Lawyer Ron likely out of Preakness

Lawyer Ron has a slight ankle injury and is unlikely to challenge Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in the Preakness.

"Looks like we probably aren't going to come," trainer Bob Holthus said Tuesday from Churchill Downs, where Lawyer Ron finished a disappointing 12th in Saturday's Derby.

"We looked at the X-rays and saw some inflammation in the right hind ankle. Unless something good happens before Saturday, it doesn't look favorable."

That's one less opponent undefeated Barbaro has to deal with in the 1 3/16th-mile Preakness, the second leg of racing's Triple Crown.

Lawyer Ron came into the Derby with a six-race winning streak, including a victory in the Arkansas Derby. A majority interest in the colt was sold for an undisclosed price two days before the Derby.

Meanwhile, Barbaro was back home at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. The Derby winner returned to the center Monday after a 12-hour van ride from Louisville.

On Tuesday, the colt was hand-walked for about 30 minutes and then grazed for another half hour.

"He's doing very good right now," Matz said. "He shipped very well from Churchill. Our plans are to take him and jog him (Wednesday)."

http://msn.foxsports.com/horseracing/story/5591524

From DRF:

http://www.drf.com/news/article/74418.html


Lawyer Ron, here at Churchill with
rider Betsy Crouch up, was found to
have an inflamed ankle.

From DRF:
In, out, in. And now, finally, Lawyer Ron is out.

Trainer Bob Holthus said Thursday at Churchill Downs that Lawyer Ron will undergo surgery Friday morning to have a small bone chip removed from his right hind ankle and therefore will have to pass the 131st Preakness on May 20 at Pimlico.

Holthus said the chip is so minor that "if he was a cheap horse you wouldn't have thought anything of it." He said the colt will be out of training for 30 to 40 days and would be pointed to a late-summer campaign.

"I really hate to miss the Preakness because I really thought he had some kind of chance to be 1-2-3," said Holthus. "But we've had a pretty good run, I suppose."

http://www.drf.com/news/article/74419.html

But good for Lawyer Ron. Hope he makes a return trip to the track; he's a talented colt, and I sure hope he races again. I'd love to see him at the Super Derby down at Louisiana Downs ;) It's amazing how many horses get knocked out by the whole Triple Crown run.

From DRF:
Nine days must be ancient history. In the immediate aftermath of the Kentucky Derby on May 6, it seemed that few trainers were willing to challenge Barbaro, the overpowering winner of the Kentucky Derby, in the 131st Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

But that victory must seem so long ago, lost amidst the rain that lashed Pimlico in the morning and afternoon on Monday, and which delayed Barbaro's daily gallop here at the Fair Hill training center on Monday morning. The trainers of Diabolical, Greeley's Legacy, and Platinum Couple all indicated on Monday that they could take on Barbaro - as well as well-regarded Brother Derek and Sweetnorthernsaint - in the Preakness on Saturday. So, in the space of 48 hours, the Preakness went from appearing to be a six- or seven-horse field to a race that might have as many as 10 entered on Wednesday.

The Preakness field is also expected to include Bernardini, Hemingway's Key, and Like Now. Ah Day, a gelding who would have to be supplemented to the race for $100,000 because he was not an original nominee to the Triple Crown, is possible. If all 10 enter, the Preakness will have three horses who ran in the Derby, and seven who skipped it and then were thrown into the deep end of the pool.

As at the Derby, the Preakness has a two-step entry and post-position process. On Wednesday morning, a traditional blind draw will be held to determine the order in which post positions will be selected. Then, Wednesday evening at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore's Inner Harbor area, trainers or owners representing each runner will choose their posts.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/74563.html


Brother Derek plays with handler
Francisco Alvarado at Churchill
Downs on Monday. The colt will ship
to Pimlico for the Preakness on
Wednesday

The Preakness should be in the neighborhood of 10 horses. Then if Barbaro's dominant again that drops to 6 to 8 horses in the Belmont. Although we already know the Derby 2-3 finishers will go to New York.

Per info from the Thoroughbred Times here: http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=63840&subsec=2.

If there's any vulnerability in Barbaro shown this weekend, I bet the Belmont field is larger than the Preakness. I think Sunriver in Pletcher's barn is targeting the race, too.

racing to be so desperate for a Triple Crown winner that they hand him the trophy without earning it.

I'm glad to see a couple more entries in the Preakness.

Let's start a Preakness thread tomorrow.

Baffert decided not to enter either of his horses. The DRF listed 6 definites with one possibility who would have to be supplemented at $100,000

Not sure if he had any other fans here, but Star Over the Bay was a thrilling turf horse who broke down a year ago Monday while racing in Singapore. I only got to catch a few of his races but he was indeed all heart and just gorgeous. Here's a little info on him ... with some video links to his races: http://gersonracing.com/staroverthebay/SOTBSITE.htm. Thinking about how grueling the Triple Crown is, he popped into my mind, even though he didn't race in the TC races.

http://www.nbc10.com/sports/9216109/detail.html

Q - Will you beat Brother Derek?
A - i have 2 brothers. Their names are Holy Ground and Man In Havana
Q - What is your favorite hobby?
A - Chat robots make an excellent hobby.
Q - Will you win the Preakness?
A - I'll try my best to win the Preakness!