Preakness Stakes Contenders: Recapturetheglory to skip Pimlico

Preakness Stakes Contenders: Recapturetheglory to skip Pimlico One of the top contenders for the 2008 Preakness Stakes, Recapturetheglory, was pulled out of the race. Recapturetheglory, who finished fifth at the Kentucky Derby, was declared out of the Preakness Stakes after showing a fever Friday night. "We took his temperature last night [Friday. He just wasn't acting right. He was backing up against the gate in the stall and he never does that. This morning his temperature was over 102," assistant trainer Lara Van Deren said Saturday morning.

This statement was followed by one issued by co-owner and trainer Louie Roussel, officially declaring Recapturetheglory out of the Preakness Stakes list of contenders: "The racehorse comes first. He had a slight temperature plus a slight pulse in his right front toe. For betterment of racing we are electing to give this horse some time and let him regroup. We are sorry we will not be coming to Baltimore but I know it is going to be a great race. We are really going to miss the Preakness experience. We felt we had a live chance to turn the tables on Big Brown." The absence of Recapturetheglory from the Preakness Stakes means that for the first time in 60 years no other horses from the Kentucky Derby will challenge the winner Big Brown at Pimlico.

At the online sportsbook BodogSports Big Brown is still the ultimate favorite to win the 2008 Preakness Stakes, listed with the short odds 3/10, while his closest contender by odds is Behindatthebar, holding 12/1 to win the Preakness.

Published on 05/12/2008