Preakness Stakes pedigrees: Will they get the distance?
In addition to the well-known Anothertwistafate, Bourbon War and Signalman, the Preakness Stakes will draw four newcomers to the Triple Crown series, with the middle jewel having been won four times since 2000 by horses that didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby.
Just as with those who ran last weekend at Churchill Downs, these runners will face a distance test with Pimlico’s Preakness measuring 1 3/16 miles. Who’s up for it?
Alwaysmining
(Stay Thirsty - What Will Be, by Anees)
Trainer: Kelly Rubley
Race Record: 12: 7-0-1 ($386,192)
Last Race: 1st Federico Tesio Stakes (L)
Alwaysmining is a big horse at a small track. He’s been unbeatable in his last six starts at Laurel Park. While he’ll be getting a class test in the Preakness, he’s already bested Gray Magician and Preakness contender Win Win Win.
Alwaysmining is the fifth foal and first blacktype earner in the immediate family. His pedigree is an example of class skipping a generation. His dam is half to a listed stakes placed runner, and his second dam is multiple stakes-placed between a mile and 1 1/8 miles. Alwaysmining’s third dam, Consequental, by multiple champion and leading sire Dr. Fager, is responsible for several blacktype earners. They include Champion Sprinter Benny the Bull and Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Blue Finn.
Sire Stay Thirsty just missed in the 2011 Belmont Stakes by 3/4-length and returned to win the Travers Stakes. He has few blacktype winners, and Alwaysmining is his most accomplished to date.
Preakness Distance Verdict: Yep! Alwaysmining galloped home an 11-length winner in the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio, getting his final furlong in an excellent 12.47 over a fast track. His forwardly placed running style fits with the speed-favoring Preakness. This Preakness field, devoid of the first four across the wire from the Derby, is a good place to show just how good Alwaysmining might be. Trivial facts: The last Maryland-bred to win the Preakness was Deputed Testamony in 1983. The last horse not to run in the Kentucky Derby and win the Preakness was Cloud Computing in 2017, and he paid $28.
(Union Rags - Saskawea, by Stormy Atlantic)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Race Record: 7: 3-0-0 ($338,518)
Last Race: Oaklawn Invitational (L)
Laughing Fox is a solid Midwest listed type runner. He showed nothing in the Rebel Stakes (G2) or Arkansas Derby (G1), finishing almost 20 lengths behind Omaha Beach. And he then returned to beat mostly allowance-types in the Oaklawn Invitational.
Laughing Fox has a middle distance/classic pedigree and conformation, and the distaff line is mainly turf-oriented. He’s the third foal but first to race out of a multiple stakes-winning Canadian mare who earned more than $750,000 in 24 starts. Saskawea won as a sprinter/miler on synthetic and turf and placed at 1 1/2 miles over the lawn in the Wonder Where Stakes. Her half sister bore Grade 3 stakes winning sprinter Noholdingback Bear.
Belmont Stakes hero and sire Union Rags has eight winners at nine furlongs and beyond. Damsire Stormy Atlantic was a turf sprinter, but his daughters’ offspring are good middle-distance runners. They also bore fou winners at classic distances. Laughing Fox’s second damsire, St Jovite, was 1992 European Horse of the Year.
Preakness Distance Verdict: Yep! Laughing Fox is a one-paced, one-run type, which seldom results in a victory in the Preakness. He got his final furlong in the Oaklawn Invitational in 12.57, but his competition was staggering at the end. Laughing Fox is so-so on dirt and might find new life later on as a turf horse.
(Into Mischief - Aspen Light, by Bernardini)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Race Record: 8: 3-1-1 ($187,225)
Last Race: Lexington Stakes (G3)
Owendale took advantage of a nice trip to capture the Lexington Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths over Anothertwistafate, who spent much of the race stuck in traffic.
Owendale has a miler/middle distance pedigree. He’s the fifth foal and first blacktype earner in the immediate family. His un-raced dam is a half sister to Great Hunter, winner of the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Robert B. Lewis (G2). Owendale’s second dam, Zenith, is a multiple listed stakes earner who won/placed from a mile to 1 1/8 miles. The third generation includes multiple Grade 1 winner Stellar Wind and Grade 1-winning miler Mor Spirit.
Into Mischief is noted for siring fast sprinter/milers. He does have a few winners at 1 1/8 miles and one at 1 1/4 miles. These are the exceptions. Bernardini captured the injury-marred 2006 Preakness and is the damsire of Travers hero Catholic Boy and recent Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress.
Preakness Distance Verdict: Borderline. Owendale’s pedigree and conformation is borderline for 1 3/16-miles. His sole off-the-board finish this year was against Grade 2 competition in the Risen Star, in which he was stuck at the back of the pack and took the scenic route around the track, going wide. Owendale’s versatile running style should benefit him in the Preakness. He fits in with the rest of the allowance/Grade 2 and 3 types.
Warrior's Charge
(Munnings - Battling Brook, by Broken Vow)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Race Record: 5-2-0-3 ($138,110)
Last Race: 1st - Allowance Optional Claiming
Warrior’s Charge is a late bloomer. After placing third in his first three attempts, the breakthrough six-length win came when he stretched out to 1 1/16-miles. He repeated that effort next out, winning by 6 1/2 lengths.
Warrior’s Charge is the first foal out of a stakes-placed sprinter, and his dam owns the only blacktype in two generations of the distaff line. The third generation includes multiple stakes-winning turf miler Pink Poppy, and Grade 1 stakes-placed miler Liquidity.
Munnings is noted as a sire of precocious sprinter/milers. His sole winner at classic distances is I’m a Chatterbox, who captured the Delaware Handicap in 2:02.64 over a fast track. Broken Vow’s daughters’ offspring are predominately sprinter/milers and include Champion Sprinter Run Happy.
Preakness Distance Verdict: Nope! Warrior’s Charge is improving, but taking a step up into graded stakes company. He has a strong miler pedigree, and with the right trip against the right company, might hold on at 1 1/8 miles.