Photo: Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club

Bodemeister has been made the 8-5 morning line favorite for the Preakness Stakes.

Bodemeister, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been made the 8-5 morning line favorite for the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 19 and will break from post 7.

Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another was made the 5-2 second choice. He breaks from post 9 in the field of 11 entered for the Preakness. Four of the top five finishers in the Derby are in the field. Six Derby contestants were entered for the second jewel of the Triple Crown with five newcomers.

Post positions were drawn on the evening of May 16 at Pimlico Race Course, which hosts the 1 3/16-mile event for 3-year-olds that was inaugurated in 1873. The field is the smallest since 2007, when Curlin   beat Derby winner Street Sense   in a nine-horse field.

A win would give I’ll Have Another a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 9.

With all the contenders drawing favorably in the relatively small field, there were few complaints from horsemen afterward.

Bodemeister, who was sent off the slight 4-1 favorite for the Derby, can give trainer Bob Baffert his sixth Preakness victory and his first since Lookin At Lucky   won the race in 2010.

Baffert was not present at the draw but later said, “I think it’s a good post. With him, anything in the middle would have been fine. In the Preakness you just don’t want to be stuck down on the inside, where you have to use your horse a little bit.

“The Derby winner drew well also. Everybody is in a good post.”

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, also looking for his sixth Preakness win, has 30-1 shot Optimizer in the field. Lukas’ most recent Preakness win came in 1999 with Charismatic.

Bodemeister set one of the quickest tempos in Kentucky Derby history (:22.32, :45.39, 1:09.80 for the first six furlongs) May 5 with Mike Smith aboard and led by three lengths in the stretch. But he could not fend off the determined challenge from 15-1 shot I’ll Have Another, who reeled in the leader under little known jockey Mario Gutierrez near the sixteenth pole and drew clear for a 1 1/2-length triumph.

The Southern California-based colts figure to dominate the Preakness wagering, though strong support can also be expected for Went the Day Well and Creative Cause, listed as 6-1 co-third choices on Pimlico oddsmaker Frank Carulli’s morning line.

Bodemeister is expected to have a little easier time of it on the front end this time with less early speed in the lineup on a track that is considered kinder to front-runners than Churchill Downs. The early Preakness choice’s biggest win came in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 14 in front-running style by 9 1/2 lengths at Oaklawn Park for owners Zayat Stables and Mike and Tiffany Moreno.

Unraced at 2, the leggy bay colt by Empire Maker is making his sixth start of the year in the Preakness. He has two wins and three seconds.

Reddam Racing’s I’ll Have Another has never been favored in his six-race career for trainer Doug O’Neill, winning four. He is unbeaten in three tries in 2012, taking the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) in February by 2 3/4 lengths at 43-1 odds before gutting out a nose victory at 4-1 over Creative Cause in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 7. The son of Flower Alley   had to overcome post 19 to claim victory in the Kentucky Derby.

The chestnut, though not very big, possesses a long fluid stride and has the speed to stay in a good stalking position behind Bodemeister, who should be on his inside. I’ll Have Another was forwardly placed in the 20-horse Derby field and showed the tactical ability to avoid trouble while advancing into position to challenge at the quarter pole. Four wide into the stretch, he showed tremendous stamina in pulling away late.

“I like the fact that (being near the outside post in post 9) if Bodemeister is absolutely flying, we don’t have to use our horse,” O’Neill said. “It is more in Bodemeister and Mike Smith’s hands to set the pace. If, for whatever reason, he breaks slow or decides not to go, we’ll take the lead and take it from there. Any time you talk to a rider on a horse that has got some tactical speed, they love being outside the speed horses. Mario (Guitierrez) is going to be really happy when he finds out what we drew.”

O’Neill had no complaint about being second choice behind a horse I’ll Have Another defeated two weeks earlier.

“Bob Baffert has won five of these and I have never run a horse here, so I totally respect that,” O’Neill said. “A horse like Bodemeister, if he were to get loose on the lead going slow, he will be very tough to beat. But that won’t happen.”

Went the Day Well ran a good closing fourth in the Derby, beaten by 2 1/2 lengths in spite of a rough start and being seven wide at the quarter pole. Owner Barry Irwin of Team Valor International, winner of the 2011 Derby with Animal Kingdom, is understandably hoping for a clean trip for his Vinery Spiral Stakes (gr. III) winner.

“When he ran fourth (Kentucky Derby), I was not disappointed,” Irwin said. “Any time your horse puts in a big run, you feel good. I watched the replay and thought he could have run better. But when I watched the overhead blimp shot and saw how he finished, I wanted to throw up because I knew that if he broke cleanly he could have won that race.”

Went the Day Well drew post 5. As far as the running for the Preakness, Irwin said the “onus is on (I’ll Have Another) to go after Bodemeister. If both of those things happen and my horse breaks cleanly, hopefully we will be the beneficiary.”

John Velazquez is aboard the son of Proud Citizen   for trainer Graham Motion.

In post 6 is Creative Cause for owner Heinz Steinmann. The Giant’s Causeway   colt was fifth in the Derby, three lengths behind the winner while also racing extremely wide on the far turn. Winner of the Norfolk Stakes (gr. I) at 2, the gray/roan colt is seeking his first win since Santa Anita’s San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) March 10.

“At the hundred yard mark (of the Derby) he was third and I thought he was going to run third,” said trainer Mike Harrington of Creative Cause. “But two horses ran past him in the last 100 yards. He was tired the first few days (after Derby) but the last couple of days he has been his old self.”

Speaking of Bodemeister, he said: “He run a good race, but he beat my horse less than three lengths and my horse ran 90 feet, or something like that, further than he did. He will the favorite but that doesn’t mean he’s invincible.”

Also coming out of the Derby are Daddy Nose Best (12-1), who was 10th for trainer Steve Asmussen, and the Lukas-conditioned Optimizer, who finished 11th. Daddy Nose Best, owned by Cathy and Bob Zollars, will be reunited with Julien Leparoux for the Preakness. Leparoux won the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) and Sunland Derby (gr. III) aboard the son of Scat Daddy  . Bluegrass Hall’s Optimizer will also have a new rider in Corey Nakatani.

J.W. Singer’s Teeth of the Dog, third in the Wood Memorial (gr. I) in his most recent start April 7, is 15-1 on the morning line for trainer Michael Matz. The son of Bluegrass Cat   was making his stakes debut in the Wood.

Tiger Walk drew the rail at 30-1 with Kent Desormeaux aboard for Sagamore Farm. The last horse to win the Preakness from the rail post was Tabasco Cat in 1994.

“It’s not ideal,” said farm general manager Tom Mullikin. “He’s the worst drawing horse of all time. He’s had seven starts and faced 57 horses. There have only been four on the outside. You can’t control, so what are you going to do. It will be fine.”

Other longshots in the field are Zetterholm (20-1), Cozzetti (30-1), and Pretension (30-1).

The field was narrowed by one May 16 following the withdrawal of Guyana Star Dweej from consideration. Trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal said the son of Eddington grabbed a quarter.

The Preakness field, in post position order, with owner, trainer, jockey, and morning line odds:

1. Tiger Walk/Sagamore Farm/Ignacio Cortreas/Kent Desormeaux/30-1

2. Teeth of the Dog/J. W. Singer Inc./Michael Matz/Joe Bravo/15-1

3. Pretension/Kidwells Petite Stable/Chris Grove/Javier Santiago/30-1

4. Zetterholm/Winter Park Partners/Rick Dutrow/Junior Alvarado/20-1

5. Went the Day Well/Team Valor International and Mark Ford/Graham Motion/John Velazquez/6-1

6. Creative Cause/Heinz Steinmann/Mike Harrington/Joel Rosario/6-1

7. Bodemeister/Zayat Stables, Mike Moreno and Tiffany Moreno/Bob Baffert/Mike Smith/8-5

8. Daddy Nose Best/Bob and Cathy Zollars/Steve Asmussen/Julien Leparoux/12-1

9. I’ll Have Another/Reddam Racing LLC/Doug O’Neill/Mario Gutierrez/5-2

10. Optimizer/Bluegrass Hall LLC/D. Wayne Lukas/Corey Nakatani/30-1

11. Cozzetti/Albaugh Family Stables/Dale Romans/Jose Lexcano/30-1

Read more: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/69813/bodemeister-8-5-draws-post-7-for-preakness#ixzz1v5gD4JvB

Photo: AP Photo

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Top state officials continued to pound the New York Racing Association, a day after regulators suggested its exclusive franchise to operate the state’s major Thoroughbred tracks could be in jeopardy.

“It doesn’t have the public trust and it hasn’t earned the public trust either,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“We know there will be major changes (at NYRA). What they are at this point are still being discussed,” added Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Long Island Republican.

NYRA’s troubles since revelations officials there may have covered up a higher-than-permitted takeout level on exotic bets—costing bettors more than $8.5 million—have only worsened the past week.

On May 15, in a scathing letter that has become the talk of the state Capitol, a top fiscal adviser to Cuomo and his state racing board chairman threatened the possible end of NYRA because of the takeout scandal and the subsequent handling of the matter.

Regulators are upset the NYRA board moved quickly to replace its ousted president, Charles Hayward, with chief operating officer Ellen McClain. They noted the moves were made before investigations have been completed by both the racing and wagering board and the state Inspector General’s office into which NYRA executives or board members may have known the takeout levels were illegally boosted for 15 months after the expiration of a state law governing the rates.

In Syracuse Wednesday, Cuomo noted, “There’s no doubt that NYRA has been a long-troubled agency.” He said decades of problems stretch at least back to when his father, Mario Cuomo, was governor.

He said NYRA’s lack of “public trust” is “what we have to change,” and that its business “could” be an important economic engine for the state.

“But NYRA has had significant issues for many, many years,” Cuomo said.

The possible changes are many, including a move by the state to change the composition of the NYRA board to put state-selected individuals in charge of the racing group. Also discussed is possibly ending NYRA’s exclusive franchise to operate Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course.

State sources say such a dramatic move stripping NYRA of its franchise could throw the whole matter into the courts if NYRA, as many expect, challenged any such attempt. Also in question, lawmakers say, is the status of the land at the three racetracks. NYRA a couple years ago gave up its claim on the racetrack lands in return for the franchise that expires in 2030.

It is still uncertain whether whatever remedies the state may have in mind gets done before conclusion of the 2012 legislative session, which is now scheduled for the end of June.

The state May 15 had also stopped revenue sharing payments to NYRA from Genting New York’s Aqueduct casino; officials said the halted payments will not affect purse or breeding fund deposits by Genting.

After Cuomo’s critical comments May 16, sources floated a May 1 letter from Sabini to NYRA Chairman C. Steven Duncker calling on the board to have personnel in place to replace Hayward and Patrick Kehoe, the NYRA general counsel who was fired with Hayward.

The letter from Sabini came a day after Hayward and Kehoe were placed on administrative leave, which the NYRA board later followed up with their formal firings.

To NYRA supporters, the Sabini letter appears to provide backing for the NYRA board’s decision this week to fill the posts formerly held by Hayward and Kehoe.

“Given this action,” Sabini wrote of the administrative leaves for the two executives, “the (state racing) Board must know who will be serving in these critical positions in the interim. He said the state’s oversight of NYRA must “continue unabated, and having personnel in these two positions is critical in the board’s performances of its regulatory responsibilities.” Sabini called on NYRA to immediately provide an “interim operational plan,” including who will take over the functions of chief executive officer and general counsel.

The suggestion that he directed the hiring of a new president and general counsel “is entirely false and inaccurate,” Sabini said in response Wednesday.

He noted his letter asked for an interim plan, not permanent replacements for Hayward and Kehoe, who had not been fired when he sent the letter to Duncker. He noted that Duncker never provided any of the information he sought about an interim plan for NYRA.

“To be clear, the Racing and Wagering Board never directed Chairman Duncker—or anyone on the NYRA board – to hire or appoint a new president or general counsel,” Sabini said.

Besides making McClain the new president this week, NYRA tapped Kenneth Handal as its new secretary and acting general counsel.

In its first response to the May 15 letter from regulators threatening its franchise agreement, NYRA said its hiring of McClain and Handal was done by the board having “exercised its business judgment as a private, not-for-profit corporation to appoint a president and secretary.” NYRA noted that the state—either Sabini’s racing board or Megna’s franchise oversight panel—has any legal role in naming NYRA officers.

NYRA said its move was done to ensure a “professional management” team is in place to operate “a complex business which has a significant economic impact on New York State. The NYRA Board has a fiduciary obligation to exercise its business judgment to protect the best interests of racing and the income stream that pari-mutuel wagering provides to the state.”

It noted the May 1 letter from Sabini calling on NYRA to come up with an interim management plan. “This letter (from Sabini) contained no indication of any concerns or limitations with respect to these appointments. The NYRA Board acted to name a President and Secretary without any knowledge of any concerns by either the Franchise Oversight Board or the Racing and Wagering Board,” NYRA said today.

Significant in today’s NYRA response is that it is the first time the racing group has sought to take on state officials’ criticism since the takeout scandal erupted. Until today, NYRA had sought to portray an eagerly cooperative stance with the state.

NYRA termed as “flawed” the thinking by state officials that they should have been consulted or had a role in NYRA’s hiring of a new president and counsel. “This reasoning would effectively paralyze the corporation based on innuendo. The Inspector General’s investigation is ongoing and there should not be a rush to judgment until a final report is issued, and due process is provided,” NYRA said.

Shortly after the May 1 Sabini letter was circulated today by people close to NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders released a statement saying that it is “catastrophic” that VLT revenues are being withheld by the state “at precisely the time when Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry is starting to skyrocket.”

“The NYTB phones have been ringing off the hook with out-of-state callers who are now skittish about participating in the NY breeding program, and jobs recently been created at farms all over the state are under immediate threat,” the group said.

“Make no mistake, without the VLT money, neither NYRA nor any other operator will be in business. There will be no racing in New York,” the group added.

The breeding group went to the third-rail of racing threats in New York: damage to the always-successful Saratoga summer meet. They said a hit on VLT proceeds will, among other effects, turn Saratoga Springs “into a ghost town.”

But Sabini, who is also chairman of the New York Breeding and Development Fund, reiterated a claim state officials made a day earlier with The Blood-Horse that the money being withheld from the Aqueduct casino proceeds is only money due NYRA—and does not affect breeding and purse payments are required by state law. The fund is a state entity that is charged with distributing over $40 million in various incentive payments each year.

Sabini dismissed the public worries of the breeders group, saying breeding and purse awards are not being affected by the diversion of Aqueduct proceeds from NYRA to the state lottery division. He said the dispute will also have no effect on the Saratoga meet. He noted that 6.5 percent of the net win from VLT machines at lottery is going to purses, with another 1 percent to breeding funds.

“The actions by the state in regards to NYRA’s continued failure to act in the best interest of racing do not in any way impact these revenue streams,” Sabini said.

“New York State has been and continues to be a welcome and prosperous home for the Thoroughbred industry,” Sabini said in a statement. “The actions of New York State with regard to NYRA will have absolutely no impact on the state’s Thoroughbred breeding program or the purses that are supplemented by Video Lottery Terminals at Aqueduct. Additionally, these actions will not prevent world-class racing from taking place at the Saratoga Race Course this summer.”

Read more: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/69794/nyra-getting-pounded-by-new-york-officials#ixzz1v5f3nCIC