Ten Fantastic Editions of the Preakness Stakes

As most of you already know, I've been a horse racing fanatic since birth. I have my Dad to thank for that joy of life. The first race card I actually remember attending included a very fast allowance win by a horse named Forego, and a little 31-length, world record, first Triple Crown in a quarter-century, performance by Secretariat. Yes, I am a lucky man. In those four decades-plus of following my favorite sport closely, there can be little doubt that the Preakness is one of my favorite races of the year. More fair than the Kentucky Derby, and more normal in distance than the Belmont, racing's middle jewel often features excellent performances, with the best horses producing the goods. As we embark on another Preakness week, join me in celebrating ten of the most fantastic editions of my lifetime. These ten runnings of the Preakness definitely have it all ... Enjoy!

10. Shackleford (2011) - The beautiful chestnut, with the big white blaze, really should not have won this Preakness. He was a mess before the race, and then hooked up into a speed duel through testing fractions. Somehow, Shackleford did win it, digging down deep, as the fan favorite often did, to hold off the charging Kentucky Derby winner. 

9. Codex (1980) - This one was definitely not a popular result, but it needs to be included for the firestorm of controversy it created. Watch as Angel Cordero, Jr. rides his mount Codex out into the Kentucky Derby winning filly, Genuine Risk coming out of the far turn. Should they have been disqualified? Millions of passionate fans still say yes.

8. Curlin (2007) - In likely the strongest crop of the 21st century, this time it was the lightly raced, future two-time Horse of the Year, Curlin getting the better of the champion Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense, in a nail-biting finish. The very talented Hard Spun was sent a little too early, and too fast.

7. I'll Have Another (2012) - He may never have gotten the chance to go for the Triple Crown in the Belmont, but in what turned out to be his final career race, I'll Have Another demonstrated the heart of a champion by running down a very talented Bodemeister, when it looked like that one was home free for most of the stretch. It was a validation and repeat of their 1-2 finish in the Kentucky Derby.

6. Affirmed (1978) - Just mention the names Affirmed and Alydar, and you know that you are likely talking about a classic. It may not have had the sheer drama of their Belmont meeting, but the 1978 Preakness was vintage Affirmed, as the great horse was able to lay it all on the lane to hold off the oncoming challenge of the equally talented Alydar.

5. Silver Charm (1997) - Silver Charm and Free House, probably the best American rivalry of the past quarter-century, looked each other in the eyeballs down the stretch, instantly making the 1997 edition of the Preakness a classic. In the end, it was the Derby winner moving one step closer to an elusive Triple Crown by getting the photo. Throw in the always charging Captain Bodgit, and a troubled trip for Touch Gold, and what a Preakness it was.

4. Afleet Alex (2005) - This one wasn't the strongest Preakness feld, far from it, in fact. It wasn't a nail-biting finish either. What it was, was one of the most remarkable feats of balance and athleticism ever seen in a horse race. This is a wonderful horse's signature race ... how Afleet Alex stayed on his feet, and how Jeremy Rose stayed on his back, I will never know, but I'm glad they did.

3. Rachel Alexandra (2009) - Going in, no filly had won racing's middle jewel in nearly a century, yet still, the awesome winner of the Kentucky Oaks, Rachel Alexandra was favored to do just that against a full field of males. Not only did the great three-year-old filly get the job done, but she survived a torrid speed duel with a future sprint champion, and then held off a hard charging Derby winner, to do it.

2. Secretariat (1973) - Between his track record winning performance in the Kentucky Derby, and his win for the ages in the Belmont, came this doozy from the great Secretariat. Last into the first turn at Pimlico, Big Red and Ron Turcotte unleashed an early move never seen before or since. Talk about taking over a race early, Secretariat's last to first move on the Preakness first turn is stuff of legend.

1. Sunday Silence (1989) - Much like Affirmed and Alydar, sometimes the racing gods just treat us to two of the greats in the same foal crop. The Sunday Silence and Easy Goer battle in the 1989 Preakness was the best of their four meetings. It is not just the best edition of this race I've ever seen, it remains one of the two greatest horse races (along with the Affirmed-Alydar Belmont) that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.