Coming down the frontstretch, the nine-horse race for victory in the 132nd Preakness at Pimlico Race Course yesterday turned into a match race.
Kentucky Derby champion Street Sense had burst past Curlin in the final turn and reeled in Hard Spun and looked as if he would win as they came down the stretch. But Curlin wasn't finished, and when Street Sense jockey Calvin Borel looked back under his right arm, what he saw gave him chills.
Curlin was coming, pounding back, pulling up beside him so close the jockeys' stirrups all but touched.
"This close," said Curlin's jockey, Robby Albarado, holding his thumb and index finger less than an inch apart. And that's about how close this Preakness was, as Curlin made a last surge for a head bob that beat Street Sense at the finish line.
In the stands, Curlin's owners - Jess Jackson, Shirley Cunningham, George Bolton and Satish Sanan - were celebrating. Jumping up and down. Convinced they'd won, but trainer Steve Asmussen wouldn't look.
"I'm not that optimistic," Asmussen said when asked if he knew his horse had won. "I don't think I'm superstitious, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I didn't look at the scoreboard until someone told me our number was up there."
On the racetrack, neither Albarado nor Borel had any such doubts.
"I was on his back, and I knew we'd won," Albarado said.
And Borel confirmed it. "You got me! Congratulations," he said as the two galloped out.
A few minutes later, when Borel dismounted, his eyes momentarily became moist. But when asked what had happened, he got hold of his emotions.
"He ran hard the whole way," Borel said of Street Sense. "The hole opened up and maybe it was a jump or two early, but I had to go. At the quarter pole, I switched leads and thought we were going to win. Then I looked back. But he's still the best horse in racing."
At the Kentucky Derby, Street Sense had won the duel with Hard Spun and Curlin finishing second and third, respectively. Here, it was Curlin ($8.80, $3.80 and $2.80) finishing off Street Sense in 1 minute, 53.46 seconds, a time that tied the Preakness race record and ended hope for a Triple Crown winner this year.
The effort thrilled the record crowd of 121,263 who ignored showers just before the race began and stood and roared as the race to the wire unfolded. Hard Spun, with Ellicott City jockey Mario Pino riding, streaked into the lead at the three-quarter pole, and it was at that point, when the fractions showed 1:09.80, that Hard Spun's trainer Larry Jones became nervous.
