Preakness Contenders Stretch Legs on Quiet Morning

A dry track with cool fall temperatures greeted horses and horsemen alike Oct. 1 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. All starters for the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) made their way to the main track for leg-stretching, and after everyone was back at the barn and bathed, trainers seemed pleased with their progress and confident in their chances for the last leg of the Triple Crown.

Trainer Bob Baffert holds a pair of aces in Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Authentic, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, and Thousand Words.

Thousand Words was out early in the morning, and Authentic went out after the renovation break around 8:30 a.m. along with Art Collector, Jesus' Team, Liveyourbeastlife, Mr. Big News, and Pneumatic.

"Both horses looked good out here. This track is soft. I've always loved this surface," Baffert said. "It's quiet here, and the weather is perfect. The horses love it. They feel good and happy."

Both horses schooled around 1:15 p.m. during the second race at Pimlico and will be saddled in the indoor paddock Saturday afternoon. Baffert kept a keen eye on Albaugh Family and Spendthrift Farm's Thousand Words, who flipped in the paddock at Churchill Downs and was a late scratch from the Derby. Both horses were calm, cool, and professional as they made several laps around the indoor saddling area at Old Hilltop.

Baffert was hopeful the son of Pioneerof the Nile and Authentic, a son of Into Mischief , have continued to mature as the classic 3-year-old season stretches into early October during an unprecedented season affected by COVID-19.

"Mentally, horses are more mature; they are older now and are at an age they can run with older horses," he said. "It's really helped a horse like Authentic. It's really helped him. He was a late foal and a little immature. He still looks at everything a little bit. You can see the horses as they go around out there that they are more mature."

As for tomorrow: "They'll gallop and then (I'll) start fretting."

Bret Calhoun was pleased with the morning exercise put in by Allied Racing Stable's Mr. Big News.

"Everything was routine today. He was really getting across the ground well," the trainer said. "It seems like he's happy here where everything has gone as planned. I don't have any complaints. I like the way he's coming into the race. I like the way he made the trip up here and the way he's gotten around the track."

Calhoun also had praise for the surface:

"The track here is very kind; it's a very soft surface. We were out yesterday in the slop, and I thought the track was very, very good considering how wet it was. It had a good bottom to it. A drying-out surface today. It had a lot of moisture in it, but it was very fluffy; you couldn't hear the horses hitting the ground; it was very kind. I assume by Saturday it will be a lot tighter and faster.

"I think this horse likes something tight. I don't think he likes a cuppy racetrack, and I think this racetrack will be tight and fast and to his liking Saturday."

Mr. Big News came from 10th to run third in the Run for the Roses. His move on the turn was bold and sweeping under Gabe Saez. The game plan is to take back from post 2 Saturday.

"We don't have to concern ourselves too much with the pace; we're going to be closing," Calhoun said. We aren't going to have to make those hard decisions early like some of them are.

"Personally, I don't think there is anybody who can run with Authentic. I think he's just too fast for them. There are a few in there that can be close if they want to be, and they are going to have to make some hard decisions right out of the gate whether they want to press him or lay off. If you leave him alone, he makes the lead pretty easy, and if you press him, you are liable to be in chase mode and empty out. Hopefully, someone else will do the heavy lifting for me"

Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver was out before dawn Thursday morning.

"She's an early bird. She likes to eat early, train early, get back and rest," trainer Ken McPeek said. "She always has been in the first set. She never misses an oat; she makes my job easy.

"She's doing super. Yesterday the track was really sloppy; today it was good. She had a nice open gallop. She galloped a mile and a half, and it was basic stuff. She had a nice breeze last week at Churchill Downs. The rest of it is up to Robby (Albarado) and getting out there in the game Saturday."