Exaggerator Spoils Triple Crown Bid
We'll have to get used to waiting to see another triple-crown winner as Exaggerator overcame favorite Nyquist to capture the Preakness Stakes in sloppy conditions.
"I had a dream trip today," jockey Kent Desormeaux said. "It was an amazing race, and Exaggerator is an amazing horse."
The best closing horse in the field, Exaggerator failed to beat his rival Nyquist in their five previous starts against each other. None of which came on a sloppy track.
"To me, it looked like Nyquist was trying to establish an outward position, maybe in the four path," Desormeaux said. "He was jockeying for position all the way down the back side. And Exaggerator just kind of slid up the fence to the far turn, where I actually got to slow him down and say, 'Whenever I'm ready.'"
The 5-2 second choice, Exaggerator returned $7.20, $3.20 and $2.40. Cherry Wine returned $9.80 and $4.20, and Nyquist paid $2.20 to show.
The Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, will be run June 11. Both Exaggerator and Nyquist are expected to be in the field.