Preakness 2012: Which Trainers and Jockeys Give Their Horses an Edge?
One of the oddities of horse racing is the fact that as soon as you get a good beat on a colt, they retire to live a life most humans could only dream of.
We are only able to make our judgments and predictions based off a small sample size.
A more realistic way to pick a winner is to go by the other elements that go into a thoroughbred horse: the trainer and jockey. These two play an integral role in the whole process. Here are three horses that have a terrific combination of trainer and jockey heading into today’s Preakness Stakes.
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Post 7—Bodemeister, Trainer: Bob Baffert, Jockey: Mike Smith
You knew the favorite was going to be on the list.
Baffert is a legend in the sport with his white hair and sunglasses, and he has already brought in $5.98 million worth of earnings in 2012. No trainer in this year’s field at Pimlico has grossed as much.
He has five Preakness Stakes wins to his name, and he has provided Bodemeister with everything he needs to come away with the victory.
Smith is one of the most experienced jockeys of all-time and will surely be able to handle the young Bodemeister with ease.
Post 8—Daddy Nose Best, Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Asmussen is right behind Baffert in the earnings list in 2012. He has raised two different Preakness winners in his career. It seems like he breeds the sort of horse that is perfect for the short track at Pimlico.
Daddy Nose Best and his blazing speed will be a strong contender today.
Leparoux, meanwhile, has been jockeying since 2005 and has dozens of wins on his resume. The vet is certainly not going to be the one to blame if this horse falters.
Post 11—Cozzetti, Trainer: Dale Romans, Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Romans has amassed almost $3.6 million in earnings this year and has an outstanding 20 percent win rate. He is certainly one of the hottest trainers in the sport. He also trained last year's Preakness winner Shackleford.
While he may be only 26 years old, he has racked up over 20 wins in his career, including the Florida Oaks earlier this year.
While Cozzetti may be one of the extreme long shots to win the Preakness, it’s not because of his handlers.
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