From the Derby to Preakness—Who’s Going from Florida

The Triple Crown action is moving from the Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., to Pimlico in Baltimore where the Preakness (Grade 1)will be run on May 20.

This past Saturday’s Kentucky Derby had ten horses that raced  at  Gulfstream Park and/or at Tampa Bay Downs.

Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming raced at both Florida tracks.  He won a maiden race at Tampa Bay, an optional claiming race at Gulfstream and the Florida Derby (Grade 1) at Gulfstream.

Here is where the ten “Florida horses” finished in the Kentucky  Derby, along with an early look at whether they will run in the  Preakness.

Preakness status as of Monday and is  based on information the Churchill Downs and Pimlico media offices received from trainers.

Derby Finish   Horse                   Status for Preakness

First – Always Dreaming              almost certain

Fourth -- Classic  Empire                  very likely

Fifth --  Practical Joke                  unlikely

Sixth – Tapwrit                            unlikely

Seventh – Gunnevera                  50 percent chance

Eighth  -- McCraken                   very unlikely

Tenth --   Irish War Cry              very unlikely

Fourteenth --  Patch                         unlikely

Seventeenth – Fast and Accurate    very unlikely

Nineteenth – State of Honor            very unlikely

--Jim Freer