Though the verdict is still out on whether Golden Tempo will make the two-week turnaround off his dramatic Kentucky Derby (G1) victory, a lengthy number of challengers are already lining up for the 151st Preakness Stakes (G1) May 16 at Laurel Park.
Cherie DeVaux, who on Saturday became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby with Golden Tempo’s neck decision over Renegade, said the Preakness Stakes “is on the table” but she needs time to see how the colt is doing before any decision is made.
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“Obviously this race is in two weeks,” DeVaux said of the 1 3/16-mile Preakness as she spoke with reporters Sunday morning outside her Churchill Downs barn. “It’s a lot different than what he’s done. He’s a horse who has a lot of constitution to him. He can handle something like that. But if one day he just doesn’t look like he’s in tiptop shape, then we’ll pivot and come up with another plan.”
Executive Vice President of 1/ST Racing Mike Rogers made the traditional Sunday morning phone call and spoke with DeVaux to formally invite the Derby winner and his connections to the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Preakness entries will be taken and the field set on Monday, May 11. The Preakness, being held for the first time at Laurel while historic Pimlico Race Course is being rebuilt, is limited to 14 starters. The last 14-horse Preakness came in 2011, won by Shackleford.
Golden Tempo made only his fifth career start in the Kentucky Derby, which came six weeks after he was third by a total of one length in the Louisiana Derby (G2).
“He’s going to leave for Keeneland,” said DeVaux, whose main string is at Keeneland in Lexington, though she also has a satellite division at Churchill Downs. “We’ll get him back there and assess how he’s doing. As long as he’s in tiptop shape, we’ll talk about [the Preakness]. It is on the table. But it’s really up to him.”
No female trainer has won the Preakness, the closest being Maryland-based Nancy Alberts finishing second in 2002 with Magic Weisner. Shelley Riley was third in the 1992 Preakness with Casual Lies; her runner-up finish at Churchill Downs had been the best Derby finish for a female trainer prior to DeVaux’s breakthrough victory.
Possible Preakness Contenders
Two horses under Preakness consideration are already at Laurel, Taj Mahal and The Hell We Did, who both breezed over the main track Saturday. Taj Mahal is undefeated in three starts, all at Laurel and two of them stakes, including the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio April 18 which earned the Brittany Russell trainee an automatic Preakness berth.
The Hell We Did has raced at four different racetracks in as many starts and most recently ran second in the April 11 Lexington (G3) at Keeneland, his two-turn debut. Trained by Todd Fincher, he shipped from Kentucky to Maryland April 28.
Other possible Preakness horses include Cherokee Nation, Chip Honcho, Crude Velocity, Crupper, Express Kid, Great White, Iron Honor, Napoleon Solo, Ottinho, Pretty Boy Miah, Silent Tactic, Talkin and Talk to Me Jimmy.
Violas’ St. Elias Stable Could Have Pair of Preakness Starters
While no decision has been made on running Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Golden Tempo in the 151st Preakness Stakes (G1), co-owner St. Elias Stable also has a horse targeting the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown in Gotham (G3) winner Iron Honor.
A $475,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Iron Honor was seventh in the Wood Memorial (G2), losing by a total of 4 1/4 lengths. St. Elias racing and bloodstock manager Monique Delk said Iron Honor is a go for the Preakness as long as he continues to train well.
“He’s a nice, nice horse,” Delk said. “He kind of had a tough trip in the Wood, got banged up a bit, so we wanted to give him some extra time. [Trainer] Chad [Brown] opted to skip the Derby with the potential target being the Preakness. If all stays well and the horse takes us there, that’s where he’ll be headed.”
Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable races Iron Honor in partnership with William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing. Brown won the Preakness in 2022 with Early Voting and 2017 with Cloud Computing.
