Page 15 - aruba-today-20220521

A15
sports Saturday 21 May 2022
Near-record heat for Preakness another test for Epicenter

By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
BALTIMORE (AP) — Epicen-
ter lost the Kentucky Derby
because of a hot pace.
Now he'll face hot temper-
atures in the Preakness.
Two weeks after getting
passed by 80-1 long shot
Rich Strike just before the
finish line at the Derby, Epi-
center goes into Saturday's
Preakness as the favorite
and clearly the class of the
nine-horse field. In a race
without Rich Strike and no
chance at a Triple Crown,
there is still some buzz large-
ly because of filly Secret
Oath and that it will be a
test of whether Epicenter
can beat the heat that
could approach a record
high. "You handle what you
have control over and put
yourself in the best position
possible and try to elimi-
nate as many variables
that could get in the way
of that," Epicenter trainer
Steve Asmussen said. "If Preakness entrant Epicenter, left, the runner up in the Kentucky Derby horse race, leaves the track after a workout ahead of the
it's actually 95, 96 degrees Preakness Stakes Horse Race race at Pimlico Race Course, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Baltimore.
here, and we know it can Associated Press
be pretty sticky when it gets
warm in Baltimore, so I think said. "He ran a great race, board, you can't be scared little bit of interest." race, there's less pressure
that all of them are going so the confidence level because a lot happens." McPeek was glad it felt like this time. "I'm trying to get
to have to deal with that. is great. But with any big A lot would have to hap- "old times" at the Preak- under the radar," Yakteen
"He's a big horse turning race, you just hope you pen for 50-1 long shot Fen- ness, especially after it was said. "I enjoyed the Derby. I
back in 14 days, so just show up and run, and so wick to pull off another run in October two years wish we would've had a dif-
make sure he's drinking I think if he shows up and Triple Crown shocker and ago with no fans in the ferent outcome."
plenty of water and hydrat- runs, we're in a good posi- slightly less for 30-1 Happy stands. He fondly recalled Winchell, Asmussen and
ed, just like your kids." tion." Jack, who finished 14th his first trip to Baltimore in Epicenter jockey Joel Ro-
The National Weather Ser- Kenny McPeek, who won in the Derby, or 20-1 Skip- 1995, when Lukas was in his sario feel the same way af-
vice is forecasting a high the 2020 Preakness with filly pylongstocking to win the heyday. ter turning for home under
of 94 degrees Fahrenheit Swiss Skydiver, called Epi- $1.65 million, 1 3/16-mile "I've put a few miles on since the twin spires at Churchill
(34.4 Celsius) for Saturday center "definitely the horse Preakness. There's plenty then and a few belt loops Downs thinking they'd won
afternoon, with just a slight to beat" and said the fa- of respect for the chances are missing and I've shaved the Kentucky Derby.
dip before the 7:01 p.m. vorite would likely need to of 6-1 Simplification, who my head since then, but "That was very, very excit-
EDT post time for the 147th regress for his grey 10-1 shot was fourth in the Derby, as Wayne's still here," McPeek ing at that point," Rosario
running of the Preakness. Creative Minister to finish well as 7-2 second choice said. "Where's Bob?" said. "What can I say? The
The record is 96, set in 1934 first. But he and co-majority on the morning line Early Bob, of course, is two-time horse had run really well.
when High Quest won the owner Greg Back felt con- Voting. But the most chat- Triple Crown-winning train- It would've been really
race. Epicenter is the morn- fident enough to pony up ter around the Preakness er Bob Baffert, whose ab- great if we could've won
ing line 6-5 favorite to join $150,000 to enter him in the is about Secret Oath, the sence at Pimlico is jarring that, but that's how it goes
that list of Preakness win- race. winner of the Kentucky after years in the spotlight. sometimes."
ners after finishing a tough- McPeek told Back if Cre- Oaks, who 86-year-old Hall Currently serving a suspen- Concerned about the heat
luck second in the Derby. ative Minister won his race of Fame trainer D. Wayne sion in Kentucky for medi- and disappointed he's not
Even after owner Rick Daw- on the Derby undercard, Lukas is betting can beat cation violations that's be- getting another opportu-
son decided not to run "We'll run him anywhere the boys. Absent the Der- ing honored by Maryland nity to beat Rich Strike, As-
Rich Strike at Pimlico Race you want to run him — by winner — the fourth and other states, he wasn't mussen isn't worried about
Course to take a swing at the moon if you want." He consecutive year there's allowed to enter horses in positioning at the Preakness
an unlikely Triple Crown, his was fast enough to show no real chance at a Triple the Derby or Preakness. as long as Epicenter is "in
upset at Churchill Downs evidence he belonged in Crown at the Preakness — But he does have a pres- front at the wire." He shares
was still the talk of the week, the company of the other the focus is on the filly in ence in 12-1 late entry Ar- his owner's confidence but
especially for those around Preakness horses. what Lukas called an oth- magnac, whom Baffert is a bit more wary about ex-
the horse who was cruising "What is it Wayne Gretzky erwise vanilla race. trained and saddled in pressing it after the crush-
to victory until he wasn't. said? You never make "If you don't have the filly three races before transfer- ing Derby defeat.
"Even my 6-year-old after a shot you don't take," in here, the mood is zilch," ring him to former assistant "It was, I believe, the lon-
the race, he looked at me McPeek said. "That's the said Lukas, who is going Tim Yakteen. After Taiba fin- gest shot on the board that
and said, 'Daddy, Epicen- fun of the sport. ... If you for a record-tying seventh ished 12th and Messier 15th actually won the race," he
ter ran the best race,'" Epi- feel like you've got a legiti- Preakness victory. "The filly in the Derby with Baffert's said, "so you can't count
center owner Ron Winchell mate chance to just hit the made this at least have a shadow hanging over the anybody out."q