Connecticut
National Treasure Crowned Winner of 148th Preakness Stakes
The second jewel of the Triple Crown has been won by National Treasure.
National Treasure won the 148th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., edging second-place Blazing Sevens and third-place Mage.
National Treasure, beginning from post position No. 1, essentially led the entire 1 3/16 miles of the race, with Blazing Sevens (post position No. 7 and 9-2 odds) making it interesting during the final push. Both horses made even contact at the end in a final bid to gain leverage, but National Treasure held off the competition for the win.
Jockey John Velazquez — a Puerto Rico native — will collect $990,000 for the win, with the total purse being $1.5 million. For comparison’s sake, the total purse from the Kentucky Derby was $3 million. The win also marked Velazquez’s first win in the Preakness. The Hall of Fame jockey has previously won three Kentucky Derbies and two Belmont Stakes.
Trainer Bob Baffert also recorded his eighth Preakness win, his last since 2018. It’s also his 17th total in the Triple Crown series.
Mage, winner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby, entered Saturday’s race as the favorite, but finished third after failing to cover any ground during the key pushes around the track, particularly the final one that saw Mage and jockey Javier Castellano win at Churchill Downs.
Following the Preakness is the Belmont Stakes, which will take place on June 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Belmont is the third and final jewel of the Triple Crown series and measures a mile and a half, the longest of the trio.
Connecticut
D.C. scrapped plan for Connecticut Ave. bike lane. Lawmakers want it back.
In 2021, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) announced plans for a 2.7-mile bike lane that would run from Calvert Street NW in Woodley Park to Legation Street NW in Chevy Chase. The plan — supported by bicycling advocates and intended to boost bike safety — was estimated to cost $7.7 million, and would have eliminated more than 300 parking spaces and cut lane capacity for vehicles in half. It was opposed by business owners, who claimed the lane would affect their customers. A D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) official told legislators last month that the plan had been scuttled.
Connecticut
Readers speak: Connecticut should be more focused on business growth
Connecticut should be more focused on business growth
Thank you Gov. Ned Lamont for discouraging the use of public funds for union strike payments. Public funds should never be used to pick sides in the employer – employee negotiation process. Connecticut has a poor reputation for being a smart place to start a business. Therefore, pandering to unions in support of strike actions needs to be stopped. Yes, Democrats love to push union interests, but perhaps, Connecticut could become more aspirational and focused on business growth by siding with entrepreneurs and innovators. That certainly would show a better understanding of competitive positioning, rather than squandering taxpayer funds on political point making and strike disruptions.
Richard Carreau, Old Lyme
Trump facing justice
Trump’s most avid supporters echo his claim that he is the innocent victim of a corrupt legal system in the hands of left-wing villains. Some of his Evangelical supporters even claim that, like Christ, Trump struggles beneath the weight of the cross of blind malice. But for most Americans, Trump’s predicament is less like Christ’s and more like Bernie Madoff’s. Trump is now, like Madoff, being brought to account, and yes, he, too, has become a target of the same system of justice that sent Madoff to prison. Christ is said to have died for our sins. Trump is no Christ figure and calling him one is an insult to Christ and to authentic Christians throughout the world.
Jack Pasanen, Burlington
Connecticut
Connecticut Sun And Turnovers Spoil Caitlin Clark’s WNBA Debut
The lead-up to Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut was hot. Clark’s debut, on the other hand, was cold.
Following a legendary run for the Iowa Hawkeyes, expectations were sky-high for the new Indiana Fever star.
Clark faced the Connecticut Sun before a sold-out, 10,000-person crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena. She finished the games (a 92-71 loss) with 20 points (5-of-15).
During the third quarter, Clark’s turnover near the halfcourt line made her dad, Brent, shake his head with dismay.
Tuesday’s game was a stark contrast to Clark’s first game in the WNBA preseason, in which she scored 21 points, 16 of which came in the first half.
READ: Caitlin Clark Crushes In WNBA Indiana Fever Debut, Drops 16 Points In First Half
Connecticut’s fast-break offense broke the Fever. Indiana matched or beat Connecticut on the boards and three-point shooting; ultimately, the Sun starters had more offensive juice than Clark and the rest of the Fever’s cast.
Sun starter Dewanna Bonner passed former Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever player Candice Dupree on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list with her 6,897th point against the Fever on Tuesday. Bonner finished with 20 points in the game. Four of Connecticut’s starters finished in double digits.
Clark’s first game in the pros was highlighted by her high number of turnovers against the Sun. She turned the ball over nine times, a WNBA record for a player’s debut.
Clark unquestionably suffered the dreaded ‘learning curve’ expected ahead of her debut.
Don’t expect Caitlin to have ‘sea legs’ for long. For now, the Sun team spoiled Clark’s big day.
Clark and the Fever take on the New York Liberty on Saturday.
Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Send a message: alejandro.avila@outkick.com
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