Behindatthebar out of Preakness, like BB needed it any easier

[covelj70]

Behindatthebar out of Preakness
By DAVID GRENING
BALTIMORE -- Behindatthebar was scratched on Friday from Saturday\'s 133rd Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course because of a bruise in his left front foot, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Behindatthebar trained early Friday morning at Belmont Park, but Pletcher said he was not satisfied with the way Behindatthebar galloped. The foot bruise was subsequently detected.

According to Pletcher, Behindatthebar will now be pointed for a possible run in the June 7 Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown.

Behindatthebar drew post 5 in an original field of 13 for the Preakness. All horses outside of him, including Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, will now move in one slot in the starting gate.

[jbelfior]

Why does this make it any easier?

BATB was not going to be an early pace factor, nor a late one if BB runs his race.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[covelj70]

Well, on the sheets, if BB runs his race, then all discussion about the race is irrelevant.  Obviously, I was referring to if he falters a bit, who could come get him.

[jbelfior]

Agree.  Not sure BATB wants to kick going that long , especially with a moderate pace being set by better horses than he faced in the Lexington.

IMO, this is the worst Preakness in 20 years.



Good Luck,
Joe B.

[miff]

\"IMO, this is the worst Preakness in 20 years\".


Joe B,

What a game, second choice one day going well, scratched the next.From the standpoint of the disparity in talent from BB to the rest, I agree a bad Preakness. From the standpoint that the animal loons are picketing the race, there is always a chance that an infield drunk will mix it up with a Peta nut on TV.


Mike

[sekrah]

I think it increases the chances BB gets shot down. albeit slightly.

BB is unaffected by the move, but most of the major contenders on the outside who might of been outside BATB early get to move down an notch.

[marcus]

nice call- and wasn\'t that the same place where some genius stepped out onto the track and took a swing at the horses going by in deep stretch . it  seemed like the unlikeliest year to have a triple crown winner imo even just a couple weeks ago ...

[coachbowlin]

Marcus,
Your memory serves you correct. I believe the drunk college kid tried to hit Artax in a sprint...if my memory serves me correct. PETA took a major blow in their antics today as it was reported that Eight Belles showed no prior injury to the race and was clean of steroids. Maybe finally everyone will see it for what it really was...just an accident. I totally agree with miff too...worst Preakness in 20 years, maybe more. The \'88 Preakness wasn\'t bad as you had the filly winning the Derby and trying to repeat. I\'d say this would rival the \'85 and \'96 Preakness\'s for me as neither of those had the Derby winner involved. No triple crown hopes and not much interest on my end. I was lucky enough to have the Louis Quotarze/Skip Away exacta many, many times. Good luck to all!

Coach Bowlin

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

I can\'t agree its a bad Preakness. It\'s a Preakness light on Derby starters certainly.

Behindatthebar\'s defection is significant only in that he would have taken money and in that sense I was sorry to see him come up gimpy.

To my mind there\'s one of two ways to play this Preakness. Key Big Brown again and go for the exotics enchilada or play for a \"Barbaro\". By that I don\'t mean a breakdown, but rather a complete clunker. BJB is so much faster than the others that he can literally give back 8 to 10 lengths and still win this thing. He\'ll have to throw a real stinker in to miss the board but I really believe those are the viable options: Win or run out.

He is going to be very heavily favored and if he runs out the fireworks will be spectacular.

miff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> \"IMO, this is the worst Preakness in 20 years\".
>
>
> Joe B,
>
> What a game, second choice one day going well,
> scratched the next.From the standpoint of the
> disparity in talent from BB to the rest, I agree a
> bad Preakness. From the standpoint that the animal
> loons are picketing the race, there is always a
> chance that an infield drunk will mix it up with a
> Peta nut on TV.
>
>
> Mike

[Flighted Iron]

At the wire it\'s BB \"in hand and in command\".

[P-Dub]

Chuckles_the_Clown2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He is going to be very heavily favored and if he
> runs out the fireworks will be spectacular.


No Sh...??

[JR]

His sheet is scary. So fast. So lightly raced. Short rest. I just hope he comes home safely. But I\'m afraid we\'re learning the hard way this is a dangerous combination. Good article at drf.com on breeding and soundness.

[marcus]

coach - interestingly enough , a pal forwarded youtube footage of some of the ongoings at the Pimlico infield - it was mildly shocking . it looked more like the outside of a Judas Priest concert as depicted in the movie \"heavy metal parking lot \"...
i could tell by looking at eight belles appearance that she was clean . from my vantage point , it\'s hard to take any individual or organization seriously that engages in innuendo of the type and magnitude that was imo displayed after the derby .