BALTIMORE — Mage’s path by means of Triple Crown season just isn't a simple one.

The Kentucky Derby winner opened as the favourite for this weekend’s Preakness Stakes, however Mage should prime a subject that features Bob Baffert -trained National Treasure and others to turn into the primary horse to take the primary two Triple Crown races since Justify in 2018.

The race modified when prime contender First Mission was scratched early Friday, leaving solely seven to run. The outcome will rely on how Mage handles the two-week turnaround, what tempo develops and whether or not jockey Javier Castellano can arrange one other successful journey down the stretch.

MAGE’S JOURNEY

Purchased for $290,000 a 12 months in the past up the street from Pimlico at a sale in Timonium, Mage is making simply his fifth profession begin after not operating as a 2-year-old and making his debut Jan. 28. He joined Justify as the one Derby winners to not run as 2-year-olds since Apollo in 1882.

Mage was crushed by Forte - who was the Derby favourite earlier than getting scratched - in his second and third profession races, ending fourth and second. That was sufficient to get him into the sphere at Churchill Downs, and successful it quieted any doubts about Mage being too evenly raced to cope with the perfect 3-year-olds on the planet.

PHOTOS: Mage faces a troublesome problem within the Preakness in pursuit of a second Triple Crown win

“Experience at this point, I don’t think it’s relevant,” assistant coach Gustavo Delgado Jr. stated. “Every time he races, he’s getting more mature. Last race, he didn’t look like an apprentice to anybody.”

HIS CHANCES

After successful in Kentucky at odds of 14-1, Mage was set because the 8-5 morning line favourite in a subject of eight for the Preakness. He’s the one horse again from the Derby two weeks in the past.

Although coach Gustavo Delgado Sr. has expertise from his native Venezuela bringing a horse again on that in need of relaxation, it’s much less widespread within the U.S. amongst prime thoroughbreds.

“I don’t think there’s any trainer who will tell you he’s 100% sure that (his horse is) not going to regress,” Delgado Jr. stated. “But other than that, all the signs - the good ones - allowed us to take this chance out here.”

HIS CHALLENGERS

First Mission opened at odds of 5-2 earlier than getting scratched as a result of veterinarians found a left hind challenge. National Treasure was subsequent at 4-1.

Baffert instructed the monitor that late-blooming National Treasure “would have been a great Kentucky Derby-in-September horse.” Baffert gained a Derby in September three years in the past with Authentic when the Triple Crown races had been run off their regular schedule and out of order due to the pandemic.

National Treasure doesn’t get that luxurious, however Baffert stated: “The talent is there. We just haven’t seen it in full yet.”

Baffert, who's again on the Preakness after lacking final 12 months due to a suspension issued by Kentucky that Maryland honored, has gained the second jewel of the Triple Crown a record-tying seven instances. Jockey John Velazquez is 0 for 12 in his profession within the Preakness.

Blazing Sevens (6-1), Red Route One (10-1) and Perform (15-1) are the opposite prime contenders. The lengthy photographs are Coffeewithchris (20-1) and Chase the Chaos (50-1).

WHAT TO EXPECT

The greatest query resulting in the Preakness has been just like the Derby: How quick will the tempo be? Mage co-owner Ramiro Restrepo additionally assumed there’d be little tempo in Kentucky to set issues up properly for his horse to shut.

“You know what happens when you assume, right?” he stated earlier this week.

Now the idea is Coffeewithchris will present early velocity. Baffert’s prime horses additionally are typically forwardly positioned.

Mage just isn't a front-runner, so the quicker the opposite horses go, the higher. His coaching crew simply desires him to be relaxed the primary half of the race and let Castellano navigate from there.

“It’s pretty much about how he breaks and getting a good rhythm and then he’s running,” Delgado Jr. stated. “Hopefully he puts in the same kind of effort he did at the Derby, or even his previous race at the Florida Derby. If he does that, he should be right there.”

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