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Triple Crown 2018: 5 reasons you should watch the Preakness

By Zoe West

Spectators line the fence to watch the 7th race, the James W. Murphy Stakes, prior to the running of the 136th running of the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, Saturday, May 21, 2011. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun/MCT via Getty Images)
Spectators line the fence to watch the 7th race, the James W. Murphy Stakes, prior to the running of the 136th running of the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, Saturday, May 21, 2011. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun/MCT via Getty Images) /
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ARCADIA, CA – APRIL 21: Kentucky Derby favorite, Justify with trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Park on April 21, 2018 in Arcadia, California. (Photo by Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images)
ARCADIA, CA – APRIL 21: Kentucky Derby favorite, Justify with trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Park on April 21, 2018 in Arcadia, California. (Photo by Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images) /

1. Baffert chases history

Bob Baffert is Justify’s trainer, and he is no stranger to the Triple Crown. The silver-haired gentleman settled his first horse in the Derby more that 20 years ago. That horse, Cavonnier, finished second. His second horse in the Derby, Silver Charm, won. In the two decades (and a bit) since then, Baffert has had a horse running in the Derby nearly every year, and won it three additional times. The most recent (before this year) was with American Pharoah.

Baffert is one of the most accomplished trainers in Derby history, but his track record after the Derby is even more remarkable. Every single one of the horses that won the Kentucky Derby for Baffert went on to win the Preakness Stakes. He currently has six wins in the Preakness Stakes, tied with Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lucas for the most in history. If Justify follows the pattern of Baffert Derby winners, he could surpass that.

And an even bigger prize awaits, if he can pull it off. There is only one trainer, ever, who has two Triple Crown wins to his name. This was James ‘Sunny Jim’ Fitzsimmons, who won in 1930 with Gallant Fox, and 1935 with his son, Omaha.

Next: Your guide to every Triple Crown winner (with highlights!)

For more from the Triple Crown, including the Preakness Stakes up next, make sure to follow FanSided and stay tuned to our horse racing hub for all the latest news and results.

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