Nyquist again? He is my pick. Exaggerator was coming on strong at Churchill Downs but Nyquist had speed to spare.
Someone put $80,000 on Stradivari, now the 3-5 favorite.
And now, with lots of money in the pools, Stradivari is back up to 8-1, about where he figured to be.
Although I generally concede the race to Nyquist and Exaggerator, I’m trying to get a reasonably long price in for third. To that end, I’m playing trifectas with the top two over Uncle Lino, Lani, and Laoban.
I should have boxed the superfecta. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=793564
I knew Nyquist was in trouble when he didn’t get to the rail for the first turn (and he was running far too wide), and in worse trouble when they announced the fast pace. He was not going to be able to hold off Exaggerator.
Earlier in the day, the rail was not the best place to be, so I don’t fault Gutierrez for not going all the way inside. (There was a lot of new rain in the 2 hours between the Preakness and the previous dirt race, so no telling how it was during the race - although Exaggerator ran on the rail so it may have been OK.)
The pace was totally insane - the fastest first quarter in the history of the race, over a track that was fairly slow (it was so gooey it looked like modeling clay on TV). And going head to head and/or under pressure all the way - Nyquist ran a heck of a race to almost hold second! That was one of the better losing races I have ever seen. That said, I am totally shocked they are going on to the Belmont with him - that race HAD to take a lot out of him and I will be even more impressed if he doesn’t throw in a stinker in 3 weeks. The other horse dueling him had to be taken off the track in a van, just because of exhaustion.
One year after American Pharoah took the Triple Crown, we were all reminded of how difficult a feat it really is.
Heck, two horses died yesterday at Pimlico – the winner of the 1st race dropped dead as he made his way from the winner’s circle and in the 4th race another one broke down (threw her rider who had to be taken to hospital) and had to be put down right there.
Nyquist ran his race. It was his to win or lose. But Kent Desormeaux rode brilliantly and chased down Nyquist. Nyquist just didn’t have it. He ran out of gas. Coming from southern California, maybe he didn’t like the mud, maybe he didn’t know what mud is about.