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Preakness Stakes contenders

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Posted: Monday May 15, 2000 04:57 PM

Sports Illustrated's Mark Beech ranks the top Preakness Stakes contenders as of May 15. Look for more horse racing analysis throughout the week.

Preakness Rankings
Rank	Horse	Odds	Trainer	Last race (finish)
1	Fusaichi Pegasus	3-2	Neil Drysdale	Kentucky Derby (1st)
The Skinny: He needs to improve off his Derby win, as he's facing some fresh competition Saturday. If he's healthy and ready to run, though, he shouldn't have much trouble; he demolished a very game Red Bullet by 4 1/4 lengths in the Wood Memorial on April 15.
2	Red Bullet	5-1	Joe Orseno	Wood Memorial (2nd)
The Skinny: Ran a terrific race in the Wood, even though he was thoroughly trounced. He could play the role of spoiler on Saturday if he moves forward off that effort and if Fusaichi Pegasus isn't sharp. A very real threat.
3	More Than Ready	10-1	Todd Pletcher	Kentucky Derby (4th)
The Skinny : He made a bid in the stretch before tiring in the Derby, so maybe he'll prefer the shorter distance on Saturday. Though he finished O.K., the Derby was a step backward for him after a string of three improving performances. If he's not too tired, he could compete.
4	Wheelaway	10-1	John Kimmel	Kentucky Derby (5th)
The Skinny : Made a move in the stretch in the Derby, but tired and wound up interfering with Captain Steve when he lugged in from the outside. He could get a piece of the purse on Saturday, but he would have to take a big step forward to knock off the favorite.
5	Impeachment	15-1	Todd Pletcher	Kentucky Derby (3rd)
The Skinny : He benefited from a hot pace in the Derby, using a late run to pick off tired foes in the stretch. The fractions won't be so fast at Pimlico, and the race won't be as long either. This one-run router might be better off waiting in ambush at the Belmont on June 10.
6	Captain Steve	20-1	Bob Baffert	Kentucky Derby (8th)
The Skinny : He sure looked like a miler in the Derby, where he led for a moment at the top of the stretch before tiring. He might like the shorter distance Saturday -- and he is trained by Baffert -- but I don't think he'll win.
7	High Yield	20-1	Wayne Lukas	Kentucky Derby (15th)
The Skinny : His Derby effort was a career worst. If he's tired, racing on two weeks rest doesn't seem like a good idea. Then again, I'm not D. Wayne Lukas. If the colt is fresh on Saturday, he could make a bid for second, as the track and the distance will be more to his liking.
8	Snuck In	20-1	Steve Asmussen	Arkansas Derby (2nd)
The Skinny : The wild card in this field. Like Red Bullet, he's coming off a five-week layoff. He figures to stay close to the lead most of the way, and without a fast pace, he could contend. But he appears to be outclassed by several horses in this field.
9	Hugh Hefner	25-1	Martin Jones	Snow Chief 250K (2nd)
The Skinny : He'll probably be the rabbit on Saturday, so the way he runs could dictate who finishes where. I place him here only because he hasn't raced since a week before the Derby. That rest might help him finish ahead of any tired foes.
10	Hal's Hope	30-1	Harold Rose	Kentucky Derby (16th)
The Skinny : His trainer has vowed that he won't go out as fast as he did in the Derby, where he set a blistering pace for nearly a mile before tiring. He'll still be close to the lead on Saturday. He hasn't been closer than 15 lengths from the winner in his last two races.

 

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