Preakness 2012 Entries: Keys to Bodemeister Besting the Field at Pimlico

Despite the fact that I'll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, most race fans would say that Bodemeister was the most impressive horse on that day. He shot out to the lead and set a blistering pace, but he simply couldn't hang on in the end as I'll Have Another took advantage of what was clearly a very tired horse.

With that said, though, there is a lot that needs to be corrected if Bodemeister is going to fulfill his promise and win a Triple Crown race. He is currently installed as the co-favorite along with I'll Have Another, but if jockey Mike Smith and trainer Bob Baffert fail to make adjustments, then the results could be the same.

Here are three keys to a possible Bodemeister victory in "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday.

Get to the Front Early

Bodemeister shot out to the lead right away in the Kentucky Derby, and while that ultimately didn't work out for him, that strategy shouldn't change in the Preakness Stakes. Bodemeister is a front-runner through and through, and when a horse has the desire to get out to the lead, he shouldn't be held back. Doing so can often be more disastrous than helpful as it could very well throw Bodemeister outside his comfort zone. 

That doesn't mean that Smith has to ensure that he is leading from the opening gun, but he'll have to be among the top couple horses in all likelihood. Bodemeister simply isn't used to laying back and coming from behind, so he most definitely shouldn't be asked to do that in such a high-stakes race. Many will call for Bodemeister to make a late charge because of the way big races have been going lately, but that simply isn't his style.

Set a More Sustainable Pace

This may seem contradictory to the first bullet point, but there is certainly a way for Smith to get Bodemeister near the front without exhausting his effort like he did in the Kentucky Derby.

Bodemeister was far and away the best horse for the vast majority of that race, but he was running near-record splits early in the race and the 10-furlong distance ultimately ruined him as he could realistically run that way the whole time.

Even if Bodemeister runs at a speed that is about 80 percent of what he ran in the Kentucky Derby, that should be enough to keep him in the lead or awfully close to it at the very least.

Smith is now very aware of Bodemeister's limitations, and while he is an incredibly talented horse, he isn't some sort of super horse. He is faster than every horse in the field, however, and if Smith takes his foot off the accelerator just a tad, it should bode well for Bodemeister.

Save Some Juice for the Home Stretch

The en vogue way to win horse races nowadays is to lurk somewhere in the middle of the field while maintaining advantageous track position before making a run over the final couple furlongs. That is precisely how I'll Have Another reigned supreme in the Kentucky Derby, but it certainly isn't the only way to get the job done.

Bodemeister could have won the Derby as a front-runner, but he didn't have enough left in reserve.

It is integral to have the ability to make a powerful push in the latter stages of the race and if Smith manages Bodemeister better this time around, then he should be able to do that in the Preakness. Bodemeister was better than I'll Have Another for about 90 percent of the race two weeks ago, but it was that last 10 percent that truly counted. As long as Bodemeister has enough left in reserve over that last 10 percent, he'll be the horse to beat.

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