BALTIMORE — This was supposed to be a duel between the Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, and Classic Empire, a hard-luck colt that most believed was the best 3-year-old horse in the country. And it was a duel, a heart-pounding
BALTIMORE — This was supposed to be a duel between the Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, and Classic Empire, a hard-luck colt that most believed was the best 3-year-old horse in the country. And it was a duel, a heart-pounding one, as the two of them glided down the backstretch side by side.
For three-quarters of a mile, John Velazquez kept Always Dreaming’s head in front of his rival. He hovered like a hummingbird, seemingly waiting for the right moment to burst into flight. Julien Leparoux, aboard Classic Empire, was not willing to wait. Instead, he gunned his colt around the far turn, squared his shoulders into the stretch and galloped his horse down the rail as if he were a sure thing.
It was not until the last sixteenth of a mile that Leparoux realized he had company. He heard Javier Castellano smooching to his colt, a 13-1 long shot named Cloud Computing. With every kiss Castellano blew into his horse’s ear, Cloud Computing extended his stride.
This was not the duel anyone expected. For the last 50 yards, Cloud Computing and Classic Empire shadowed each other — they went nose to nose almost until they hit the wire. In the end, Cloud Computing won the duel and the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes.
It was the first Triple Crown victory for Cloud Computing’s trainer, Chad Brown, and the second for Castellano, who also won in 2006 aboard Bernardini.
The partnership between the trainer and jockey has helped them dominate grass racing nationally.
“He rode an excellent race,” Brown said of Castellano. “I’m glad we did it together.”
There will be no Triple Crown this year, rendering next month’s Belmont Stakes a race that has lost its potentially historic dimensions. Cloud Computing paid $28.80 for a $2 bet after completing the mile and three-sixteenths at Pimlico Race Course in 1 minute, 55.98 seconds. Always Dreaming, the prohibitive 6-5 favorite, finished a well-beaten eighth.
Classic Empire’s trainer, Mark Casse, had been eager for this race after the Derby, where everything that could have gone wrong did. In the Derby, Classic Empire was slammed by McCraken at the start and pinballed among horses as they headed for the first turn.
Classic Empire is a colt who likes to run near the front, taking aim at the early leaders in the Derby. Instead, Leparoux had little choice but to concede a big lead to the front-runners while he maneuvered Classic Empire through traffic. When he launched a drive on the outside in the stretch, Always Dreaming was already in command. Being knocked off stride, having mud kicked in his face and taking a wide run compromised Classic Empire’s chances, but he still finished fourth.
