3 new shooters look good in the Preakness Stakes
Given the recent success of new shooters in the Preakness Stakes, the new batch of 3-year-olds tackling this race at Pimlico on May 20 after skipping the Kentucky Derby deserve a closer look when handicapping the race.
On the current probables list, there are three new shooters who deserve the most attention. Here is a look at why they might perform well.
First Mission
In only his third career start, First Mission leaped into the graded-stakes realm in successful fashion by winning the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland in mid-April by a half-length over the pacesetter Arabian Lion.
Granted, First Mission became lucky on the far turn when Arabian Lion did not corner well and left an opening on the rail. But to First Mission’s credit, he fought back when Arabian Lion tried to reclaim the lead in the stretch and the two of them opened up on the rest of the field, including Disarm in third. Disarm went on to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby.
If First Mission handles the next step and takes the Preakness for trainer Brad Cox and owner Godolphin, it will not come as a surprise to anyone.
Blazing Sevens
Last year, Blazing Sevens flashed early talent when he won the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct by 3 1/4 lengths over an unseasoned Verifying in second. Then, Blazing Sevens went on to finish a good third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
But Blazing Sevens came back this year with a clunker by running eighth in the nine-horse Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. Blazing Sevens did improve somewhat in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland by making a mild move to pick up third after starting in eighth and nine lengths behind in the opening quarter.
Trainer Chad Brown won this race with Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting last year. Both of Brown’s Preakness winners were new shooters.
Maye Blazing Sevens can hit a new peak in the Preakness with those two 2023 starts behind him. Most horses hit their best stride in either the second or third start off the layoff, which makes Blazing Sevens a threat in this spot.
Perform
Perform lacks experience in graded-stakes races, but he does show plenty of races on record with seven career starts, with six of them in maiden races. The son of Good Magic broke his maiden in March at Tampa Bay Downs.
After breaking his maiden, Perform took the next step by competing in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park in mid-April. In midstretch, Perform looked like a beaten horse because of the traffic surrounding him in the crowded stretch run. But somehow Perform found the right path late to get up in time and win by a head under Feargal Lynch.
Perform spots an excellent dam line. His third dam Leslie’s Lady is the famous producer of the champion Beholder, her half-brother and $2.5 million earner Mendelssohn and Into Mischief, one of the top sires today.
With such a nice pedigree and trainer Shug McGaughey behind him, Perform probably will take another step forward in the Preakness Stakes. Whether that means winning or finishing in the superfecta remains debatable.