Bodemeister's Sprinters' Speed Makes Him Favorite to Win Preakness Stakes

Bodemeister looked the part of a Triple-Crown Champion at the Kentucky Derby until the last 150 yards when I'll Have Another demolished his strength and will.

Nevertheless, his sprinters' speed still makes him the favorite to win the Preakness Stakes later this month.

There isn't another horse on the planet that can fly as fast as Bodemeister, but his stamina wasn't up to snuff during the final 1/16 of a mile—exactly as long as the 1 3/16-mile Preakness track.

Perhaps this latest second-place finish shouldn't be put all on Bodemeister's shoulders. He did pace the entire race and was pushing hard towards the finish line when his mighty strength began to dwindle.

Perhaps Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith should have exercised better judgement with his colt and held back a bit for the final push.

We'll never know. Bodemeister isn't used to holding anything back and his pure speed has gotten him over the top for his entire young career.

Owner Bob Baffert spoke to 8 News Now in Las Vegas recently after he worked out Bodemeister:

"

Bode(meister) worked really well. He looked like he skipped right over the track and you never know until you work them over how they're going to handle it but he seemed like he was really fluid the way he went around there. That's him, when you let him pick it up, he really just floats over the ground.

"

He did look like he was floating for the entire race. He was clearly the fastest horse on the track...until the end.

Last year's Derby was won by Animal Kingdom. His owner Barry Irwin loves what he sees in Bodemeister, via Newsday.com:

"

Whether he'll be able to fend off other horses on the lead and come back in a relatively short period of time, I don't know, but from a pure talent point of view, he looks like he's the one.

"

He looked like the one for 1 3/16 mile in the Derby, and though he lost he should still be the favorite to win at the Preakness Stakes.

This colt isn't finished just yet.

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