Bardsley Equine Art: 141st Preakness May21,2016

Jacob and I

The Preakness is one of the biggest races in the United States. It is the second and middle jewel of the Triple Crown between the Kentucky Derby, and the Belmont. The race is held at Pimlico race track, nicknamed "Old Hilltop" in Baltimore Maryland.

Not knowing how things would be with parking, and the crowd, and rain, Jacob and I got an early start. We headed up to Pimlico in a driving rain that stopped as we arrived at the track.

We figured we would explore outside, and see some races from there before the impending rain returned.

The rain did return, and Jacob and I found a nice spot with good visibility at the top of the enclosed grandstand.

I love the grays!

Sagamore Racing Chief Istan

Just before the Preakness, we connected with my friend Steve and headed to an outdoor box just above the finish wire.

The sloppy track and finish wire from where we watched the 141st Preakness

From the outside box where we watched the 141st Preakness

The biggest star of the day was undefeated and Kentucky Derby Winner Nyquist. Instead of walking and saddling the horses back in the paddock, they were walked and saddled on the inside turf track so spectators could see the stars of the day.

Once "Riders Up" was given, the Post Parade started on the muddy wet track

Nyquist looked incredible, and it was hard not the think he would win as he had already beaten the second favorite Exaggerator in the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby!

My attention was also on Awesome Speed with my friend Jevian Toledo up, his first Triple Crown mount!

As the horses came thundering down the front stretch, Nyquist took the early lead, with Awesome Speed just on his outside.

I was unable to get a picture of the horses at the finish wire, but in the end Exaggerator had won the race. The come from behind closer passed Nyquist coming off the final turn, Nyquist ended up third by a bob to Cherry Wine.

It was so great to see Jevian do so well on his first Triple Crown Mount, and nice that he stopped for a picture when he saw Jacob and I.

In the box we were in, we also saw Jockey Victor Carrasco who has been featured in this blog before.

Jacob with Jockey Yomar Ortiz

After the 141st Preakness pageantry was over, we stayed to watch the 14th race of the card. Sagamore Racings Brute Force who I saw and photographed on the training track earlier in the week won the race by lengths.