Raquelle,

One week from today "Big Brown" will head a field of 10-12 horses in the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. For a look at thr prospective field and a comment on the breakdown of the filly "Eight Belles" see the "Dog Pound" article below.

On both Friday and Saturday of next week our newsletter will focus solely on Pimlico with four races on Friday, including the "Blacked Eyed Susan" stakes and five races on Saturday's card headed by the Preakness.

Today we have a total of five races for selections and analysis, all from Belmont Park. Today we also feature selections from the Peter Pan (G2) as well as the Bold Ruler Handicap (G3).

Friday's Results: Belmont Race #4 Top Pick Winner # 9 (Forest of Dreams) $3.60. 

Belmont Race #9 Exacta Box of top three (9-1) $51.50.

Preakness Stakes Notes 

The "Preakness" stakes will be headed by three horses and we'll list them in the order of how they will be bet in the race as they will be the first three choices. This is a list of horses that are currently being pointed for the race and of course there could be additions and defections as the week goes by.

The field at this stage: (Big Brown)--(Harlem Rocker)--(Recapturetheglory)--(Behindatthebar)--(Tres Borrachos)--(Giant Moon)--(Macho Again)--(Kentucky Bear)--(Racecar Rhapsody)--(Riley Tucker)--(Stevil)--(Yankee Bravo). Of these, Harlem Rocker is a talented individual and looked very impressive in winning the "Withers" stakes last out for trainer Todd Pletcher.

In regards to the fatal injuries that were suffered by "Eight Belles" in last Saturday's
Derby, they were obviously catatrosphic in nature and nothing could be done. I've been involved in this game for over fourty years and can count the number of times on one hand I've seen a horse break both front legs. It was a terrible tragedy and unfortunately as is often the case it happened on national television, as did the injuries to Ruffian, Go for Wand, Charismatic and more recently Barbaro.

No one person or thing is to blame as these horses are bred to run and if the game stopped tomorrow they'd race each other in a field at a farm, such is their competitive instinct. These are top-class horses, not claimers and the reason they are is their will to win and therefore give everything they have in that pursuit.

Artificial surfaces are a "quick fix" solution that in my opinion has had the effect of keeping bad horses racing longer in the hopes that they WON'T break down on them. A recent study (that did not include the California tracks because they said they'd conduct their own research), showed no difference in mortality rates at tracks with artificial surfaces and those with conventional dirt courses.

Solutions: A good start would be to breed some stamina back into the thoroughbreds and eliminate ALL drugs other than lasix.

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BELMONT PARK Race #SIX (3:35 PM Eastern)

(# 9) HAWKWOOD - Very impressive win last out off a 7-week freshening by trainer Tony Dutrow. Race was his first in blinkers and he just "destroyed" the maiden group. Second finisher returned to win next out. He's worked fast since and looks to make it two in a row in his first start against winners.

(# 6) Pay What You Owe - Raced evenly in his first on this circuit after shipping from So. California in a race won by the promising "Watboo." Broke his maiden at a "flat" mile next out and this will be his first against winners. Dangerous rival.

(# 5) Chernobyl's Hero - Has a ton of experience and if in the mood can compete here. Latest at Aqueduct was one of his best ever and he should be involved in the exotics at a square price.

(# 7) That'srightofficer - Held some promise earlier this year and trainer Rich Schosberg moves him back to the dirt after a try on the grass. He has a very fast work on May 1 and attracts Prado today. Look for better.