Preakness Winner

Orb's path to the finish line in the second leg of the Triple Crown remains uncrowded. Normandy Invasion, the fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, dropped from contention for Saturday's 138th running of the Preakness on Sunday. Trainer Chad Brown and owner Rick Porter decided to stick with their original plan and point the horse toward prestigous races for 3-year-olds later in the summer. That leaves Orb, the colt co-owned by Baltimore County resident Stuart Janney III and Ogden Mills "Dinny" Pipps' stable, with only seven confirmed challengers at this point.

The Boniface family of Bonita Farm in Darlington has been through a lot this year. Benjamin Boniface, 20, died when he lost control of his pickup truck on the private farm lane early one morning in June after "he failed to negotiate a curve," according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. And Deputed Testamony, their home-bred who was the oldest living Triple Crown race winner and the last Maryland-bred horse to win the Preakness, passed away at age 32 in September. But the Boniface family, like their horses, is made of hardy stock.

At first glance, nothing about the Woodlawn Vase -- the shiny silver trophy presented annually to the winner of the Preakness -- seems to embody the thrill of the race. Where in its delicate, ornate features are the galloping, straining horses? Where are the bulging muscles, flaring nostrils and glistening coats? Where are the hysterical crowds? At a glance, the trophy hints at little more than that triumphant Kodak moment in which the victor raises the cup for the crowds to cheer and the cameras to flash.

Condolences to the Boniface family on the passing of their beloved "DT" ("'83 Preakness winner Deputed Testamony dies," Sept. 19). He enjoyed a long life at Bonita Farm and certainly brought prestige to the Maryland racing and horse breeding industry. He will always be honored in the record books, but more importantly, he will always be honored as a true champion in the hearts of Maryland racing fans. His greatness will live on through his progeny for many years to come. Kitty Deimel, Hampden

I'll Have Another, fresh off winning the second leg of the Triple Crown, nipped at anyone who came by Sunday morning. He was more playful than ornery. Someone told trainer Doug O'Neill that the colt's eyelids looked heavy.  "He's always got that look," O'Neill shot back. It's true. I'll Have Another appeared only mildly bothered yesterday after running a mile and three-sixteenths in under two minutes and being herded into a crowded winner's circle. After his connections partied late into the night outside of his barn - except for O'Neill, who went to his hotel room with his wife and kids and ordered room service - I'll Have Another was spry at dawn.

The last man to take a horse to Belmont with a chance to snag the elusive final gem in the Triple Crown has some advice for Doug O'Neill. Stay true to the horse. "I think trainers going around asking other people what they should do, looking for how to handle it, that's stupid," Rick Dutrow, trainer of Big Brown in 2008, said in a phone interview Sunday. "It's got to be about your horse. Whatever anybody else did doesn't matter. You know your horse. " O'Neill, trainer of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another, has already disregarded common wisdom over the past three weeks.

Preakness Stakes winner Bernardini will not run in the Belmont Stakes, the third jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown, on June 10. Darley Stable, which owns the bay colt who won the Preakness by 5 1/4 lengths, made the announcement in Lexington, Ky., yesterday, saying Bernardini deserves a rest. Before capturing the Preakness on Saturday, Bernardini won the Withers Stakes three weeks earlier on April 29. His other two races were March 4 and Jan. 7. Already missing from the Belmont is Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, who was seriously injured after the start of the Preakness and is convalescing after leg surgery at an animal medical facility in Kennett Square, Pa. With Bernardini and Barbaro out, it will be just the third time in 36 years that the Belmont will be run without the Kentucky Derby or Preakness winner.

Aloma's Ruler, who held the mantle of oldest living Preakness winner for 12 days, died June 21 at a farm in Illinois. He was 24. When Spectacular Bid, winner of the 1979 Preakness, died June 9 in New York, Aloma's Ruler became the oldest living winner of the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown. Aloma's Ruler captured the Preakness in 1982, defeating the heavy favorite, Linkage, by a half length. Aloma's Ruler and Linkage were stabled in Maryland. John J. "Butch" Lenzini Jr. trained Aloma's Ruler, and Maryland builder Nathan "Red" Scherr owned him. A 16-year-old jockey, "Cowboy Jack" Kaenel, rode the colt to victory in the Preakness.

Has the Belmont Stakes become an afterthought in this year's Triple Crown? No Triple Crown contender, no Derby winner, no Preakness winner and the horrific public injury to the star, Barbaro; the Belmont is not only an afterthought, it's irrelevant. Steven Meltzer Baltimore No question about it. This year's Belmont has neither the Kentucky Derby or Preakness winner. There should also be consideration given to extending the days between the Triple Crown races to allow the horses additional rest.

Ritchey originally had planned to ship the Preakness winner to Long Island today for the June 11 Belmont Stakes. The departure date will be delayed until New York Racing Association officials have control of the situation. One week after his victory, Afleet Alex jogged one mile and galloped two miles on the Pimlico oval this morning. Meanwhile, the betting numbers for Preakness day continue to soar, as the Maryland Jockey Club released the final numbers. Adding figures from simulcasting and the Preakness-Pimlico Special Double, the final handle figure is $91,028,704, including $63,230,573 on the Preakness.

Secretariat wins again. More than 39 years after the super horse won the Preakness on his way to a Triple Crown, the Maryland Racing Commission ruled Tuesday that he had set what was then a track and is still a race record, covering the mile-and-three-sixteenths in 1:53. Secretariat now holds the race record in all three Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont) events. "It's nice to finally have this recognized, because the sport depends on accuracy," said Secretariat owner Penny Chenery, who helped pushed for the adjustment.

Once again, horse racing will have to wait for a new hero. The erstwhile Sport of Kings will not have its first Triple Crown since 1978. Not this year. The shocking news that I'll Have Anotherhad to be scratched from Saturday's Belmont Stakes is another huge blow to an industry desperately trying to become relevant for a new generation of sports fans. The fact that the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner had to withdraw just a day before making his bid to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed added some drama to the disappointment.

In his bid to win horse racing's elusive Triple Crown, I'll Have Another today was named a 4-5 favorite for Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Immediately after the No. 11 post position and odds were announced, I'll Have Another's connections tweeted, "We drew post # 11 -- Brilliant. " Trainer Doug O'Neill said after the draw, "Unbelievable ride. Whole journey is just because of the great I'll Have Another. " O'Neill left minutes later to oversee his horse's acclimation to the new Belmont Stakes Barn.

I'll Have Another, fresh off winning the second leg of the Triple Crown, nipped at anyone who came by Sunday morning. He was more playful than ornery. Someone told trainer Doug O'Neill that the colt's eyelids looked heavy.  "He's always got that look," O'Neill shot back. It's true. I'll Have Another appeared only mildly bothered yesterday after running a mile and three-sixteenths in under two minutes and being herded into a crowded winner's circle. After his connections partied late into the night outside of his barn - except for O'Neill, who went to his hotel room with his wife and kids and ordered room service - I'll Have Another was spry at dawn.

The last man to take a horse to Belmont with a chance to snag the elusive final gem in the Triple Crown has some advice for Doug O'Neill. Stay true to the horse. "I think trainers going around asking other people what they should do, looking for how to handle it, that's stupid," Rick Dutrow, trainer of Big Brown in 2008, said in a phone interview Sunday. "It's got to be about your horse. Whatever anybody else did doesn't matter. You know your horse. " O'Neill, trainer of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another, has already disregarded common wisdom over the past three weeks.

Doug O'Neill caught the red eye out of Southern California on Wednesday night, boarding a plane that would offer him a few moments of peace. Not that the trainer of Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another has wilted under the scrutiny of sudden popularity. He's described his experiences as "cool," even the part where he answers the same questions over and over. And about his accommodations at Pimlico, the host of the Preakness Stakes that has, in recent years, been a popular place for trainers to avoid?

Condolences to the Boniface family on the passing of their beloved "DT" ("'83 Preakness winner Deputed Testamony dies," Sept. 19). He enjoyed a long life at Bonita Farm and certainly brought prestige to the Maryland racing and horse breeding industry. He will always be honored in the record books, but more importantly, he will always be honored as a true champion in the hearts of Maryland racing fans. His greatness will live on through his progeny for many years to come. Kitty Deimel, Hampden

With buyers looking for the next Afleet Alex, the average sales price increased by 25 percent from last year during the opening session of Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's Two-Year-Olds In Training auction yesterday at the Timonium sales pavilion. The 2005 Preakness winner was purchased for $75,000 at the same sale last May, and More Smoke, the other horse on the cover of the current sales catalog, won the $60,000 Select Stakes at Monmouth Park on Preakness Day. More Smoke sold for $30,000 at Timonium in 2004.

WNBA draft Terps ' Barrett, Kizer selected among top 30 Maryland point guard Anjalé Barrett and center Lynetta Kizer were selected in the top 30 of the WNBA draft Monday afternoon. Barrett was picked 26th overall and went to the Washington Mystics, to join former teammate Crystal Langhorne . Kizer went to the Tulsa Shock two picks later. Barrett finished her senior season second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in assists (4.9) and assist-turnover ratio (1.8)

Claimed for $7,500 two weeks ago, Sneaky Lil won the $50,000 Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday. Abel Castellano led the daughter of 1996 Preakness winner Louis Quatorze on a late charge to win the feature race of opening weekend. The 6-year-old mare pulled ahead in a late burst to win by four lengths. "I started letting her go at the half-mile pole and we were clear on the outside," Castellano said. "I was worried about Over the Moon [the morning line favorite] who was behind us but didn't keep up with us. Then I set my sights on the Grove horse [Touch the Birds]