Preakness News - Super Saver, 8 Others Arrive

Wednesday, May 12

 

DERBY STAR SUPER SAVER MAKES THE SCENE AT PIMLICO

ACCOMPANIED BY EIGHT OTHER PREAKNESS HOPEFULS

           

BALTIMORE, Md. – Super Saver, who captured the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1, arrived at Pimlico Race Course Wednesday afternoon in a quest to add Saturday’s 135^th Preakness Stakes to his Triple Crown resume.

The Todd Pletcher-trained colt was just one of nine Preakness entrants on a Baltimore-bound flight that originated in Southern California and stopped in Louisville, Ky., where the Santa Anita-based Caracortado was joined by the Derby winner, Lookin At Lucky, Paddy O’Prado, First Dude, Jackson Bend, Aikenite, Pleasant Prince and Yawanna Twist.

The flight landed at approximately 2 p.m. at Baltimore-Washington International, where Super Saver and his travel companions were loaded onto four vans. A police escort led the first van, whose passengers included the Derby winner, through the Pimlico stable gate at 3:36 p.m., quickly followed by the precious cargo of three more vans.

                        Super Saver was the fourth horse led off the Brook Ledge horse van and would subsequently be bedded down in Stall 40 of the Preakness Stakes Barn, the traditional stall of the Kentucky Derby winner.

            Pletcher, who will also saddle Aikenite for a start in his search for his first Preakness victory, expressed delight with the manner in which his horses handled the trip.

            “It was one of those trips that went perfectly. Everything loaded on time and the flight was on time and the horses seemed like they both shipped well,” said Pletcher, who posed for photographers with the four uniformed members of the Baltimore Police Dept. who had provided the escort. “(Super Saver’s) enthusiasm is good, and his energy is good. So far, that phase of it went well.”

            Lookin At Lucky, who finished sixth as the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby following a rough trip from the No. 1 post position, also met his trainer’s approval after stepping off the van.

“He looks good. He’s happy,” said trainer Bob Baffert, who has saddled four Preakness winners. “I wish I felt that good.”

            Trainer Mike Machowsky reported that Caracortado, who left his Santa Anita barn at 2:45 a.m. Pacific, seemed to handle the cross-country flight in good order.

“Everything seems good,” he said. “He just needs a good bath.”

 

                                      (More)

 

 

D. Wayne Lukas was the first of the Preakness trainers to arrive at Pimlico, after opting to van Dublin and Northern Giant from Churchill Downs on Tuesday. Derek Ryan, a Monmouth Park-based trainer, will ship Schoolyard Dreams Saturday morning for his appearance in the Preakness.

 

                                             ####

 

 

 

 

This e-mail, and any documents or data attached hereto, is intended for the intended recipients only. It may contain confidential and/or privileged information and no rights have been waived by the sender. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby NOTIFIED that any dissemination, distribution, retention, archiving or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify me at the telephone number shown above or by return mail and delete this communication and any copy immediately. MEC provides no assurances that this e-mail and its attachments are virus free; you are responsible for scanning all e-mails and attachments for viruses.  MEC disclaims all liability for damages caused by any virus which may be transmitted by this email.  Thank you.