The horse, with odds of 5-1, put on a strong finish, passing runner ups Epicenter and Creative Minister down the stretch. The victory at the Preakness Stakes is the first for jockey José Ortiz.
“It is a huge race. It’s a dream come true and it’s amazing to share this moment with my family, my mom, my dad. I know they’re watching me,” Ortiz said in tears immediately after the race.
With afternoon temperatures in the 90s, it was the hottest day of the year in Baltimore, according to NBC’s broadcast of the race.
Absent from Saturday’s nine-horse field was Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike. The horse’s owner, Rick Dawson, said that while the race was tempting, it didn’t fit into their plans, which eliminated the chance for a triple crown winning horse in 2022.
Rich Strike is expected to return to competition for the final leg of the triple crown at the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on June 11.
