For Chad Brown, the recent Triple Crown was a frustrating experience.
In the last three Triple Crown races, Brown’s horses have finished second in two of them.
Back to last year’s Preakness Stakes (G1) in there Seven brilliant finished second for Brown.
With one head.
Then, two weeks ago in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Brown was once again disqualified for second, Sierra Leone .
This time it is the spearhead in the battle of three wild horses on the ropes.
“I don’t know if you ever completely get over it,” Brown said of the loss in the opening round of the Triple Crown, “but I’ve won a lot of photo finishes in my career so I had to accept it a few times. that doesn’t go my way, even if they’re in the Triple Crown.”
In an effort to stop that streak of almost no-cigar endings, Brown will return to tactics he’s familiar with Tuscan Gold in the May 18 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.
Tuscan Gold Train May 15 at Pimlico Race Course
Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award winner as an outstanding trainer, owns two Triple Crown victories.
Both at the Preakness.
First, with Cloud computing in version 2017.
That 3-year-old swept the Kentucky Derby and captured the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
Then in 2022 with Vote early .
He also sat out the Run for the Roses.
And last year’s near miss for Blazing Sevens came after the 3-year-old missed the Kentucky Derby and entered the Preakness on a six-week break.
So, guess what stands out about Tuscan Gold in the Preakness?
Yes, he did not compete in the Kentucky Derby.
“Skipping the Kentucky Derby could be a difficult decision,” Brown said. “But in this case there is no decision because my horse is not eligible for the Derby.”
Of course, despite the differences, there are some similarities between Tuscan Gold, Cloud Computing, Early Voting and Blazing Sevens. With eight weeks of rest since his third-place finish in the March 23 Louisiana Derby (G2), Tuscan Gold also arrives at Pimlico as a light and fresh runner and is rested rest.
“It was a different path for him,” Brown said. There are some similarities in that he was a lightweight racehorse, not running in the Kentucky Derby, but he took a different path.”
The Louisiana Derby, run over the same distance of 1 3/16 miles at the Preakness, was only the third career start for the son of Medaglia d’Oro owned by William Lawrence, Walmac Farm and breeder Stonestreet Stables, and he scored an astonishing 6 1/4 lengths in his 31 1/2-mile maiden race in January at Gulfstream Park.
In the Louisiana Derby, Tuscan Gold raced wide after passing pole 10 and settled into third place, 1 3/4 lengths behind fellow Preakness starter Seize freedom (6-1) and Honor Marie .
“When it shook, I thought he might have had a good shot in the Kentucky Derby,” Brown said. He ran very fast in the Louisiana Derby and I think he should have won the race. But now that is history.”
While Tuscan Gold is 10 points short of qualifying for the Kentucky Derby, over the past two months he has been training in a way that convinces Brown that Baltimore on the third Saturday in May is the right place for the son Grade 3 -win curled up mare Valadorna (half-sister to Brown’s 1st grade winner Complexity ).
“I’m really happy with the horse. It was running really well,” Brown said of the 8-1 shot at the light line. “In his last few works, he has reached new heights and that is exactly what I was looking for.”
Tuscan Gold (third from left, No. 11) finished third behind Catching Freedom and Honor Marie in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Tuscan Gold, who finished fourth behind Sierra Leone in his career debut on November 4, was purchased for $600,000 from the Jupiter Farm consignment at the 2022 September Yearling Sale at Keeneland and has could earn back that sale price and the same amount of money by changing Brown’s recent fortunes in the Three Kings.
