Preakness Stakes horse racing betting just got better; Classic Empire will join Always Dreaming in the Second Jewel of the Triple Crown, and he’s not alone either.
Classic Empire
The Kentucky Derby did not go quite as fans betting on race horses would have hoped or expected for the Pioneer of the Nile colt. There was a domino effect at the start of the race of which Classic Empire took the brunt. Irish War Cry, in the 17th position, ducked to the inside and pushed over number 16 Tapwrit, resulting of which No. 15 McCracken hit Classic Empire hard. The Mark Casse-trained colt sustained superficial cuts on his legs and a swollen eye. Nonetheless, Classic still managed to finish the Run of the Roses in fourth place. Empire could become the eighth juvenile male champion to the Preakness Stakes since the Eclipse Awards were introduced in 1971, and thus join such select company as Secretariat, Affirmed, and American Pharoah – all Triple Crown winner, which of course Classic Empire can no longer be.
Gunnevera
Gunnie is the El Mariachi of race horses, earning $1.2 million on a $16,000 investment. We’ll bet whoever sold that horse is kicking themselves now. As a matter of fact, batting a light bulb must be the only thing that cheers them up right now. Then again, Gunnevera came empty handed – or empty hoofed, as the case may be – out of the Derby, finishing in seventh place. The Dialed In colt is known to be a horse racing betting late runner who rallied for third after finding himself too far back in the Florida Derby, but he was never really in contention at Churchill Downs. Gunnie won the 2016 Delta Jackpot and fans betting on race horses would not be surprised if he followed in the footsteps of Exaggerator, who won the 2015 Delta Jackpot and the 2016 Preakness.
Lookin at Lee
This colt’s sire, Lookin At Lucky, won the 2010 Preakness Stakes. Lookin at Lee was the Kentucky Derby runner-up behind Always Dreaming, and has taken in more stakes than a kevlar vest-wearing vampire. Lookin won the Ellis Park Juvenile, came in second in the Iroquois and Breeders’ Futurity, and finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile behind Breeders’ Futurity winner Classic Empire.
Royal Mo
The bay son of Uncle Mo has never won outside the state of California, but he has also finished outside the top three once – a ninth-place in the Rebel Stakes on March 18th at Oaklawn Park. Royal was second in his first two starts, and broke his maiden with a gate-to-wire showing over an off track at Del Mar. He started 2017 off on the right hoof with a win in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes in February, and recovered from the Rebel with a third place in Santa Anita.
Hence
This Street Colt boss not only failed to overcome horse racing betting odds, but he also couldn’t beat the traffic at the Kentucky Derby. As fans betting on race horses might remember, Hence was winless in three starts as a juvenile but has won two races as a three-year-old.
