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EVENTS

PREAKNESS VICTORY The Preakness Stakes
Two weeks after the Kentucky Derby triumph announced trophy is also called the
him as America’s most exciting racehorse, Justify once again Woodlawn Vase and is the
set out to capture the second jewel of the Triple Crown most valuable trophy in
in the USD1.5 million Preakness Stakes. The Preakness
Stakes is held in Baltimore, Maryland’s biggest city at American sports
Pimlico Racecourse, a track steeped in history. 必利时锦标赛冠军奖杯也称为伍
德劳恩杯，这是美国最古老及富
Continuous rainfall at Pimlico Racecourse in the days
leading up to the Preakness Stakes left the racing surface 盛名的奖杯
sloppy and ‘sticky’, a very different ‘wet track’ to the one
he tackled at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby.
Yet the torrid weather did not diminish the enthusiasm of
the 135,000 racegoers who turned out for the 143rd annual
Preakness Stakes. Though the rain had stopped an hour
before the start of the race, a heavy fog rolled in and covered
the racecourse, reducing visibility to as little as 100m.
Getting through the Preakness under these conditions was
a test for the contenders, while for the spectators, it was
unforgettable scene.

From the moment the runners jumped from the gate they
raced through heavy patches of fog, sliding in and out of
visibility. Both on track and across NBC’s live broadcast,
the spectacle was unique and suspenseful. The densest
cloud of fog had descended on the home corner. Justify and
Good Magic, the one-two finishers in the Kentucky Derby,
raced into it neck and neck. JUSTIFY’S COLLECTION
OF OWNERS it felt like an eternity. Racecaller Larry
Collmus held viewers and onlookers with his every word,
anticipating the emotions of those watching on until Justify
burst through the mist ahead of three rivals. The crowd
roared on, connections cheered wildly and jockey Mike
Smith pushed out his charge to the line and an historic win.

Despite immense pressure from last year’s champion two-
year-old Good Magic for 1600m, Justify was able to sustain
his run and fend off the late-charging Bravazo and Tenfold
to complete the race in 1:55:93. Trainer Bob Baffert called it
the toughest and gutsiest run of Justify’s short but illustrious
career. His colt had his mettle tested and was found to be
true. Having saluted in the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky
Derby, Justify has earned a tilt at the famed Triple Crown.
The eyes of the racing world watch on to see if the sport’s
rising star can become the 13th racehorses to etch his name
onto the honour roll of the Triple Crown.

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