Sway Away Will Not be Denied Again
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Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
Whether or not you thought it was in poor form for Mike
Repole and Todd Pletcher to enter Uncle Mo in the Kentucky Derby, even though
it was doubtful he would run, thereby excluding the 21st horse on
the list a spot in the starting gate, you had to feel for Sway Away. He is the
horse that was denied the final spot when Uncle Mo’s name was one of the
entries. On paper it appeared that Sway Away had a better chance in the Derby
than many that did actually run, but because of that pesky graded stakes money
rule, he stayed in his stall after a strong Derby day workout, while Animal
Kingdom was becoming an instant star. For a while this week it looked like the
same disappointment might be brewing for the son of Afleet Alex as his
sophomore peers were preparing for the Preakness Stakes. Thankfully, Sway Away
will not be denied again.
Yesterday’s defection of the Derby 6th place
finisher, Santiva, opened the door for Sway Away to be included in the
prospective 14 horse field for the Preakness. The middle jewel of the Triple
Crown limits the field to 14, and as of yesterday, Sway Away was stuck at #15.
After what went down in Louisville, I’m sure his ownership team of Batman
Stable, Cindy Olsen, Janet Sharp, Philip Lebherz, and Glen Wallace, as
well as trainer Jeff Bonde, had to be just a little worried about getting shut
out once again. Now, unless there are some major surprises with entrants this
week, we can all look for Sway Away to be in the starting gate at Pimlico on
May 21… and he is in with a shot.
[Do you think Sway Away have the stamina to win the 2011 Preakness stakes?]
[Do you think Sway Away have the stamina to win the 2011 Preakness stakes?]
When last seen, Sway Away was running 4th at
Oaklawn Park. After making a bold, but premature move under Patrick Valenzuela in
the Arkansas Derby, the talented colt hung down the lane to lose a photo for 3rd,
beaten 3 ¼ lengths. It was a solid performance considering that P Val was
likely too geared up to beat the heavily favored speedster, The Factor. Once his
horse did that, he had little in reserve to hold off the strong rallies of
Archarcharch and Kentucky Derby runner-up Nehro. The Arkansas Derby in my
opinion was the strongest of all Derby trail preps and was further flattered
yesterday when 5th place finisher, Alternation, came back to score
in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. Sway Away will be reunited with rider Garrett Gomez
in the Preakness, in hopes of a more patient ride than he received in the Arkansas
Derby.
Sway Awaygot
in his final major preparations for the Middle Jewel with a solid six-furlong
work in 1:13 3/5 over a fast track early yesterday morning at Churchill Downs. The bay colt sped through fractions of :13
4/5, :26 4/5, :39, :50 2/5 and 1:02 1/5, before galloping out seven furlongs in
1:27 1/5. The winner of 1 for 5 lifetime, after running in nothing but graded
stakes races since his impressive debut, Sway Away will walk the next two days
at Churchill, before making the trip from Louisville to Baltimore, three days
in advance of an attempt to win a race in the 2011 Triple Crown. It’s not the
Kentucky Derby, but a win in the Preakness would be an awfully sweet
consolation prize.
2011 Preakness
2011 Preakness
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