Preakness 2018 news: Routine day for Justify, Quip confirmed

Unbeaten Justify, the Kentucky Derby winner in only his fourth lifetime start and only the second horse to win without racing as a 2-year-old, had another routine walk day Tuesday at Churchill Downs as he prepares for the 2018 Preakness Stakes. 

“Justify is going to walk one more day, I believe,” Jimmy Barnes, who is overseeing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s small contingent in Louisville, said of the Derby champ’s expected return to the track for training Thursday. “That’s what Bob said. He may change his mind and go tomorrow. But he said we’re probably going to walk four days.”

In its relative infancy, Justify co-owner WinStar Farm has won the Kentucky Derby twice, including with Super Saver in 2010, and the Belmont Stakes twice with Drosselmeyer in 2010 and Creator in 2016. But the Central Kentucky farm has never won the 1 3/16-mile Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

During his training career, WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden was second twice in the Preakness, with eventual Belmont winner Victory Gallop in 1998 and Menifee in 1999.

“We’re looking forward to the Preakness,” Walden said. “He looked like to me, other than that irritation (on a hind leg), he came out of the race great. He looked bright and was feeling very good, had a good energy level.”

WinStar will be attempting to visit the Preakness Stakes winner’s circle for the first time.

“We haven’t won a Preakness, except that we had secured (2016 winner) Exaggerator for stallion duty,” Walden said Sunday. “We didn’t have any ownership in the horse until he retired. But yeah, that’s the one race we haven’t had a win it yet. So it would be exciting to actually do that.

“It’s a little bit looser atmosphere; there isn’t as much pressure. With Justify you might feel a little more pressure. We might have the same pressure as coming into Kentucky, with the expectations being so high. But it’s a good week in Baltimore. They do a great job making you feel welcome. They’re excited you’re in town and they are very accommodating. And it’s also kind of a short buildup. With the Kentucky Derby, we’ve been worrying about this, thinking about it, living and breathing it for three months now as you walk through these preps. This is a quick turnaround. This is going to feel like this,” added Walden, snapping his fingers, ‘when the Preakness comes a week from Saturday.”

Quip confirmed for Preakness Stakes

Walden said Tuesday that Quip is officially headed to the Preakness Stakes for a clash with Kentucky Derby winner Justify, who is also co-owned by WinStar. 

Quip, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and second in the Arkansas Derby (G1), was kept out of the Kentucky Derby to point for the Preakness after Keeneland-based trainer Rodolphe Brisset thought the colt needed extra time.

“He deserves the opportunity,” Walden said. “We purposely skipped the Derby pointing for the Preakness. We looked at it at that time and asked the question, if we did win the Derby, would we still run Quip in the Preakness? We all kind of answered, ‘Yes.’ But I wanted to take a fresh look at it after the race and make sure.”

Quip and Kentucky Derby winner Justify share ownership through WinStar and China Horse Club. SF Bloodstock is a partner in Quip but sold its racing rights for Justify to Starlight Racing while retaining breeding rights. Quip will race with jockey Florent Geroux wearing WinStar’s silks.

“Justify is going to be the prohibitive favorite,” Walden said. “If you’re looking at it with a Quip hat on, you would think he would be a very difficult horse to beat but that you’re as live as anybody else.”

Rounding out the field

Trainer Chad Brown is still mulling a Preakness decision for Derby runner-up Good Magic. With Bravazo and Sporting Chance, trainer D. Wayne Lukas has two shots at securing his record seventh Preakness Stakes victory. Other 3-year-olds being considered for the Preakness are G M B Racing’s Lone Sailor, who finished eighth in the Derby; Cash is King and D.J. Stable and LC Racing’s Diamond King, the winner of the Federico Tesio at Laurel last time out; Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tenfold, fifth in the Arkansas Derby, and Valene Farm’s Givemeaminit, who finished third in the Pat Day Mile.