May 9 (UPI) — The field for the 150th Preakness Stakes continues to develop, with Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty out, runner-up Journalism still a maybe for the May 17 race and some significant new shooters lining up to plug in late to the Triple Crown party.
Sovereignty was ruled out the Preakness early in the week, with trainer Bill saying the Godolphin brain trust decided to wait until the Belmont Stakes.
Journalism’s connections praised Godolphin for not leaving potential rivals up in the air. Nonetheless, Aron Wellman, president and CEO of owner/partner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, said Thursday a decision remained pending.
“We’re not going to rush into any determination right now. … We’re going to monitor Journalism to the best of our ability and then make the best decision for the horse at the end of the day. But, we’re not saying we’re in and we’re certainly not shutting the door,” Wellman said.
Journalism’s ownership group also includes Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert V. LaPenta and Elayne Stables 5 LLC. The Irish Coolmore partners have acquired the breeding rights for the colt and are lessees.
Pimlico Race Course, which hosts the Preakness in Baltimore, said Thursday that trainer Bob Baffert plans to run Rodriguez, scratched from the Kentucky Derby with a minor injury, and undefeated newcomer Goal Oriented. Baffert already has a record eight Preakness wins.
Others expected include Virginia Derby winner American Promise, Lexington Stakes winner Gosger, Federico Tesio Stakes winner Pay Billy, Blue Grass Stakes third River Thames, Hot Springs Stakes winner Clever Again and UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor.
The Preakness is a week down the road. Here’s what’s on tap this weekend for the 3-year-olds:
Classic
Saturday’s $200,000 Grade III Peter Pan for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct has far more one-time Triple Crown hopefuls than the following week’s Preakness Stakes.
They may not be quite the same exalted quality, mind you, but the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan has horses whose past-performance lines include many of the big stops on the “Road to the Roses.”
Saturday’s $100,000 Long Branch at Monmouth Park drew a field of eight 3-year-olds. The favorite, Pascaline, won his first start and then the Laurel Futurity in 2024. He finished third in the Bay Shore at Aqueduct in April in his first start this year.
In other action:
Distaff
My Mane Squeeze is the main morning-line interest in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Ruffian at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old daughter of Audible tops a field of 11 while coming off a third-place finish in the Grade I Madison at Keeneland in her 2025 debut. She starts from the outside in the one-turn mile.
Sunday’s $100,000 Serena’s Song at Monmouth Park features Power Squeeze, winner last year of the Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks, Grade III Delaware Oaks and Grade I Alabama. She tailed off after that, but returned to finish second last time out in the Grade III Ghostzapper Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Sprint
Whatchatalkinabout tries open company for the first time as the morning-line favorite in Saturday’s $175,000 Grade III John A. Nerud at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old Dialed In gelding has three wins, two seconds and a third after six trips against fellow Empire Staters.
Turf
Far Bridge has won three of his last four starts, more than enough to make him the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of just five for Saturday’s $400,000 Grade II Man o’ War at Aqueduct.
Those three wins were the Grade I Sword Dancer and Grade I Turf Classic last fall and the Grade II Pan American at Gulfstream Park in his 2025 bow. The 5-year-old son of English Channel is handled by Christophe Clement.
Turf Sprint
Saturday’s $225,000 Grade III Mamzelle for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs drew an overflow field to tackle 5 1/2 furlongs. The morning-line pick is Shisospicy, winner of the Fanduel Stakes at Keeneland in her last start.
Bran and Air Force Red top the morning-like for Saturday’s $100,000, 6-furlongs Siren Lure at Santa Anita. But how about an exacta of Bran and Eye on Ry?
Turf Mile
Bodi Safa, winner of four straight at Turf Paradise, including the Turf Paradise Derby, gets a bit of a class test in Sunday’s $100,000 Cinema for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
Juvenile Turf Sprint
Saturday’s $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park are “win and you’re in” events for juvenile races at next month’s Royal Ascot meeting and — no surprise — trainer Wesley Ward is particularly high on a couple of his runners. Satisfied Mind, a debut winner last month at Keeneland, is in the fillies, and Fuzzy Stare, a Hootenanny colt, makes his first start in the Juvenile.
Around the world, around the clock
England
Coolmore’s 1.85 euro million investment in the Frankel filly Minnie Hauk looks to pay off, as she surged to the lead inside the final three-eighths in Wednesday’s Cheshire Oaks at Chester, rolling on to win by 1 length from Secret of Love. Caspi Star was third.
It was the first run of the year for Minnie Hauk, and the performance seemed enough to boost her into a prominent candidacy for the Oaks at Epsom Downs.
One race later, trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore also captured the Group 3 Chester Vase as Lambourn had the most in the last yards of the extended 1 1/2-mile test. Lambourn, by Australia, tracked the lead pair until what seemed the last moment, and then surged by outside them to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Lazy Griff was second.
Lambourn now is 3-for-4 if one excuses a last-place finish on yielding ground at the Curragh in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes last September.
France
As usual, we await final declarations for Sunday’s 1,600-meter Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Poule d’Essai des Poulishes — the French equivalent of the 2,000 and 1,000 guineas, respectively. Also as usual, the Continental ranks are heavily infiltrated by raiders from across the Channels.
Japan
Sunday’s Grade 1 NHK Mile at Tokyo is effectively a Guineas equivalent, too, since the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho, the “official” Guineas, unaccountably is run at 2,000 meters rather than the usual 1,600 meters.
Viewed either way, this is an interesting race and a chance for a 3-year-old or two to step up.
