Napoleon Solo wins Preakness Stakes
Napoleon Solo won Saturday's Preakness Stakes, as none of the three Kentucky Derby starters hit the board in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Napoleon Solo, who won the Preakness Stakes in Maryland on Saturday, started his career with an easy victory in a restricted maiden race last summer at Saratoga Photo courtesy of Gulfstream Park May 16 (UPI) -- Napoleon Solo led home a trio of so-called "new shooters" in Saturday's Grade I Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park -- horses who did not contest the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown, but joined the series for the second leg in Maryland. Only three Derby starters lined up for the Preakness. None was prominent in the running, although Ocelli and Incredibolt, third and sixth in the Run for the Roses, came from behind a quick pace to finish fourth and fifth, respectively.
It really was Napoleon Solo's race. The Liam's Map colt got a clean start, and jockey Paco Lopez quickly moved him in from his No. 10 gate to chase right behind pacesetter and local favorite Taj Mahal.
They raced that way at a good clip down the backstretch and through the stretch turn. When Taj Mahal threw in the towel, Napoleon Solo kept right on going and was never threatened. Iron Honor, last seen finishing seventh in the Grade II Wood Memorial, and Chip Honcho, a distant fifth in the Grade II Louisiana Derby in his last outing, finished second and third, respectively.
Napoleon Solo ran 1 3/16 miles on a fast track in 1:58. 69. Napoleon Solo started his career with an easy victory in a restricted maiden race last summer at Saratoga and jumped right up from that to win the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct in October.