Preakness Stakes

BALTIMORE -- Shackleford's clean run allowed him to hold off a late charge from Animal Kingdom to win the 136th running of the Preakness Saturday at Pimlico Race Course . Shackleford, trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Jesus Castanon, led most of the Kentucky Derby but was caught by a group that included Animal Kingdom and finished fourth. Many expected him to jump to an early lead but fade at the Preakness. He thrived running the shorter distance, though, and the early 12-1 shot won by about half a length.

The argument can be made that the first and most prestigious jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown is a rhinestone. The Kentucky Derby remains the biggest deal in the sport. It is watched by millions of racing fans and cared about by millions more who would draw the blinds if you put any other race in their backyard. A sport whose wagering numbers and on-site attendance figures are dwindling needs every bit of knockout branding it can get. The Kentucky Derby is, and always will be, a day of wine and roses in a sport whose routine daily existence is leaning more these days toward stale beer and dandelions.

Bill Harmatz Jockey rode to victory in 1959 Preakness Bill Harmatz, 79, a thoroughbred jockey who rode Royal Orbit to victory in the 1959 Preakness Stakes, died Thursday at his home in the San Diego County city of Vista, his daughter Sue Harmatz said. He had cancer. FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this article said the 1959 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes were both won by Bill Shoemaker and Sword Dancer. Shoemaker won the Kentucky Derby with Tomy Lee, and the Belmont with Sword Dancer.

The Maryland Racing Commission approved an agreement Wednesday that will keep the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, in Baltimore. The commission voted to support an agreement reached by horse racing representatives and Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration earlier in the day in Annapolis. It calls for 146 days of live racing at the state's horse racing tracks. The deal would redirect $3.5 million to $4 million in state slot machine revenue, using money now set aside for capital improvements at the tracks to defray operating costs.

Hall of Fame jockey Ismael "Milo" Valenzuela, who won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 1958 and 1968 and retired with a remarkable 2,545 overall triumphs, died Wednesday at his Arcadia home after a lengthy illness. He was 74. Valenzuela, one of 22 children born to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Mexico, rose to prominence at Southern California racetracks before branching out to become nationally famous. He had a powerful yet smooth style, comparable to that of the legendary Eddie Arcaro, and was known as being especially capable aboard feisty 2-year-olds.

(copyright) 2009 Equibase Co. LLC, all rights reserved. 12th race from Pimlico Race Course 1 3/16 miles on dirt. Purse $1.1 million, 3-year-olds, stakes. Value of race $1,100,000. Winner: $660,000. Second: $220,000. Third: $121,000. Fourth: $66,000. Fifth: $33,000. Horse Jockey Wgt PP ST 1/4 1/2 3/4 Str Fin Odds Rachel Borel 121 13 7 1-hd 1-hd 1- 1/2 1-4 1-1 1.80 Alexandra Mine That Bird Smith 126 2 13 13 13 11-3 4-hd 2- 1/2 6.60 Musket Man Coa 126 3 8 8- 1/2 8-2 7-1 3-2 3-2 1/2 11.10 Flying Private Garcia 126 10 11 10-hd 10-hd 10-hd 6-1 4-1 1/2 25.40 Big Drama Velazquez 126 1 1 2-2 2-1 1/2 2-1 2-hd 5-2 1/4 10.40 Papa Clem Bejarano 126 7 5 6-1 4-hd 4-1 5-1 6-nk 14.10 Terrain Rose 126 6 12 12-4 12-2 1/2 9-2 1/2 7-3 7- 3/4 25.80 Luv Gov Theriot 126 4 10 11-2 1/2 11- 1/2 12-hd 10-3 8-2 1/4 24.10 General Quarters Leparoux 126 8 6 7-1 1/2 7-2 6-1 8- 1/2 9-7 3/4 16.30 Friesan Fire Saez 126 5 3 3- 1/2 3-1 3-1 9-hd 10-7 1/4 9.00 Pioneerof the Nile Gomez 126 9 4 4- 1/2 5-hd 5-hd 11-7 11-6 1/4 6.10 Tone It Down Desormeaux 126 12 9 9-5 9-3 13 12-1 1/2 12- 1/2 23.90 Take the Points Prado 126 11 2 5-hd 6- 1/2 8-hd 13 13 18.00 Time: 23.130; 46.710; 1:11.

The big headline in Saturday's Baltimore Sun missed by only a word. It read: The Lady and the Champ. Had they made the third word "is," they'd have nailed it. Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness on Saturday, the fifth filly in 134 years to do so. The last time a filly won this second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown was 1924. That was four years after women were given the right to vote in America. Women's pride has had its good days, and this was certainly one of them.

They weren't supposed to be here among the big shots and the sheik, the Hall of Famers and the million dollar sure-things. Not the tiny horse with the funky feet and unsightly gait. Not the cowboy trainer with the black hat, busted leg and horseshoe mustache to match. Not the owner who met the trainer in a bar fight and got immunity in a federal corruption case through his father's plea deal. Yet here they are, this unlikely crew on the journey of their lives, propelled by a spectacular run at the Kentucky Derby that took 50-1 longshot Mine That Bird from obscurity to champion for the ages.

It's Kentucky Derby time again, and Nick Zito is looking toward the winner's circle as always. Not for himself, though. For the sport. These are the darkest days for thoroughbred racing. Hardly any of the news leading up to next Saturday's Run for the Roses has been good. And with no clear-cut favorite, the upcoming Triple Crown series has an unsettled feeling to it. Zito can't win this time because he has no starter in the field, but he hopes whoever does "goes into the winner's circle and preaches the good of the sport."