Preakness Preview

High Limit will test the limits of his rivals in the Preakness (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

Two weeks ago, GIACOMO (Holy Bull) pulled off one of the greatest upsets in

Kentucky Derby (G1) history at 50-1, but his surprise victory won't make him one

of the favorites in Saturday's Preakness S. (G1). If the gray colt could talk,

he might launch into a Rodney Dangerfield impersonation -- “I don't get any

respect."

The late-running sophomore has the opportunity to beat us again because we're

going with the speed in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

HIGH LIMIT (Maria's Mon) adds blinkers, gets a rider switch to Edgar Prado

and is our pick to wear the Black-Eyed Susans. Last of 20 in the Kentucky Derby,

High Limit was bumped and shuffled back after the break at Churchill Downs and

quickly retreated to 19th in the opening half-mile. Trainer Bobby Frankel

initially expressed concern that something had gone physically wrong with the

talented colt, but High Limit came back to the barn OK and drilled five furlongs

in a bullet 1:00 1/5 (fastest of 27 at the distance) eight days after the Derby

debacle.

The Kentucky-bred colt was never headed at any call during his juvenile

campaign, winning two races at Delaware Park by daylight margins, and opened his

three-year-old season with a sharp front-running performance in the Louisiana

Derby (G2), drawing off to a four-length decision and earning a 106 BRIS Speed

rating. In mid-March it looked like High Limit would be the speed in the

Kentucky Derby.

Afleet Alex will put his best hoof forward on Saturday (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) closed boldly to reach contention leaving the

far turn of the Kentucky Derby and raced gamely to the wire, finishing third by

only a length. An extremely honest performer (his only bad effort came when he

had a lung infection), the Tim Ritchey trainee turned in a dynamic stretch run

to capture the Arkansas Derby (G2) two starts back and figures to come storming

from off the pace on Saturday. Afleet Alex does own only one win around two

turns and he's come up short in his last three Grade 1 starts, but the

Florida-bred could still put it all together for a classic victory.

WILKO (Awesome Again) was dogged by foot problems following his upset win in

the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), but he finally appears to be sound and heading

in the right direction for Craig Dollase. He finished an excellent third, beaten

only a half-length, in what proved to be the strongest prep race for the

Kentucky Derby, the Santa Anita Derby (G1), and Wilko owns much more tactical

speed than he displayed in Louisville, Kentucky. Jockey Corey Nakatani should

settle into the perfect stalking position aboard the classy colt, and Wilko

could have a major say in the final outcome.

Giacomo represented the West Coast-based horses well two weeks back and he's

coming to hand at the perfect time for trainer John Shirreffs. His Derby Speed

rating (100) was low, so others in the field still look faster than him on

paper, but we may be blowing our nose with that paper after the Preakness.

Charismatic and War Emblem are a couple of other recent Derby winners who were

labeled flukes, and they just kept getting better in Baltimore. We'll be kicking

ourselves if Giacomo runs by his rivals again and will definitely use him on the

bottom of the exotics.

CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal) was dogged by a foot problem in early

April, but he got better and finished a terrific second in the Kentucky Derby.

The Florida bred may keep getting stronger for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and

looks like a serious stalk-and-pounce candidate in the Preakness, but 9 1/2

furlongs remains a concern with his pedigree. We'll have to use him in gimmicks

because Closing Argument scares us.

Giacomo seeks to validate his Derby win (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

SCRAPPY T (Fit to Fight) exits his first graded win in the one-mile Withers

S. (G3) and will be tested for distance in this spot, but he's as game as they

come (3-4-2 from nine career starts) and we won't dismiss his chances for the

bottom of the exotics. The rider switch to Ramon Dominguez looks like a real

positive, and the dark bay gelding owns legitimate Speed ratings. Consider for

part.

HIGH FLY (Atticus) looms as a logical contender off a fine performance in the

Kentucky Derby in which he was part of the fast early pace and held well into

the stretch drive. That effort did follow a lengthy layoff, however, and High

Fly wheels back 14 days later and must show even more to challenge for the win.

His best races have all come in Florida and distance could be an issue for the

chestnut, but we wouldn't be surprised to see High Fly outperform our

expectations at low odds.

GREELEY'S GALAXY (Mr. Greeley), who didn't break well and wound up 11th in

the Kentucky Derby, is a threat to show more at Pimlico. Trained by Warren Stute,

the chestnut colt is still a little light on seasoning and has never beaten any

horses of quality, but he did earn a 108 Speed rating for a stellar 9 1/2-length

triumph in the Illinois Derby (G2) two starts back. He worked well at Churchill

following the Kentucky Derby, but we'll have to let the unproven commodity beat

us.

SUN KING (Charismatic) ran poorly at Churchill following a disappointing

effort in the Blue Grass, and he hasn't developed as expected this season after

running well last year in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Champagne S. (G1).

MALIBU MOONSHINE (Malibu Moon) enters off a score in the Federico Tesio S. and

is a two-time winner in Baltimore. However, we can't envision him getting the

distance against this company.

HAL'S IMAGE (Halo's Image) earned a nice stakes win at Calder last out, but

he's facing too much of a class hike on Saturday. GALLOPING GROCER (A. P Jet)

hasn't done anything right since finishing a close second in the Remsen S. (G2)

last November, and the New York-bred won't be able to turn things around here.