News Americas, BALTIMORE, MD, Sat. May 16, 2015: Two Latin American jockeys were among the big winners Saturday as the 140th Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course in Maryland.
Mexican-born Victor Espinoza rode American Pharoah on a road soaked track to victory before a record crowd of 131,680.
Espinoza atop American Pharoah skipped through the slop and pulled away from his seven rivals, to win with a seven-length Preakness romp and on to a Triple Crown attempt at Belmont Park on June 6th.
“It’s absolute elation,” owner Ahmed Zayat said. “I was honestly happy for the sport. A sport without a star is not a sport. Now, God willing, he comes out of this race well and we could be talking about history.”
A rainstorm began about 15 minutes before the race but it didn’t affect the 3-year-old American Pharoah from winning, much as it had done before at the Rebel Stakes in March.
Espinoza, 42, now has his chance at history, too at Belmont. He is now the first jockey to have a third try at a Triple Crown. He won the Derby and Preakness with War Emblem in 2002 and California Chrome last year, but fell short in the Belmont.
“I hope the third one is the charm,” Espinoza said Saturday.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan-born jockey Javier Castellano rode 4-year-old Ironicus to victory and a win in the $300,000 Dixie Stakes, the richest race Saturday on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.
Ironicus emerged from a tight pack in mid-stretch to pull away from game long shot Cage Fighter to cover the distance in 1:40.53, only .21 seconds off the Pimlico turf course record set by Precious Kitten in 2007.
“This race set up perfectly for us. In his last race, the leader just galloped and he made a run but didn’t have a chance to win,” Castellano said. “The turf was also softer that day. He likes a little harder track and with today’s fast pace, it was exactly what we needed.”
For Castellano, the Dixie was his second win on the day and fourth graded-stakes victory of the weekend, including the Gallorette (G3) with Watsdachances earlier on Saturday’s 14-race Preakness Stakes (G1) program.
