Zipse: Preakness participants shine brightly in the Ohio Derby

Photo:

Casey Laughter / Eclipse Sportswire

This year’s Preakness Stakes was advertised as the weak sister of the 2026 Triple Crown series. While Golden Tempo, Renegade, Commandment, and Chief Wallabee all took a hard pass on the middle jewel, they still ran the race at Laurel Park. The brunt of jokes before and after Napoleon Solo’s victory, the Preakness may yet enjoy the last laugh.

While Napoleon Solo and Iron Honor, the top two finishers from Maryland’s classic, will wait for the $1 million Haskell (G1) next month at Monmouth Park, Saturday’s $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) attracted a solid field of 3-year-old males to Thistledown. Included in the group was a quartet coming straight out of the Preakness, led by Chip Honcho and Ocelli.

Bull by the Horns and Robusta were longshots off their results at Laurel and they ran like it in Ohio. Chip Honcho and Ocelli, on the other hand, were well supported on Saturday after running third and fourth in the Preakness.

After the pair put away the favored Desert Gate at the top of the stretch, they battled it out down the lane. In the end, it was Chip Honcho getting the better of his rival late to pull clear to a one-length score in the Ohio Derby. The Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Trendsetter was able to rally and get by the favorite for third, but this really was a two-horse race down the Thistledown stretch.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden again by Jose Ortiz, Chip Honcho earned his second stakes win of his career, and his first of his sophomore season with the performance. 

Before his solid third-place effort in the Preakness behind Napoleon Solo and Iron Honor, the son of Connect had run several good efforts in New Orleans, including a win in the Gun Runner and a strong second-place performance behind Paladin and ahead of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes hero Golden Tempo in the Risen Star (G2).

Despite his solid racing at Fair Grounds the decision was made to skip the Kentucky Derby with Chip Honcho and point for the Preakness instead. That decision already seems to be paying dividends.

On Saturday, he was steadied just a bit heading into the first turn but had already been asked to keep off the early lead set by Robusta. His ability to stalk from just off the pace in his last two races has seemingly made him a better and more dangerous horse.

When Ocelli rolled by him on the turn, he had to come up with a strong stretch drive to win and he did just that. Other than the Louisiana Derby, where he was hung out to dry a little bit early and faded to fifth, Chip Honcho has run nothing but good races in his career and looks to continue to be a player in the division as we move into the second half of the season.

As for Ocelli, I must admit that he was the one I was pulling for in the Ohio Derby. Also a son of the Curlin stallion Connect, he is a horse that I find it impossible not to root for.

After Saturday’s strong run for second, Ocelli has now run nine times in his career and remains winless. Sent off as the third choice in the Ohio Derby behind Desert Gate and Chip Honcho, the maiden once again ran a big race in defeat.

After displaying some rallying talent in his first three career starts, it has been a steady diet of stakes races and tough competition for the Whit Beckman-trained runner.

Even in the Sam F. Davis, won by Renegade, and the Virginia Derby, won by Incredibolt, Ocelli made his move from behind, but in both races, he was too immature to handle any adversity, and he backed out down the lane.

Undeterred, his connections were willing to keep trying. A solid rally to be third in the Wood Memorial (G2) was enough to get him into the Run for the Roses and his connections took full advantage. He actually briefly led in the stretch run of the Kentucky Derby, before finishing third as the longest shot on the board.

No horse was able to make up much ground in the Preakness, but Ocelli was the best of the late-runners, checking in 4th of 14. In the first two legs of the Triple Crown, the maiden finished ahead of all but 5 of the 30 horses he faced. 

In the Ohio Derby, he had a wide trip and came with his patented rally under rider Tyler Gaffalione but could not hold off Chip Honcho in an exciting battle.

Despite still being winless in nine career starts, Ocelli has amassed $829,800. Not bad for a maiden, and not bad for a horse that was originally purchased for $12,000 as a yearling.

I cannot recall a maiden ever reaching the $1 million mark in earnings. I believe Ocelli has a chance to be the first. With a demanding schedule and a consistent far turn rally, it has been fun to watch the ride.

Chip Honcho and Ocelli, coming out of good efforts at Laurel Park, absolutely dominated Saturday’s Ohio Derby. Maybe we should start taking a more positive view of the 2026 Preakness Stakes.