BALTIMORE Twelve hours before Early Voting won the Preakness, Kentucky Derby champion Rich Strike was back on the track at Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the Belmont Stakes.After impressing with a strong workout, Rich Strike remains on.
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not compete in the Preakness Stakes, colt owner Rick Dawson said Thursday. Opting out of the race means there will be no possible Triple Crown champion this year. Dawson announced the decision in a statement from the Maryland Jockey Club, saying the team's original plan was to run Rich Strike in the Preakness rather than the Kentucky Derby. Long-shot Rich Strike was an alternate for the Derby and was elevated to the field when Ethereal Road was scratched the day before that race. Said Dawson, "Obviously, with our tremendous effort and win in the Derby, it's very, very tempting to alter our course and run in the Preakness at Pimlico, which would be a great honor for all our group. However, after much discussion and consideration with my trainer, Eric Reed, and a few others, we are going to pass on running in the Preakness and point toward the Belmont in approximately five weeks." Rich Strike overcame 80-1 odds to win the 2022 D
Similar decisions await for some of the favorites Rich Strike chased down late with Sonny Leon aboard on the way to clocking 2:02.61 in the 1 1/4-mile Derby.