2012 Kentucky Derby Results: Underwhelming Horses That Will Improve at Preakness

The 2012 Preakness field will definitely feature a few Kentucky Derby horses that had some disappointing finishes.

With the exception of I’ll Have Another, each horse that will be competing in the second leg of the Triple Crown at Pimlico has aspirations to improve from their Churchill Downs performance on Saturday.

Let’s take a look at three possible contestants, where they finished in the Derby and why they definitely should move up a few spots.

Bodemeister – 2nd

This runner-up cannot be happy with his performance down the stretch of the Derby and will definitely be training to finish properly for the upcoming race in Maryland.

He started with a ridiculous—and possibly too taxing—1:09:8 run through six furlongs. If his jockey can keep him a little more under control and save some energy for the end of the race, there is no question Bodemeister will take first.

Went the Day Well – 4th

In a 20-horse field, a slow start will kill a contender’s chance of actually winning.

That is exactly what happened with Went the Day Well and it is surprising he actually rallied for a fourth-place finish. He had a great race after the initial sluggishness out of the gate and has a lot to improve on come May 19.

Optimizer – 11th

The $1 million Preakness will likely feature Optimizer, who finished in the middle of the pack during the Run for the Roses.

He had an unlucky draw and got the No. 2 post in that race and will be hoping for something more towards the center to start out with this time.

Optimizer may not be the best short-distance runner—Pimlico is only 1.1875 miles—but an ideal starting situation will definitely improve his chances.