BALTIMORE, Md. (LEX 18) — Rombauer has won the 146th running of the Preakness Stakes.
Midnight Bourbon went on to finish second, while Kentucky Derby winner and Bob Baffert trained colt Medina Spirit went on to finish third.
Rombauer was an 11-1 longshot out of the gate at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., leading to a payout of $25.60 to win, $10 to place, and $5.20 to show.
Rombauer was ridden by Flavien Pratt, who earned his second Triple Crown race victory (2019 Kentucky Derby).
Trainer Michael McCarthy won his first Triple Crown race and captured the Preakness before Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, for whom he worked as an assistant before opening his own barn. Pletcher gave McCarthy a big bear hug after the race.
Rombauer is owned by John and Diane Fradkin, a far cry from Medina Spirit’s Zedan Racing Stables and other horse racing conglomerates. He won for the third time in seven starts.
McCarthy choked back tears while talking about everyone involved with Rombauer.
“Means a lot to be here, participate on a day like this,” he said. “Happy for the Fradkins. Just goes to show you that small players in the game can be successful, as well.”
McCarthy said this week Rombauer’s best weapon was between his ears and that his colt was training well. But few picked the long shot to win the Preakness, which was run in front of 10,000 fans at Pimlico Race Course.
Baffert was not in attendance, staying away because of the controversy with Medina Spirit, who still could be disqualified from the Derby. His Derby win still hangs in the balance with a second test yet to be analyzed.
Maryland racing officials required Concert Tour and Medina Spirit undergo additional testing and monitoring as conditions to run in the Preakness. Those three rounds of tests came back Friday, clearing them to race.
With Baffert’s shadow hanging over the race, the Preakness was run in front of a limited capacity of 10,000 fans, a fraction of the crowd of 100,000-plus that typically packs Pimlico on the third Saturday in May. Masks were still required because of city and track protocols.
This was a short turnaround from the 2020 Preakness, which was run last fall as the third leg of the Triple Crown with no fans allowed.
