2015 Preakness Stakes

140th running of the Preakness Stakes May 2015 140th Preakness Stakes Preakness Stakes 2015-preakness-logo.png "The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown""The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" Dirt Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, United States May 16, 2015 American Pharoah 1:58.46 0.9-1 Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert Zayat Stables, LLC Sloppy 131,680 (record at the time) 2014 2016 The 2015 Preakness Stakes, (run as the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes due to sponsorship), was the 140th running of the Preakness Stakes, promoted as the "middle jewel""Press release", Pimlico Race Course Preakness web site, February 18, 2015. of thoroughbred horse racing's traditional Triple Crown, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. The race was held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 16, 2015, and was televised on NBC. The event carried a $1,500,000 purse. The winner was American Pharoah, who won by seven lengths with jockey Victor Espinoza aboard.https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/sports/preakness-2015-american-pharoah-wins-second-leg-of-triple-crown.html Preakness 2015: American Pharoah Wins Second Leg of Triple Crown Melissa Hoppert The New York Times May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 The win by American Pharoah set up an attempt for the Triple Crown for the second time in two years. The Maryland Jockey Club reported a track record total attendance of 131,680, the second highest attendance for American thoroughbred racing events in North America during 2015.2015 Preakness Stakes Media Guide; page 97. Pre-race Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed on May 3 that the 2015 Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah came out of the Derby in good health and would be running the Preakness Stakes.https://sports.yahoo.com/news/american-pharoah-rules-derby-next-stop-preakness-021911381--rah.html American Pharoah rules Derby, next stop Preakness May 3, 2015 May 3, 2015 Yahoo Sports Reuters Larry Fine The connections of the other top three finishers, Firing Line and Dortmund, announced they would challenge in the event.http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91779/preakness-could-be-rematch-for-derby-top-3 Tale of Verve Among 22 Entered for KY Derby Blood-Horse.com April 29, 2015 April 29, 2015 Mitchell Ron Two contenders that did not appear in the Kentucky Derby were announced as probable entrants in late April: Grade III Lexington Stakes winner Divining Rod (owned by Lael Stable, trained by Arnaud Delacour, bred by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jackson, ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux) and Listed Stakes Federico Tesio Stakes winner at Pimlico Bodhisattva (owned and trained by Jose Corrales, ridden by jockey Trevor McCarthy). A week prior to the Preakness, other contenders were announced. These included fifth-placed Kentucky Derby competitor Danzig Moon and the also-eligible Tale of Verve who did not start in the Derby.http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91915/preakness-stakes-hopefuls-remain-on-target Preakness Stakes Hopefuls Remain On Target Blood-Horse.com May 11, 2015 May 11, 2015 Blood-Horse Staff The draw for the race was held on May 13 and eight horses were entered.http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91945/mr-z-bought-by-calumet-entered-in-preakness Mr. Z Bought by Calumet, Entered in Preakness Blood-Horse.com May 13, 2015 May 13, 2015 Mitchell Ron This was the smallest field in 15 years.https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/american-pharoah-heads-small-field-horses-preakness-31017108 American Pharoah Heads Small Field of 8 Horses in Preakness Associated Press ABC News May 17, 2015 American Pharoah drew the pole position and was installed as the morning line favorite.http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91955/american-pharoah-draws-post-1-for-preakness American Pharoah Draws Post 1 for Preakness Blood-Horse May 14, 2015 May 13, 2015 LaMarra Tom All entries carried 126 pounds.http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/PIM051615USA13.pdf Pimlico Race 13 May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 Equibase https://web.archive.org/web/20150518094126/http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/PIM051615USA13.pdf dead May 18, 2015 http://pro.drf.com/results/tracks/PIM/country/USA/date/05-16-2015 Results - Horse Racing - Daily Racing Form Daily Racing Form May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 Race description thumb|right|250px|A thunderstorm before the race made the dirt track very muddy. thumb|right|250px|American Pharoah led throughout the race. Immediately prior to post time, the skies opened up with a heavy downpour and thunder, changing the track conditions.http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/american-pharoah-races-preakness-victory-driving-rain-article-1.2225060 Preakness Stakes: American Pharoah races to victory in driving rain to set up Triple Crown shot at Belmont Bossert, Jerry May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 The Daily News (New York) The infield and grandstands were evacuated shortly before post time due to concerns about spectators being struck by lightning.Payne Marissa Preakness infield evacuated due to lightning, but the race went on https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2015/05/16/preakness-infield-evacuated-due-to-lightning-but-the-race-went-on/ May 17, 2015 The Washington Post May 16, 2015 The last time the Preakness had been run on a sloppy track was in 1983.http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/05/live_updates_preakness_stakes.html Live updates: Preakness Stakes 2015 – American Pharoah breezes to win, Triple Crown hopes alive AL.com May 17, 2015 May 17, 2015 American Pharoah was the only horse in the field to have previously won under such conditions, having won the Rebel Stakes on a sloppy track.http://www.nj.com/horse-racing/index.ssf/2015/05/preakness_stakes_2015_with_rain_in_forecast_how_did_american_pharoah_run_on_last_sloppy_track_video.html 2015 Preakness Stakes forecast: How does American Pharoah run on sloppy track? (VIDEO) NJ.com May 12, 2015 May 17, 2015 He had the lead within the first quarter-mile and was challenged by Mr. Z early on, but held the lead on the inside throughout the race. He was challenged by Dortmund and then Divining Rod, but American Pharoah broke from the pack in the homestretch and won by seven lengths, as Tale of Verve made a strong rally to overtake Divining Rod to place. Firing Line slipped badly at the start and was eased in the stretch. Baffert commented on American Pharoah's race, "when I saw those ears go up [on the backside of the track], I thought, ‘Oh, yeah. Oh yeah.’” The win by American Pharoah set up an attempt for the Triple Crown for the second time in two years. Due to weather conditions, the winning time of 1:58.46 was the slowest time since Hill Prince won in 1950 with a time of 1:59.20, and well off the record, set by Secretariat in 1973, of 1:53.00.http://www.drf.com/news/secretariat-awarded-preakness-record-153-after-review Secretariat awarded Preakness record at 1:53 after review Hegarty, Matt June 19, 2012 Daily Racing Form June 3, 2015 The intensity of the rain was described in a post-race interview by Firing Line's rider, Gary Stevens, who explained that he weighed in at 120 pounds with equipment prior to the race, but was 135 pounds afterwards—without his helmet—and needed to empty water out of his riding boots following his weigh-out. Stevens added that the conditions made little difference to the outcome, however, saying "it would take a super horse to beat what might be a super horse in American Pharoah."http://www.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/stevens-it-would-take-super-horse-beat-super-horse Stevens: It would take a super horse to beat a super horse NBC Sports May 17, 2015 The city of Baltimore had been in a state of tension due to the death of Freddie Gray and surrounding civil disorder, and the Preakness was the state's major one-day sporting event, viewed as critical in the healing process for the city. Concerns existed because the track was only three miles from the Mondawmin Mall, where there had been riots. Pimlico's former vice-president for communications, Mike Gathagan, stated to ESPN, "I think sports, like ... the Preakness can help bring back normalcy...It could help start the healing process..."http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/blog/_/name/ehalt_bob/id/12864995/preakness-added-importance-baltimore https://web.archive.org/web/20150514151740/http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/blog/_/name/ehalt_bob/id/12864995/preakness-added-importance-baltimore dead May 14, 2015 Preakness has added importance for Baltimore Ehalt, Bob ESPN May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, in awarding the traditional Woodlawn Vase replica to American Pharoah's owner, Ahmed Zayat, stated, "It's a great day for Baltimore, a great day for Maryland."http://www.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/american-pharoah-team-accepts-preakness-trophy American Pharoah team accepts Preakness trophy NBC Sports May 16, 2015 May 17, 2015 Comparing the 2015 Preakness to the post-9/11 home run of Mike Piazza, ESPN's Bob Ehalt wrote, "for that reason alone, this could be the biggest and most important Preakness ever." The full chart FinishPositionMargin (lengths)PostPositionHorse nameJockeyTrainerOwnerMorning LineOddsPost TimeOddsStakes101 American Pharoah Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert Zayat Stables, LLC0.84-50.90$900,000275 Tale of Verve Brian Hernandez, Jr. Dallas Stewart Charles E. Fipke3030-128.50$300,000387 Divining Rod Javier Castellano Arnaud Delacour Lael Stables1212-112.60$165,000415 1 22 Dortmund Martin Garcia jockey Bob Baffert Kaleem Shah3.57-24.50$90,000517 1 43 Mr. Z Ramon A. Vazquez D. Wayne Lukas Calumet Farm2020-116.40$45,000618 1 44 Danzig Moon Julien Leparoux Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley1515-113.407458 Firing Line Gary Stevens Gary Stevens (jockey) Simon Callaghan Arnold Zetcher, LLC44-13.00848 1 46 Bodhisattva Trevor McCarthy Trevor McCarthy (jockey) Jose Corrales horse trainer Jose Corrales2020-129.90 Winning owner and breeder: Zayat Stables, LLC Final time: 1:58.46 Margins: 7 lengths, 1 length Track: Sloppy Attendance: 131,680 Payout The 140th Preakness payout schedule Pgm Horse Win Place Show 1 American Pharoah $3.80 $3.40 $2.805 Tale of Verve – $19.00 $8.807 Divining Rod – – $5.20 $2 Exacta (1-5) $124.40 $2 Trifecta (1-5-7) $985.00 $1 Superfecta (1-5-7-2) $1,906.90 See also 2015 Kentucky Derby 2015 Belmont Stakes References 2 Category:Preakness Stakes races Preakness Stakes Preakness Stakes Category:2010s in Baltimore Category:May 2015 sports events in the United States