Royal Mo out; Preakness field at 9
What had been a largely uneventful run-up to the 142nd Preakness changed in a heartbeat Sunday morning when expected starter Royal Mo fractured a sesamoid in his right front during a timed workout at Pimlico Race Course. Quick action by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who was aboard for the work, is credited with preventing more serious injury. After pulling up the Uncle Mo colt, Stevens was able to keep his injured leg elevated until more help arrived.
Later that morning, Royal Mo was vanned to the New Bolton Center, the University of Pennsylvania’s renowned veterinary facility in nearby Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Monday afternoon it was announced that the horse had undergone “successful” surgery — and that his racing career is over.
The injury to Royal Mo reduces the Preakness field to nine: five horses who ran in the Derby and four who did not. Re-
cent history says that the latter group — which includes Cloud Computing, Conquest Mo Money, Multiplier and Senior Investment, none of whom has won above the Grade 3 level — will be up against it on Saturday. In the past 30 years, only three horses who did not compete in the Derby have won the Preakness. Two of the three, Rachel Alexandra and Bernardini, turned out to be horses of extraordinary ability. The only real surprise winner among the new shooters was Red Bullet, who prevailed in the 2000 Preakness over odds-on Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus.
Always Dreaming was clearly the best at Churchill Downs, setting swift fractions and still having enough left to avoid being seriously challenged in the stretch. As impressive as his performance was, however, it did not discourage all of his beaten rivals. Back for a second round are Lookin At Lee (second in the Derby), Classic Empire (a troubled fourth), Gunnevera (a troubled seventh) and Hence (thirteenth).
Derby winners have done well in the Preakness over the past two decades, winning half of 20 runnings since Silver Charm swept the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 1997. Nine of those ten dual-classic winners, of course, failed to win the third leg, a streak that finally ended with American Pharoah’s Belmont triumph in 2015.
Always Dreaming figures to be heavily favored on Saturday. With his speed from the gate, and the Preakness’s smaller field, he should be able to get good position early, as he did in the Derby. In addition, with Royal Mo out, Always Dreaming has one fewer forwardly placed runner to contend with.
Classic Empire will no doubt be second choice in the wagering. The son of Pioneerof the Nile overcame considerable trouble to get up for fourth in the Derby. With a cleaner trip in the Preakness, Classic Empire could pose a serious threat to Always Dreaming. But he can’t leave himself with too much to do in the stretch.
Looking for a horse to wager on or root for besides the two favorites? How about Conquest Mo Money, the New Yorkbred, New Mexico-based colt who was picked up for $8,500 as part of a dispersal at last year’s Keeneland November sale?
Conquest Mo Money made his first four starts at Sunland Park, winning three of them. Dismissed at 17-1 in the Arkansas Derby, he ran a big, bold race on the lead before succumbing late to Classic Empire. The son of Uncle Mo, who has been training well at Prairie Meadows in Iowa, should be available Saturday at 15-1 to 20-1.