War of Will wins Preakness, holds off riderless Bodexpress
BALTIMORE -- War of Will bounced back from a bumpy ride in the Kentucky Derby to win the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, holding off a field that included a riderless horse that threw his jockey out of the gate and kept running.
Trainer Mark Casse got his first Triple Crown victory, with War of Will unfazed starting from the inside No. 1 post position for the second consecutive race. War of Will endured a rough trip and was interfered with in the Kentucky Derby, which led to first-place finisher Maximum Security being disqualified.
Casse was just thankful War of Will didn't go down in the Derby, which could've been a multihorse catastrophe.
"This is even I think probably more special given everything that we've been through," Casse said. "I'm not even calling it redemption. I didn't feel like he got his fair shot, and that's all I wanted - a fair shot. And he showed what he had today."
VIDEO: Maximum Security disqualified, Country House wins Kentucky Derby
Bodexpress threw Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez just out of the starting gate but still finished the race and did an extra lap around the Pimlico track. An outrider tried to swoop in at the top of the stretch and corral Bodexpress, but the horse sped up and passed a few competitors near the finish line - and kept going. Technically, Bodexpress gets a did-not-finish.
"He wasn't behaving well," said Velazquez, who added he's fine and would not seek medical attention. "When the doors opened, I was off right from the start and he kind of jumped sideways, and I had my feet out sideways and I lost my balance and went out."
War of Will made a move around the final turn led by jockey Tyler Gaffalione and didn't relent down the stretch. Hard-charging late addition Everfast came in second and Owendale third.
Casse, 58, entered a horse in the Preakness for the fifth time and came closest two years ago when Classic Empire finished second.
"I'm just very happy for Mark to get his first Classic win," Gaffalione said. "Very happy for the horse. He deserved it more than anything. He's so special."
It's also a breakthrough for Gaffalione, who has become something of a rising star since being named top apprentice rider in 2015. Gaffalione, 24, was aboard War of Will for the colt's sixth consecutive race and came away with the biggest victory of his young career.
"It really hasn't even hit me yet," he said. "I can't even put it into words.
Bob Baffert-trained Improbable was beaten as the favorite for the second consecutive Triple Crown race. Improbable finished sixth in the 13-horse field that was the biggest at the Preakness since 2011.
It was the first Preakness run without the Kentucky Derby winner since 1996 - this time without the horse that crossed the finish line first and the long-shot Country House who was elevated to first after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference. Go back to 1951 for the last time the Preakness was run without the top four finishers from the Derby.
The race was run at a tumultuous time for horse racing.
After 23 horse fatalities at Santa Anita Park over a three-month span, there was another in training Friday, and a filly collapsed and died after a race at Pimlico on Friday. Then there was the disqualification of Maximum Security at Churchill Downs and the ensuing lawsuit filed by owners Gary and Mary West and suspension handed down to jockey Luis Saez.
In Maryland, the Stronach Group that owns the track - and also Santa Anita - is embroiled in an ongoing quarrel with local politicians over the future of the Preakness being at historic but aging Pimlico or the owners' favored Laurel Park about 30 miles south. More than 6,000 grandstand seats were cordoned off because they were deemed unsafe, and a water main break disrupted preparations for the event and left a lack of running water on race day.
All over the country, horse racing is fending off a threat to its very existence in the form of legalized sports gambling. Yet the Maryland Jockey Club reported a record attendance and amount bet on Black-Eyed Susan Day on Friday.
Full list of past Preakness winners:
2019 - War of Will
2018 - Justify
2017 - Cloud Computing
2016 - Exaggerator
2015 - American Pharoah
2014 - California Chrome
2013 - Oxbow
2012 - I'll Have Another
2011 - Shackleford
2010 - Lookin at Lucky
2009 - Rachel Alexandra
2008 - Big Brown
2007 - Curlin
2006 - Bernardini
2005 - Afleet Alex
2004 - Smarty Jones
2003 - Funny Cide
2002 - War Emblem
2001 - Point Given
2000 - Red Bullet
1999 - Charismatic
1998 - Real Quiet
1997 - Silver Charm
1996 - Louis Quatorze
1995 - Timber Country
1994 - Tabasco Cat
1993 - Prairie Bayou
1992 - Pine Bluff
1991 - Hansel
1990 - Summer Squall
1989 - Sunday Silence
1988 - Risen Star
1987 - Alysheba
1986 - Snow Chief
1985 - Tank's Prospect
1984 - Gate Dancer
1983 - Deputed Testamony
1982 - Aloma's Ruler
1981 - Pleasant Colony
1980 - Codex
1979 - Spectacular Bid
1978 - Affirmed
1977 - Seattle Slew
1976 - Elocutionist
1975 - Master Derby
1974 - Little Current
1973 - Secretariat
1972 - Bee Bee Bee
1971 - Canonero II
1970 - Personality
1969 - Majestic Prince
1968 - Forward Pass
1967 - Damascus
1966 - Kauai King
1965 - Tom Rolfe
1964 - Northern Dancer
1963 - Candy Spots
1962 - Greek Money
1961 - Carry Back
1960 - Bally Ache
1959 - Royal Orbit
1958 - Tim Tam
1957 - Bold Ruler
1956 - Fabius
1955 - Nashua
1954 - Hasty Road
1953 - Native Dancer
1952 - Blue Man
1951 - Bold
1950 - Hill Prince
1949 - Capot
1948 - Citation
1947 - Faultless
1946 - Assault
1945 - Polynesian
1944 - Pensive
1943 - Count Fleet
1942 - Alsab
1941 - Whirlaway
1940 - Bimelech
1939 - Challedon
1938 - Dauber
1937 - War Admiral
1936 - Bold Venture
1935 - Omaha
1934 - High Quest
1933 - Head Play
1932 - Burgoo King
1931 - Mate
1930 - Gallant Fox
1929 - Dr. Freeland
1928 - Victorian
1927 - Bostonian
1926 - Display
1925 - Coventry
1924 - Nellie Morse
1923 - Vigil
1922 - Pillory
1921 - Broomspun
1920 - Man o' War
1919 - Sir Barton
1918 - War Cloud and Jack Hare, Jr.
1917 - Kalitan
1916 - Damrosch
1915 - Rhine Maiden
1914 - Holiday
1913 - Buskin
1912 - Colonel Holloway
1911 - Watervale
1910 - Lay Master
1909 - Effendi
1908 - Royal Tourist
1907 - Don Enrique
1906 - Whimsical
1905 - Cairngorm
1904 - Bryn Mawr
1903 - Flocarline
1902 - Old England
1901 - The Parader
1900 - Hindus
1899 - Half Time
1898 - Sly Fox
1897 - Paul Kauver
1896 - Margrave
1895 - Belmar
1894 - Assignee
1893-91 - No Races Held
1890 - Montague
1889 - Buddhist
1888 - Refund
1887 - Dubine
1886 - The Bard
1885 - Tecumseh
1884 - Knight of Ellerslie
1883 - Jacobus
1882 - Vanguard
1881 - Saunterer
1880 - Grenada
1879 - Harold
1878 - Duke of Magenta
1877 - Cloverbrook
1876 - Shirley
1875 - Tom Ochiltree
1874 - Culpepper
1873 - Survivor
