2011 Preakness Stakes: Can Animal Kingdom Triumph?

Welcome to round 2 in the run for the triple crown. I love the Preakness if the Derby winner is running and that is the case this year, as Animal Kingdom will try and get the second leg of the triple crown. I personally feel that he has a very legitimate shot to do just that. In the last 10 years there has been a 40% success rate in accomplishing the feat, so it definitely can be done. One of the key reasons I feel it will be done in 2011 is the tremendous "turn of foot" that Animal Kingdom has. In all 3 of his races at 1 1/8 or over in distance, he has drawn away from the fields rather easily, winning by over 2 3/4 lengths in each of those 3 races. He did it twice on synthetic surfaces at Keeneland and Turfway, and then at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles on the dirt at Churchill Downs. I have seen many great horses over the years, but 2 horses come to mind that also had that tremendous "turn of foot," which is a description of quick acceleration when it seems the other horses in the race are tiring. Zenyatta and Goldikova had that exceptional ability to turn on the afterburners in deep stretch, knowing that they had to do so, to win the race. I'm not saying that Animal Kingdom is as great as the 2 aforementioned legends, however I hope that we see it today. You see, I want to see another triple crown winner in my lifetime. It would be good for the sport, and the nation. If Animal Kingdom wins tomorrow in the same easy fashion that he has shown so far in his career, he will get the chance to complete the "trifecta" or "holy grail" of racing on June 11, 2011 at Belmont Park going 1 1/2 miles. It has been 33 years since Affirmed won the triple crown in 1978, 34 years since Seattle Slew won the triple crown in 1977, and 38 years since Secretariat won the triple crown in 1973. It's time. I told Daily Dub 5 minutes before the Kentucky Derby 2 weeks ago that 1 horse looked much the best to me in the post parade. It was Animal Kingdom. I will be watching again tomorrow, and hoping that he looks the same way he did 2 weeks ago.

Here are some Trifecta Billy Preakness trifecta plays:

$1 Trifecta:          11/1,5,7,8,9,10,14/1,5,7,8,9,10,14        $42
$1 Trifecta:          11/9/All                                                  $12
$1 Trifecta box:    8-9-10-11                                              $24

Good Luck to Everyone! Enjoy the race.