With all the negative publicity surrounding Thoroughbred Racing this week, you’d think the safest bet on today’s Preakness is a superfecta box involving the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!

The focus should be on Big Brown’s chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. Instead, thoroughbred horse racing has become a magnet for controversy in the wake of Eight Belles’ tragic death at the Kentucky Derby. Many in the media would have you believe the sport is limping along on its last leg, hobbling toward the finish line, unable to dodge criticism from those who want to see it put down for good. Alarmingly, that group includes 38 percent of Americans who, according to a recent Gallup poll support an all out ban on horse racing*.

But fear not Thoroughbred enthusiasts, for horse racing will soon be on the mend when Big Brown wins the Triple Crown. After all, this is the sport of kings and for proof, look no further than the patrons of your nearest OTB. They’ll all feel like royalty today if they bet the Preakness as I do. Unless of course they get detained by police afterward for leaving their 9-week-old baby in the car while they watch the race inside the off-track betting facility.

Here’s how I’m playing the Preakness:

I’m keying Big Brown in a trifecta wheel with Gayego, Giant Moon, Kentucky Bear, and Yankee Bravo

I like Giant Moon based on his performance against elite competition in the Wood Memorial. His pedigree also suggests he can handle the distance and I blame his lousy race two back on the sloppy track.

Here’s hoping Gayego’s nightmare performance in the Kentucky Derby was an aberration. Plus, the competition in that race was head and shoulders above this Preakness field. I look for a performance from him today more akin to his win at the Arkansas Derby.

Kentucky Bear is inexperienced, but fresh, coming off a five week layoff. Also ran well in the Bluegrass, finishing 3rd behind Kentucky Derby entrants Monba and Cowboy Cal.

Yankee Bravo ran well against quality competition in the Santa Anita Derby and Louisiana Derby. The latter was noteworthy in that it was first trip on dirt.

*Interesting that only 21 percent are proponents of a ban on hunting.  Apparently a sizable portion of the populace finds racing animals to be inhumane, but has no problem with killing them for sport!

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 17th, 2008 at 11:30 am and is filed under 2008 Triple Crown, Captain's Blog, Captain's Vlog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.