TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Gayego Has Another Disappointing Finish

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 18, 2008

BALTIMORE - Maybe Paulo Lobo should have stuck with his initial decision to keep Gayego out of the Preakness.

Frustrated over finishing 17th in the Kentucky Derby behind Big Brown, Lobo had no desire for a quick rematch. But after taking into account Gayego's poor start at Churchill Downs and the horse's stellar health, the trainer opted to join the Preakness fray.

It turned out to be the wrong move. Big Brown won Saturday, and Gayego flopped again.

Gayego soared into the lead at the outset and remained in front at the three-quarter pole. But it all came apart after that, and the second-favorite in the field (at 9-1) faded miserably and finished 11th in the 12-horse field.

"It's very disappointing. He just doesn't have it yet," jockey Mike Smith said. "He made the lead easy, but no response to pressure."

There will be no rematch in the Belmont.

"He did not run as we expected," Lobo said. "At this point, we're going to rest him up."

Before running into the buzz saw known as Big Brown, Gayego had three wins and two second-place finishes in his previous five races. In this one, he beat last-place finisher Riley Tucker by a neck.

KUDOS TO THE WINNER: Macho Again finished second and Icabad Crane was third in the Preakness. Unfortunately, both were barely within shouting distance of the winner.

"We got beat by a monster. He might be the Triple Crown winner," said Julien Leparoux, who rode Macho Again. "I don't like to be second, but it's not bad to be second to this horse."
Icabad Crane trainer Graham Motion thought his horse had a decent shot to finish second, but conceded that no horse in the field had a chance to beat Big Brown.

"Big Brown's a very, very good horse," Motion said. "He's the real deal. It's very exciting for the game."

Nick Zito, trainer of fifth-place finisher Stevil, said, "You've got to salute the winner. There's no question he's a tremendous horse."

BIG BROWN TO STUD AT THREE CHIMNEYS: Big Brown's owner took care of some important business even before he got to Pimlico Race Course on Saturday for the Preakness.

IEAH Stables co-owner Michael Iavarone signed a multimillion-dollar deal Saturday that will have Big Brown stand at stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., whenever the potential Triple Crown winner's racing career ends.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

A PAIR OF FIVES: The attendance and handle figures for Preakness Day were both the fifth-highest at Pimlico.

The crowd was 112,222, the lowest turnout after four straight years of increases. Last year, the race attracted 121,263.

The total handle, including bets made around the country on the entire card, was $73,457,510.

PETA PROTEST: Their cause fueled by the tragic death of Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby, representatives from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protested outside Pimlico before the Preakness.

The protesters handed out leaflets that suggested horses in the industry are "Racing to the Grave." More than two dozen people participated, one of whom carried a hand-lettered sign that read, "Wanna bet another horse dies today?"

Eight Belles broke her front ankles in the Derby and was euthanized moments after finishing second to Big Brown.

"Reforms need to be made," said Ashley Byrne, campaign coordinator for PETA. "People see the image of Eight Belles on the track and are horrified."

PETA is calling on the industry to ban whipping; limit the number of races a horse runs in a year to seven; prohibit the training and racing of horses less than 3 years old because their bones and joints aren't fully developed; replace dirt tracks with turf and synthetic surfaces; and institute a policy that bans illegal and legal drugs in the week leading up to a race.

Fans making their way toward the track glanced at the protest but continued walking without breaking stride.

"Of course it gets your attention," 22-year-old Sergio Garivay said. "I wasn't expecting this. But I don't think horse racing is a cruel sport."

The Associated Press

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT