Oxbow, ridden by veteran Gary Stevens, provided the upset of the day at the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore as he won a comprehensive victory over favorite Orb.
Here’s what you need to know…
1. No Horse Has Won the Triple Crown in 35 Years
The wait for a winner of US horse racing’s big three, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes (which happens on June 8) goes on. No horse had achieved this feat since Affirmed in 1978.
2. There Were No Records Broken
Coming home on veteran Gary Stevens, Oxbow, clocked in a time of 1:57:54, four seconds off the record set by Secretariat in 197. In second was Itsmyluckyday, third was Mylute, with favorite Orb coming in at fourth.
3. The Favorite Orb Never Really Challenged
Orb was slotted into the No.1 post position, a position which has only ever produced two winners. In the run up to this race Orb had won his previous five races, the Kentucky Derby, Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth Stakes. Yahoo Sports reports:
Oxbow led at the first turn by two lengths. Orb broke to the outside in the back stretch, and had difficulty making headway through a thick pack.
Orb’s owner, Shug McGaughey, spoke of his nerves to CBS DC earlier in the day:
I’m thrilled and excited to be in this position, I am also a bit nervous.
He went on to play down the enormity of going for to the Triple Crown.
4. It Wasn’t Worth Betting on Orb
Oxbow went into Preakness as the fifth favorite, but still of big odds of 15/1. Orb was in at odds of 3/5, meaning a dollar bet would return just 60 cents.
5. Oxbow’s Jockey Was a Big Winner
With the win Gary Stevens becomes one of the most successful jockeys of all time at Preakness. Coming in at joint third in the rankings of all time most successful jockeys at Preakness, Stevens, who came out of retirement earlier this year, will have some work to do win four more and surpass Eddie Arcaro’s haul of six victories.