Preakness rematch For American Pharoah, Dortmund & Firing Line

According to reports from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert the stage is set the stage for a rematch between American Pharoah and Dortmund in the Preakness Stakes.

“It’s fun to come here, but I think this win was different than my other ones,” Baffert said. “I needed to get it done. I needed to win it. Something was building that something good was going to happen. And it did. It was a big sigh of relief. I was like ‘mission accomplished.’ That’s the feeling I have at this time.”

Baffert acknowledged that American Pharoah accomplished a lot, winning the sternest test of his career. At the annual question about whether the winner has what it takes to win the Triple Crown, Baffert provided a clue but not a direct answer.

American Pharoah and Dortmund will stay at Baffert’s stable at Churchill Downs this week. The decision on whether Dortmund will go on to the Preakness will be made when Baffert returns from California next weekend.

Along with these two horse you can expect derby runner up Firing Line to make the trip for another shot at American Pharoah and to hopefully put a damper on his connections bid for the illusive jewel that being the triple crown.

Trainer Simon Callaghan had nothing but good things to say about his charge Firing Line.

“I’m proud of the race he ran. Our team had him spot on to run,” Callaghan stated. “We got a very good ride from Gary (Stevens) and in the end there were no excuses. We got beat by a very good horse.”

Callaghan reported that his colt had come out of his two-fronted battle with trainer Bob Baffert’s pair of American Pharoah and Dortmund (Big Brown), who finished two lengths behind Firing Line in third, in good order. Callaghan said Firing Line ate up Saturday night and was showing no ill effects from his hard effort in the 1 1/4-mile contest

Triple Crown Facts:

A horse must win all three races to achieve the Triple Crown.

There have been 11 Triple Crown winners:

• – 1919 Sir Barton
• – 1930 Gallant Fox
• – 1935 Omaha
• – 1937 War Admiral
• – 1941 Whirlaway
• – 1943 Count Fleet
• – 1946 Assault
• – 1948 Citation
• – 1973 Secretariat
• – 1977 Seattle Slew
• – 1978 Affirmed

Since 1990, there have been nine instances where horses have won the first two of the three legs of the Triple Crown: Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998, Charismatic in 1999, War Emblem in 2002, Funny Cide in 2003, Smarty Jones in 2004, Big Brown in 2008, I’ll Have Another in 2012 and California Chrome in 2014.

Good luck and see you at the windows.