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The son of Ten Most Wanted had shown little in any of his six starts as a juvenile, a third at Keeneland being his only in-the-money performance, and a 12th of 12 at Churchill in the campaign finale Nov. 5 didn’t auger well for classic consideration.
A light seemed to have gone on over the winter, however, and after three runner-up performances – two at Oakland, one at Keeneland – he made it into the winners’ circle, coming from far back and showing some courage with a rail run under Miguel Mena to win by 6½ lengths on Churchill’s big day.
The female family traces back to Equipoise’s sister, Schwester, dam of the filly Recce, third against the boys in the 1944 Pimlico Futurity and runner-up in the next year’s Pimlico Oaks, and Mameluke, who won the 1951 Blue Grass and the next year’s Metropolitan Mile.
VIDEOS COMING SOON
| Video | Date | Race Name | Distance | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/02/2009 | Maiden Special Weight (Churchill Downs) | 1 1/16 miles | 1st | |
| 03/19/2009 | Maiden Special Weight (Keeneland) | 1 1/16 miles | 2nd | |
| 03/05/2009 | Maiden Special Weight (Oaklawn Park) | 1 1/16 miles | 2nd | |
| 01/19/2009 | Maiden Special Weight (Oaklawn Park) | 1 Mile | 2nd | |
| 11//05/2008 | Maiden Special Weight (Churchill) | 1 1/16 miles | 12th | |
| 10/05/2008 | Maiden Special Weight (Keeneland) | 1 1/16 miles | 3rd | |
| 08/31/2008 | Maiden Special Weight (Saratoga) | 6 Furlongs | 4th | |
| 08/15/2008 | Maiden Special Weight (Saratoga) | 7 Furlongs | 8th | |
| 08/02/2008 | Maiden Special Weight (Saratoga) | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 8th | |
| 06/27/2008 | Maiden Special Weight (Churchill) | 5 1/2 Furlongs | 5th |
JAMIE THERIOT
The 30-year-old native of Arnaudville, La., has the bloodlines to be one of the sport’s best, being the son of trainer Harold Theriot and nephew of Larry Melancon. The family tree also includes two-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel and Hall of Famer Eddie Delahoussaye.
Jamie began his professional riding career at 16, competing in Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana, but he’s won out-of-town races before, most notably the Lone Star Park Handicap, the Oklahoma Derby and the Arlington-Washington Futurity. This will be his second Preakness mount: He finished sixth aboard Kentucky Bear last year’s renewal.
He won his first race in 1996 at Evangeline Downs and took riding titles there and at Oaklawn. He’s capable of winning races in bunches: He became the seventh rider in Churchill Downs history to win six races, from only seven mounts, there June 18, 2008.
MARYLOU WHITNEY
A Kansas City native who became a prominent socialite, doyenne of precincts as varied as Palm Beach, Lexington, Saratoga and Juneau, Marylou Whitney is the widow of C.V. Whitney, a member of what was one of racing’s most prominent families. The 83-year-old philanthropist is currently married to John Hendrickson, a 44-year-old Alaskan who served in Gov. Walter Hickel’s administration.
She spent two years as “Private Smiles,” a Kansas City radio DJ during World War II. Mr. Whitney raced a horse by that name who won the Jersey Derby in 1973.
The Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney sire line – including C.V.’s father, Harry Payne Whitney, and grandfather, Williams Collins Whitney – owned and bred many of racing’s superstars of the past; Broomstick, Whisk Broom II, Regret, Upset, Equipoise, Top Flight and Counterpoint, just to name a few to carry the Eton blue and brown silks.
Marylou bred and raced such good ones as champion filly Bird Town and Birdstone, who stopped Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner…
…Smarty Jones’ Triple Crown bid with a Belmont Stakes upset. He went on to win the Travers, as well.
Her philanthropy extends from cancer research to the performing arts to thoroughbred racing.
D. WAYNE LUKAS
With 32 starters, no trainer has been as heavily represented in the Preakness as Lukas, and with five winners, few have had as much success. His winners include his first Preakness starter, Codex in 1980, followed by Tank’s Prospect in 1985, Tabasco Cat in 1994, Timber Country in 1995 and Charismatic in 1999.
Raised on a 10-acre farm outside Antigo, Wisc., Lukas earned a master’s degree in education from the state university there, became a teacher in his hometown and coached the basketball team, the “Red Robins,” for seven years.
Lukas came from humble beginnings as a trainer, rising up from quarter horse racetracks in Texas and bush tracks in South Dakota. It’s a long way from where he is now, tied with “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons with 13 victories in Triple Crown races. Hall of Fame horsemen John Nerud, as Tartan Stable racing manager, assigned their top prospect Codex to Lukas’ barn and that colt became his first classic winner, taking the 1980 Preakness. That race was one of 4,500 combined quarter horse and thoroughbred victories…
…Lukas has had. Nerud became a founding father of the Breeders’ Cup, and Lukas’ numbers in racing’s championship event dwarf those of anyone else: From 146 starters he has had 18 victories, 20 seconds and 15 thirds with earnings of $19.6 million.
Although 1999 Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner Charismatic gave him his most most recent classic victories, he shouldn’t be written off as he often produces a contender. He is also noted as a trainer of trainers, past assistants including Todd Pletcher, Mark Hennig, Kiaran McLaughlin, Randy Bradshaw and Dallas Stewart.
