Firing Line galloped 1 1/2 miles with the final half of the exercise an open gallop. Carlos Santamaria, who is overseeing the colt’s preparations in Kentucky while Callaghan is at his Santa Anita Park base, remained positive about the colt’s training.

“He has been galloping good and eating well and very happy with the last two days,” Santamaria said. “I know he has a lot of heart and will give his best to the end (like he did in the Derby).”

Santamaria said Firing Line also is set to ship to Pimlico May 13.

Also May 11, Danzig Moon and Tale of Verve galloped at Churchill, while Divining Rod got his exercise at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

Meanwhile, trainer Todd Pletcher said he will make a decision May 12 on the Preakness status of four of his runners: Carpe Diem, Competitive Edge, Materiality, and Stanford.

“Everybody galloped today,” Pletcher said May 11. “I’ll make a final decision tomorrow after I see them train.”

American Pharoah, by Pioneerof the Nile, is set to join his half brother, Xixixi, on the Pimlico backstretch. Xixixi, a 4-year-old son of Maimonides, was claimed from Zayat Stables for $5,000 by trainer Charlie DeMario at Pimlico April 3; both horses are out Littleprincessemma.

“My owner actually recognized the mare, where most people didn’t,” said DeMario, who trains Xixixi for Kirk Sheehan. “I thought for sure we would have to shake for him. I asked everyone else if they knew who he was and they said, ‘No.’ Nobody knew who he was.”

DeMario admits that there are few similarities between American Pharoah and his recent claim. “Ours stops; American Pharoah keeps on going,” he said.

After being claimed out of a second-place finish, Xixixi has finished off the board in allowance and starter-allowance company in his first two starts for his new connections. DeMario said he expects Xixixi will take to grass racing after winning two of his 15 starts on dirt.