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Giacomo Tries to Win Some Respect, Preakness© Greg Melikov
May 16, 2005
Giacomo faces a tough test in the 130th Preakness Stakes and, like the late Rodney Dangerfield, tries to win some respect.
Let's remember two horses that paid big bucks in the Kentucky Derby during the past six years took the Preakness: War Emblem, favored in 2002 after returning $43 at Churchill Downs, and Charismatic, $64.60 at Louisville, who went off at more than 8-1 in 1999. Bold Venture, who also paid $43 at Louisville, won in '36.
Three other Derby longshots ran third while only Dark Star, $51.80, finished out of the money in '53. Three didn't run at Pimlico, including Donerail, whose $184.90 was the highest payoff in 131 derbies.
A good omen for Giacomo is the Kentucky Derby winner has captured the Preakness six times in the last eight years. While he won't pay anywhere near the $102.60 he returned on May 7, he most likely won't be favored either.
Racing guru Andy "Speed Figures" Beyer points out the final half-mile of the Derby was run in 53 seconds, the slowest over a fast track since '74 when Canonnade defeated 22 challengers in 2:04 flat. In addition, the final quarter-mile went in a dawdling 26 seconds.
He points out that Giacomo's final time of 2:02 3/5 translates into a Beyer Speed Figure off 100 - the worst in 20 years. Two years ago, Buddy Gil earned the same speed rating staggering home in sixth.
So who has the best chance to score on Saturday? Frankly, several horses that bit the dust at Churchill Downs can bounce back.
Since the mid-1980s, four top Derby contenders not only regained their form to the capture the Preakness, three weeks later they won the Belmont Stakes: Risen Star, '88; Hansel, '91; Tabasco Cat, '94; and Point Given, '01.
Afleet Alex, a game third behind Giacomo beaten a length, probably will go off as the lukewarm favorite. The son of Northern Afleet rebounded from a dismal showing in his next-to-last prep race running away from the Arkansas Derby field by eight lengths.
High Fly, who led by a head after a mile but faded to 10th in the final quarter-mile, couldn't buck the jinx of no horse winning the Derby off a layoff exceeding five weeks in 49 years.
However, both colts ran faster in their five victories this year than Giacomo did in his eight-race career. High Fly won three of four preps at routes, losing only to Derby runner-up Closing Argument in an extremely wide trip in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
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