What to know about the Preakness: D. Wayne Lukas’ longevity at Pimlico, a father-daughter team, and more
For longevity, for 45 years of training contending horses for this jewel of a race, nobody beats the 89-year-old Lukas.
D. Wayne Lukas is as important to the history of the Preakness Stakes as the bourbon in a black-eyed Susan cocktail.
The trainer’s first horse at the Pimlico race was Codex, in 1980, who won by 4¾ lengths. His most recent entrant, Seize the Grey, ran wire-to-wire to win last year as a 10-1 shot. Paid $21.60, which was nice.
In Saturday’s race, American Promise will be the 49th Preakness horse Lukas has trained. He’s 15-1 in the morning line odds. Of Lukas’ previous 48, he has had seven wins, two seconds, and five that have finished third. That‘s an impressive 29% that have hit the board.
American Promise got cut off at the start of the Kentucky Derby and finished 16th, but Lukas moved on quickly.
“When you have a trip that you could analyze and overanalyze or whatever you want to do, I turn the page and concentrate on this here and what we can get done,” Lukas told Yahoo! Sports. “He did really well [in a Tuesday workout]. He had good energy and everything.”
Bob Baffert has eight Preakness winners among his 27 entries, which is more impressive.
But for longevity, for 45 years of training contending horses for this jewel of a race, nobody beats the 89-year-old Lukas. He started here before the Phillies won their first World Series and is going strong as the Eagles added their second Super Bowl win.
What a ride.
» READ MORE: 2025 Preakness Stakes: Horse-by-horse preview of the Triple Crown race
Horsing around
Saffie Osborne, who is up on Heart of Honor for trainer Jamie Osborne (her father), is the fourth woman to ride at the Preakness. Patricia Cooksey was sixth with Tajawa in 1985, Andrea Seefeldt ran seventh with Looming in 1994, and Rosie Napravnik came in third with Mylute in 2013 and ninth aboard Bayern in 2014.
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Gosger is named for former Major League Baseball outfielder Jim Gosger, who played from 1963-74. He played for five teams, homered off Denny McLain and Whitey Ford, and in 1965 was the last hitter ever to face Satchel Paige. Gosger grounded out.
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Journalism is looking to become the third horse in the last 35 years to win the Preakness after running second in the Kentucky Derby. Exaggerator (2016), Prairie Bayou (1993) and Summer Squall (1990) are the others.
Exaggerator’s last race was the Pennsylvania Derby that year. He ran seventh to winner Connect. Prairie Bayou broke down three weeks later at the Belmont Stakes and had to be euthanized. Summer Squall, whose grandsire was Secretariat, skipped the Belmont but won the Pa. Derby that September. He had 13 wins in 20 races.
How did we do in the Derby?
Reviewing our (generally dreadful) picks for the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago:
Ed Barkowitz, sports writer: Had the No. 10 Grande with the No. 13 Publisher, but Grande wound up getting scratched and Publisher ran 14th. Rodriguez, my pick to finish third, also was scratched. Sandman, my fourth choice ran seventh. Yuck.
Kerith Gabriel, editor: 8-Journalism (second), 1-Citizen Bull (15th), 19-Chunk of Gold (ninth), Sandman (seventh).
Luke Reasoner, sports/news designer: 8-Journalism (second), 17-Sandman (seventh), American Promise (16th), 18-Sovereignty (first).