Preakness Horses Matched With a Musician Equivalent
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The Preakness Stakes has strong ties to the musical landscape with the annual Infieldfest serving as a launching pad for many emerging superstars. The race itself is the perfect platform to create a “rock star” of a horse. The Brand Ambassadors did a little brainstorming and found some serious similarities between this year’s Preakness field and some of music’s most recognizable names. Here is what ensued:
Dynamic Impact - Pharrell
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Armed with plenty of talent, Dynamic Impact mulled around in 3-year-old Thoroughbred limbo, before capturing a his first major victory in the Illinois Derby.
Pharrell played a supporting role in many songs and finally broke through on his own with his latest hit, “Happy”.
Dynamic Impact would make his owners plenty “Happy” if he could steal a victory in the Preakness.
Nobody wants to be remembered as a one-hit wonder, so both Dynamic Impact and Pharrell still have a bit to prove before establishing themselves as elite in their respective fields.
General a Rod - Jason Derulo
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Both found early success in South Florida. General a Rod was victorious in the Gulfstream Park Derby on Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park and Jason Derulo was born and raised nearby in Miami.
Derulo has taken the pop music world by storm with his hit single "Talk Dirty,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 list in 2013.
General a Rod attempted to "talk derby" two weeks ago but finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby. Will the Preakness be General A Rod's time to shine?
California Chrome - Adam Levine
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California Chrome is a popular star who was born in California.
Adam Levine also is a popular star who was born in California.
California Chrome made his debut under the radar and slowly reached stardom about a year after his debut.
Adam Levine (Maroon 5) debuted under the radar and the album slowly grew in popularity until it turned into a hit two years after its debut.
California Chrome proved to have some smooth moves on the racetrack.
Adam Levine sings about having “Moves Like Jagger”.
Ring Weekend - Jimi Hendrix
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Jimi Hendrix entered the United States Military in 1961 at the age of 19, where he was stationed in Fort Campbell, Ky.
Ring Weekend is owned in part by West Point Thoroughbreds, which takes its name from the United States Military Academy.
Ring Weekend also spent time in Kentucky. He was born at Gainesway Farm in Lexington.
Hendrix is widely known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time ... his guitar playing was “magical”.
Ring Weekend also is a bit magical as a graded stakes winner out of a mare named Free the Magic.
Hendrix is in the United Kingdom Music Hall of Fame
Ring Weekend’s trainer, Graham Motion, is from the United Kingdom.
Bayern - Justin Bieber
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It’s all in the pedigree. Bayern is by Offlee Wild out of Alittlebitearly, who is by Thunder Gulch. That pedigree sounds like a rock star.
Who fits the pedigree? We know Justin Bieber is an energetic guy who’s shown he can be “Offlee Wild”.
Bieber has gotten in some trouble ‘Alittlebitearly’ in his career (he's only 20 years old).
Bieber has been spotted attending Oklahoma City 'Thunder' (Gulch) games from time to time.
Ria Antonia - Shania Twain
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Ria Antonia began her career racing at Woodbine in Canada.
Shania Twain, who is a lover of horses, also began her career in her native Canada.
Ria Antonia’s breakout performance was her win in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Shania Twain’s was a breakout artist when her debut album became the best-selling album of all time by a female artist.
Some of Shania’s most popular songs are “From This Moment On,” “You’re Still the One” and “I Ain't No Quitter”.
Ria Antonia is trying to prove that she’s no quitter and that from this moment on she’s still the one that ran a big effort in the Breeders’ Cup.
Kid Cruz - Ricky Martin
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Kid Cruz is named after the football player Victor Cruz, who has a very popular touchdown salsa dance celebration.
Who else is a superstar salsa performer? Ricky Martin.
Ricky Martin’s biggest hits include “La Bomba (The Bomb)” and “Livin’ La Vida Loca”.
Kid Cruz is looking to upset the Preakness as a longshot bomb. If they get the win, Victor Cruz might show the connections some salsa moves and party like he’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca”.
Social Inclusion - Lenny Kravitz
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Unraced at 2, Social Inclusion and Lenny Kravitz both again their careers at the age of three.
Social Inclusion debuted in February of this year, Kravitz began crafting his musical skills by learning how to play the drums at the age of 3.
Social Inclusion is no stranger to running at a fast pace as he set a new track record at Gulfstream Park with a time of 1:40.97 for 1 1/16 miles on the main track in March.
Lenny Kravitz is known for his fast-paced music that is very "inclusive" of a number of different genres ranging from Rock to Funk to R&B to Folk.
At 5-to-1 odds, Social Inclusion is the second favorite on the morning line for Saturday's Preakness Stakes - is he going to be the one challenge California Chrome and "Fly Away" with the win? We shall see!
Pablo Del Monte - Pitbull
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Both the horse and rap mogul are Florida born and raised.
Pitbull chose his stage name after that breed of dog’s fierce, determined mentality.
Pablo Del Monte’s trainer, Wesley Ward, passed up an entry in the Kentucky Derby, choosing instead to prime Pablo Del Monte for a trip to the Preakness.
Pitbull’s lyrics are usually delivered in a speedy fashion and Pablo Del Monte is widely regarded as one of the race’s speed horses.
Ride On Curlin - Johnny Cash
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Johnny Cash is a native of the state of Arkansas.
Ride On Curlin spent the winter in Arkansas, where he was second in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
Johnny Cash often portrayed an “outlaw image.”
Ride On Curlin is also a bit of an outlaw, being notoriously ornery around the barn with a habit of biting!
Johnny Cash was a “rags to riches” story, having become one of the most popular musicians of all time after humble beginnings as a cotton picker.
Ride On Curlin could also be a “rags to riches” story, having cost only $25,000 at auction even though he was sired by champion Curlin.