At Pimlico in 1998, Real Quiet was the main distraction on a supremely hot afternoon that had to be endured by everyone as the power went out at the track. Baffert said he loves to win the Preakness "because it's that race that validates your horse," and remembered sweating along with everyone else, including Rodman, the announcer, whose broadcast booth's thermometer read 95 degrees but whose broadcasting equipment was working thanks to a generator on the roof.
Real Quiet drew the 11th post but started out of the No. 10 hole when an inside horse scratched. That was the easiest move he'd make all day. According to official charts of the race Real Quiet ran four-wide around the first turn, ran in the fifth lane of the track down the backstretch, drifted wide out of the second turn and then veered in badly near the 16th-mile pole before increasing his lead to win by 21/2 lengths.
