Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not run in the Preakness Stakes

Wealthy Strike, the longshot winner of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, will skip subsequent week’s Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. The stunning announcement got here Thursday afternoon in a information launch from proprietor Rick Dawson.

“Our unique plan for Wealthy Strike was contingent on the Kentucky Derby, ought to we not run within the Derby we might level towards the Preakness, ought to we run within the Derby, topic to the race end result and the situation of our horse, we might give him extra restoration time and relaxation and run within the Belmont, or one other race and keep on the right track to run in 5 or 6 weeks relaxation between races,” Dawson mentioned.

“Clearly, with our large effort and win within the Derby it’s very, very tempting to change our course and run within the Preakness at Pimlico, which might be a fantastic honor for all our group, nevertheless, after a lot dialogue and consideration with my coach, Eric Reed and some others, we’re going to stick with our plan of what’s greatest for Ritchie is what’s greatest for our group, and go on operating within the Preakness, and level towards the Belmont in roughly 5 weeks.”

The horse, regardless of successful the Kentucky Derby, was probably not the favourite for the second leg of the Triple Crown. Epicenter, second within the Kentucky Derby, was the probably favourite with different betting motion on Wayne Lukas’ filly Secret Oath and fourth-place Derby finisher Simplification.

The final time a Kentucky Derby winner didn’t run within the Preakness was in 2019 when Nation Home, who was given the Derby win after the disqualification of Most Safety, was mentioned to have a cough after the race. He by no means ran once more.

Earlier than that it’s important to return to 1996 when Grindstone missed the Preakness with a bone chip in his knee.

Wealthy Strike would be the sixth winner in about six many years to skip the Preakness.