Baffert's Improbable Rises In The Preakness Popularity Charts
Neither Maximum Security nor the 2019 Kentucky Derby winner, Country House feature in the Preakness Stakes 2019. The latter is sick and resting.
Fifth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths and subsequently placed fourth via disqualification in the Kentucky Derby, Santa Anita-based Improbable is the most popular choice when it comes to predicting the next Preakness winner.
When asked about the announced switch from Irad Ortiz, Jr., to Mike Smith for the Preakness, Baffert responded with a wry grin, “The other guys didn’t do anything wrong, but Mike and I have had a little luck together.”
Last year’s Preakness, in which Baffert and Smith teamed for victory with eventual undefeated Triple Crown Champion Justify, was run over a sloppy main track, as was this year’s Kentucky Derby.
A first-out maiden winner at Santa Anita, Improbable is owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, China Horse Club International, Ltd. and Starlight Racing.
A chestnut colt by City Zip, out of the A.P. Indy mare Rare Event, Improbable currently has earnings of US$769,520.