Liane Crossley: Top Derby finishers set for rematch in eight-horse Preakness Stakes

After his decisive Kentucky Derby triumph on May 2, American Pharoah is seeking the chance to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first since Affirmed in 1978. A remarkable number of horses have captured two of the three jewels. Last year California Chrome became the 13th Thoroughbred to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. The final of the series is the Belmont Stakes on June 6 in New York.

From the 17 colts that finished behind American Pharoah in the Derby, four are set for a rematch at Pimlico in Baltimore. At 1 3/16th miles, the Preakness is the shortest of the Triple Crown races and a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the Kentucky Derby. The 140th renewal is set for 6:18 p.m. ET. Live coverage on NBC begins at 4:30 p.m.with additional pre- and post-race coverage on NBC Sports Network.

Following are summaries of the eight-horse field and their connections to Kentucky in post-position order and native states in parentheses.

1. 1. American Pharoah (Kentucky)

The Kentucky Derby winner is the morning-line favorite. His trainer Bob Baffert has swept the first two jewels three times—Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). He also has won the Preakness Stakes on two other occasions. Kentucky connection: American Pharoah was born at Tom VanMeter’s Stockplace Farm in northeastern Fayette County. His sire Pioneer of the Nile is a stallion at WinStar Farm in Versailles.
 
 
 
 

2.Dortmund (Kentucky)

Like American Pharoah, Dortmund is trained by five-time Preakness Stakes-winning trainer Bob Baffert. His third in the Kentucky Derby marked his first career defeat after six triumphs. The oversized chestnut colt is named for a German soccer league. Kentucky connection: Dortmund was born and raised in Georgetown at the Bona Terra Stud of Emilie Gerlinde Fojan. Her partner George Brunacini died in the Lexington crash of Flight 5191 in 2006. Fojan sold Dortmund was sold as a yearling for $90,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s July yearling sale in Lexington after buying him back on a final bid of $85,000 at Keeneland the previous year.
 
 
 

3. Mr. Z (Kentucky)

Mr. Z finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby for Zayat Stables, which owns American Pharoah, but he has since been sold. He will be racing in the Preakness Stakes for the Lexington-based Calumet Farm of Brad Kelley but he is still trained by D. Wayne Lukas, a six-time winner of Maryland’s signature race. Calumet and Lukas teamed to win the Preakness Stakes in 2013 with Oxbow. Kentucky connection: Mr. Z was sold for $135,000 at Fasig-Tipton Co.’s October yearling sale. His sire Malibu Moon is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington.
 
 
 

4. Danzig Moon (Ontario)

A second-place finish in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes earned Danzig Moon a chance to enter the Kentucky Derby in which he finished fifth. He is owned by Midway residents John and Debby Oxley, who won the 2001 Kentucky Derby with Monarchos. He is trained by Mark Casse, a top trainer in Canada and the United Stakes whose only previous Preakness Stakes starter, Dynamic Impact, finished seventh last year. Danzig Moon’s title combines his sire Malibu Moon and maternal grandsire Danzig, who is named for a Polish city. Kentucky connection: Danzig Moon was sold for $160,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale and his sire Malibu Moon is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.
 
 
 

5. Tale of Verve (Kentucky)

If another Kentucky Derby entrant had scratched by the deadline, Tale of Verve would have been in that storied race. Instead, he joins the Triple Crown trail in the Preakness Stakes. The late bloomer earned his first career victory on April 23 at Keeneland in his sixth career start. He is trained by Kentucky and New Orleans-based Dallas Stewart whose three Preakness Stakes starters includes 2008 runner-up Macho Again. His name is a combination of his sire and dam—Tale of Ekati and Verve. Kentucky connection: Tale of Verve was listed as sold for $440,000 at Keeneland’s April two-year-old sale last year.
 
 
 
 

6. Bodhisattva (California)

Bodhisattva, whose name translates to “enlightened being” in Buddhism, has something his competition lacks—a win at Pimlico after taking the Federico Tesio Stakes on April 18. Like last year’s Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome, the East Coast-based Bodhisattva was born in the Golden State. His dam was pregnant with him when she was sold for a mere $1,400 at a Texas auction in 2011. Bodhisattva is the first Preakness entrant for owner/trainer Jose Corrales, a former jockey.Kentucky connection: His breeder Andy Stronach is the son of Frank Stronach, whose Thoroughbred holdings includes Adena Springs in Paris.
 
 
 

7. Divining Rod (Kentucky)

Divining Rod won Keeneland’s Coolmore Lexington Stakes on April 11. He is owned and bred by the Lael Stable of Roy and Gretchen Jackson who campaigned 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. His French-born trainer Arnaud Delacour is based in Maryland and will be making his Preakness Stakes debut. Kentucky connection: Divining Rod is a son of renowned stallion Tapit, who resides at Gainesway in northern Fayette County.
 
 
 

8.Firing Line (Kentucky)

The Kentucky Derby runner-up has never been worse than second in six career starts while racing against America’s best. After being narrowly beaten twice by subsequent Derby third-place finisher Dortmund, Firing Line sailed to a nearly 15-length victory in New Mexico’s Sunland Derby in March. His West Coast-based trainer Simon Callaghan has never had a Preakness Stakes starter. Firing Line’s name is derived from his sire Line of David. Kentucky connection: Firing Line was a $65,000 weanling purchase and a $240,000 two-year-old at Keeneland auctions. In between, he went for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s July yearling sale.