The 148thPreakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course is set for Saturday, May 20. The second leg of the Triple Crown has a purse of $1.5 million, with the winner’s share at $900,000. US Racing will profile all the contenders. The post-position draw is Monday, May 15. Profiles will be updated with odds and post positions following the draw.
By US Racing Team
From 5 ½ furlongs to a mile, Perform was a bust over the first five races of his career.
Extra distance turned the tables, and perform he did, breaking his maiden at a mile and 40 yards in March, winning the Federico Tesio at Laurel by a head at 1 1/8 miles on April 15, and now it’s time to step in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.
“I think the distance is a big thing and the two turns is a big thing,” McGaughey said. “Obviously, we hope we’d get a little speed in front of us, which we probably will. In these races, they usually do. I hope we’re finishing with Mage and can outkick him.”
The connections are confident enough in their Good Magic colt that they ponied up a $150,000 supplemental fee to get into the race.
McGaughey is impressed by how this colt is developing, and he’s rarely run in a big race without feeling he had a good chance to win.
“Two turns on the dirt, the distance, the mile and three-sixteenths, the timing is pretty good,’’ he said. “We’ve got plenty of time in between races. He had a good work last Sunday with Lynch on him and, that’s what made up my mind that, along with his owners to say, ‘let’s give it a chance.’”
2023 Preakness Entries: Perform
Post position: 6
Odds: 15-1
Trainer: Shug McGaughey
Jockey: Feargal Lynch
Owners: Woodford Racing LLC, Lanes End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone, and Edward J. Hudson Jr.
Career record: 7-2-1-1
Career earnings: $130,956
Best Equibase speed figure: 98
Pedigree: Good Magic-Jane Says, by Tale of Ekati
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer/stalker
Notes: Purchased for $230,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale … This will be McGaughey’s fourth Preakness –his 2013 Derby winner Orb ran third, Easy Goer was second in 1989, and Pine Circle was fifth in 1984 … Lynch has one Grade 1 victory over his racing career – the 2015 Woodbine Mile aboard Mondialiste. Lynch is a native of Northern Ireland, raced in England and is now based Maryland.
2023 Preakness Stakes Post Positions and Odds
| PP | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Treasure | 4-1 | John Velazquez | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 2 | Chase The Chaos | 50-1 | Sheldon Russell | Ed Moger Jr. |
| 3 | Mage | 8-5 | Javier Castellano | Gustavo Delgado |
| 4 | Coffeewithchris | 20-1 | Jaime Rodriguez | John E. Salzman Jr. |
| 5 | Red Route One | 10-1 | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 6 | Perform | 15-1 | Feargal Lynch | Claude R. McGaughey III |
| 7 | Blazing Sevens | 6-1 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown |
| 8 | First Mission | 5-2 | Luis Saez | Brad H. Cox |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
