The King Cheek Opens Preakness Card With Sir Barton Win
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Photo: Will Alberts/Maryland Jockey Club
The King Cheek (left) edges Hozier in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
If the start of the 146th Preakness Day card is any indication of what’s to come, it could be an agonizing day for trainer Bob Baffert.
The May 15 program at Pimlico Race Course kicked off with Baffert sending out the 3-5 favorite Hozier in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance for 3-year-olds, but at the end of a close and exciting stretch duel, The King Cheek edged past the grade 2-placed colt to record a head victory.
“He ran a very good race,” assistant trainer Jim Barnes said about Hozier, runner-up in the Rebel Stakes (G2). “(Jockey Joel Rosario) thought he made the right move getting down towards the inside, but give a lot of credit to the horse that won. He fought back and passed us.”
The winner was more unlikely than his 5-1 odds.
When trainer Jamie Ness dropped a $25,000 claim slip on The King Cheek Sept. 30 at Delaware Park, he cringed when the New York-bred son of Laoban ran sixth by 13 3/4 lengths in a maiden race.
“There was a five-way shake for him and he ran terrible,” Ness said. “I told my owner, ‘Go lose the shake.”’
He didn’t. The King Cheek went to Morris Kernan and promptly won his next start.
After The King Cheek won a May 3 starter race at Parx Racing for Kernan and Jagger Inc., Ness was uncertain of the next race for the gelding bred by Pucker Ridge Farm, until the Pimlico racing office convinced him to run against a short cast in the Sir Barton.
“You just never know,” Ness said. “I’ve claimed a lot of horses, and you just never know.”
The King Cheek covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.81 under Jaime Rodriguez and paid $10.40 to win for his fourth victory in nine career starts.
With Baffert in California, Barnes will saddle Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Medina Spirit and Concert Tour in the Preakness Stakes (G1).