Derby Winners Often Repeat in the Preakness

Six Kentucky Derby winners in the past nine years have captured the Preakness, four by 1½ lengths or more.

That’s a good omen for Barbaro, who crushed the opposition, winning the 132nd Kentucky Derby and ending a 50-year losing streak by 3-year-olds resting five weeks or longer after their final prep.

Needles was off six weeks before his triumph at Churchill Downs in 1956. Both had won the Florida Derby. However, Needles was edged out by Fabius in the Preakness.

Barbaro is likely to face 14 fewer horses than he defeated at Louisville when he won by 6½ lengths; this was the largest margin since ’46 when Triple Crown champ Assault scored by 8 lengths at the 1¼ miles.

Only two Derby also-rans will try him in the 131st Preakness: Brother Derek, who rallied from 10th after a mile to dead-heat for fourth with Jazil, and Sweetnorthernsaint, who pressed the pace in third until the stretch  when he tired and finished seventh.

The Preakness has had fewer than 10 starters just once in the last 15 years when eight ran in ’00. Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who scared away all by seven challengers, was upset at 1-5 by Red Bullet, who skipped America’s Race.

Bernardini, Hemingway’s Key, and Like Now will try to become the second horse to win the Preakness after skipping the Derby since ’83, when Deputed Testimony performed the feat.

Bernardini won this year’s Withers. Like Now ran second in the Lexington, while Hemingway’s Key placed eighth.

Two other horses being considered for the Preakness are more likely to run in stakes on the undercard.
Trainer Bob Baffert decided against entering any of his Derby horses. Baffert said Point Determined, ninth, and Bob and John, 17th, would be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Bluegrass Cat, the Derby runner-up, and Steppenwolfer, third, are also expected to run in the Belmont.
The largest winning margin in the Preakness came in ’04 when Smarty Jones cruised to an 11½-length victory, besting Funny Cide’s record of 9¾ lengths in ’03.

Most of the previous races since Silver Charm triumphed by a head in ’97 were closer. In fact, only three horses had shared the one-time record of 8 lengths: Little Current, ’74; Bold, ’51; and Buddhist, 1889.

This year’s Preakness should be tighter. I like the undefeated Barbaro despite the shorter layoff.

Sweetnorthernsaint and Brother Derek should bounce back and be tougher at 1 3/16 miles. Either could win.

Ironically, the largest margin of 10 lengths stood for 130 years after the inaugural Preakness in 1873. The aptly named Survivor set that record.

Cialis Western Open

July 6th- 9th

Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Illinois

Live on XM 146/USA/ABC

Purse: $5,000,000

Last Champion: Jim Furyk

The Cialis Western Open, conducted by the Western Golf Association, has a history unparalleled by all but one golf championship in the United States. First held in 1899, the Western Open is the oldest championship on the PGA TOUR and the second oldest professional golf championship in the nation. Only the U.S. Open, first conducted in 1895 by the United States Golf Association, is older.

When the PGA TOUR professionals come to Chicago each year to compete in the Cialis Western Open, they are following in the hallowed footsteps of golf's all-time greats. Past champions include golf's greatest legends, including Chick Evans, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The past two decades have seen Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Tom Weiskopf, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price and Tiger Woods add their names to the Western Open's J. K. Wadley Cup's impressive roster of champions.

Today, the Western Open is considered the founding event of the PGA TOUR. Much has changed since 1899, including the prize money. This year's 102nd Western Open purse totals $5 million, with the winner earning $900,000. In the Western Open's initial year, the total purse was $150, with the winner earning $50.

On last year's tournament Furyk , after finishing second three times last year, including a devastating loss the previous weekend, Furyk against all Sportsbook odds answered Woods' charge with three straight birdies and hung on to win the Cialis Western Open. It was his 10th PGA TOUR victory and the first since the 2003 Buick Open.

After tapping in for a birdie, Furyk took off his cap and shook hands with third round co-leader Ben Curtis. Furyk then turned and pumped his fists to the cheering crowd before sharing a long hug with caddie Fluff Cowan.

"You take the combination of last week, surgery and not winning since surgery, you put all that together and it was an emotional win," said Furyk, who missed half of last year after having wrist surgery.

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