Can Mexican Jockey Mario Gutierrez Make History At The Preakness?

Two-time Kentucky Derby winning Mario Gutierrez signs autographs for some young fans. (Twitter image)

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 20, 2016: All eyes will be on Nyquist and jockey Mario Gutierrez to see if the Mexican-born immigrant can repeat his 2012 victory at this year’s Preakness Stakes on May 21st.

Gutierrez, 29, who won aboard ‘I’ll Have Another’ four years ago, is looking for a second win at the Preakness inorder to move on to the Triple Crown. Nyquist is looking to keep his winning streak untarnished on the Baltimore, MD track as his trainers and owners hope he will become a Triple Crown contender.

Guiterrez, who started riding quarter horses as young teenager in the hopes of earning enough money to buy a pair of shoes or something to eat, is hoping now it won’t be heart break as it was for  ‘I’ll Have Another’ in 2012 when the horse did not win the Triple Crown.

But so far Nyquist is looking like a sure winner. He has won all eight of his races, including last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Florida Derby on April 2 and the Kentucky Derby on May 7. His shortest previous turnaround between races has been 19 days. Nyquist won the Grade I Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7 and won the Grade I FrontRunner Stakes on Sept. 26.

And Gutierrez knows the pressure is on. But as he said after the Derby win recently: “I get the confidence from Nyquist. I trust him and I believe he trusts me as well.”

Expect seven or eight shooters – horses that did not run in the Kentucky Derby – to be on hand to try to spoil Nyquist’s Triple Crown bid and undefeated record. The Preakness field is limited to 14 horses.

The Preakness is one-half furlong or one-eighth of a mile shorter than the 1.25-mile Kentucky Derby.

Post time for the 141st Preakness Stakes is 5:18 p.m. CDT Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. NBC will televise the race.

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