Frankie Dettori will ride leading fancy Imagination for legendary trainer Bob Baffert in the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the US Triple Crown at Pimlico on May 18.
Beaten only a neck by Stronghold in the Santa Anita Derby, the son of leading sire Into Mischief is rated a 6-1 chance with British bookmakers. Baffert-trained stablemate Muth an odds-on favorite for the $2m event, for which Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan is yet to be confirmed an intended starter.
Baffert’s horses were banned from Churchill Downs as a result of the trainer’s suspension for making entries at the track following Medina Spirit’s disqualification after the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
In his absence, Mystik Dan won a thrilling race for trainer Kenny McPeek, prevailing by a nose over Sierra Leone and Japanese challenger Forever Young – neither of whom are headed to Pimlico.
When Dettori postponed his planned retirement to continue his career in the US, the 53-year-old numbered getting a ride in the Kentucky Derby as a primary motivation. He partnered longshot Society Man to finish 16th in a 20-runner field.
“It was a great atmosphere,” said Dettori. “My horse tried but he’s probably not at this level. I enjoyed myself, absorbed all the atmosphere and really enjoyed it.”
According to the Maryland Jockey Club media team, Dettori is now set for Pimlico, where he will renew his association with Imagination, having won the G2 San Felipe, one of the highlights of the rider’s successful winter stint in Southern California.
Baffert has won the Preakness a record eight times – including last year with National Treasure. HIs go-to rider Juan Hernandez will partner Muth, who had Mystik Dan more than four lengths behind in third when he won the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.
McPeek is planning to make a late call on whether Mystik Dan will attempt to add the second leg of the Triple Crown to his Kentucky laurels.
“We’ll let him tell us,” the trainer said on Sunday after completing a famous Oaks-Derby double following the success of Thorpedo Anna in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.
I think more than anything, I ran him back quick once and it backfired on me,” he added “We’ll get him back to the track on Wednesday, probably give him a little jog a mile, gallop a mile, something simple,” McPeek went on.
“I’m encouraged – I’m going to talk to Lance and Sharilyn [Gasaway, owners]. No fast moves,” he added. “We probably won’t decide until the morning of entries. But the horse is doing fine and seems to be bright and happy.”
Entries will be taken on Monday. They are likely to include two horses trained by six-time Preakness winner D Wayne Lukas in the shape of Pat Day Mile winner Seize The Grey and Arkansas Derby runner-up Just Steel, who weakened to 17th in the Kentucky Derby after being part of a strong pace.
Also set to run in the Preakness is Mugatu, most recently fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes, who will be ridden by Joe Bravo.
$5m bonus on the table
This year’s Preakness Stakes is the first leg of a new $5m bonus series staged by 1/ST Racing also featuring the California Crown [Sept. 28 at Santa Anita] and the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January 2025.
Similarly, a $2.5m bonus is on offer to connections of any horse winning three designated turf races. They are the G3 Dinner Party at Pimlico – purse raised to $500,000 as part of a reinvigorated Maryland programme – plus the G2 California Crown John Henry Turf at Santa Anita and the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf.
• Visit the Preakness Stakes website and the Maryland Jockey Club website
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