"Golden Tempo stunned the world on May 2 with an exhilarating and historic win from far back in the field to capture the Kentucky Derby for trainer Cherie De Vaux. She became the first woman to train a winner of the Run for the Roses and only the second female trainer to capture a Triple Crown race. But De Vaux and Golden Tempo's ownership decided to forego a chance at even more Triple Crown history by opting to skip the Preakness Stakes."
"Much like Rich Strike in 2022 and Sovereignty last year, the Derby winner's connections understandably felt that the two-week turnaround was not enough time to freshen up Golden Tempo so he could perform at his best level. You'll likely see Golden Tempo next in the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga. No Derby winner in the Preakness means no attempt at a Triple Crown sweep; the drought since Justify last won it in 2018 extends to eight years."
"Because of horse racing's evolution as a sport in which the best runners often go a month between races, at least, not only will the drought grow, but the Preakness' status as a special race in the U.S. is destined to decline, as long as it is held just two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. Something must change in the Triple Crown series, but it won't happen this year."
"Instead, horse racing fans will witness a junior varsity version of the Preakness Stakes featuring horses who either did not have enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, or who performed so poorly in the later prep races that the connections opted not to enter the Derby. How bad is this field? It is a glorified allowance race. There are just three graded stakes winners among them."
Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on May 2, becoming the first woman to train a Run for the Roses winner and only the second female trainer to win a Triple Crown race. The connections chose to skip the Preakness Stakes due to concerns that a two-week turnaround would not be enough to freshen the horse for peak performance. With the Derby winner absent, there will be no attempt at a Triple Crown sweep, extending a drought since Justify’s 2018 win to eight years. The short interval after the Derby is described as increasingly misaligned with modern racing schedules, which often space top races by a month. The resulting Preakness field is characterized as weak, with only three graded stakes winners and limited success among Derby participants.
Read at www.amny.com
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