Preakness winner Espinoza gets 3rd try at Triple Crown

Preakness winner Espinoza gets 3rd try at Triple Crown, Victor Espinoza couldn't hold up to get off American Pharoah.

His boots were water-logged, his goggles were painted with mud and a chill went through the racer's body as thunder thundered overhead.

In this way, excuse Espinoza for acting like a man in a rush to take care of business after the door blast open Saturday to dispatch the 140th running of the Preakness.I was frigid," Espinoza said. "I simply needed to get it over with."

The Mexican racer guided American Pharoah to a seven-length triumph, keeping alive the cove foal's offer to turn into the first steed since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown.

American Pharoah fought against eminent loss to win the Kentucky Derby. In this one, he produced in front early and kept up the favorable position to win effortlessly.

Espinoza, mentor Bob Baffert and the grand Kentucky-reared steed will go to the Belmont, where on June 6 they will endeavor to ride into history as the champ of the Triple Crown.

Espinoza has been here before — twice. In 2002, on board the Baffert-prepared stallion War Emblem, Espinoza was in position to claim the Triple Crown.

War Emblem staggered out of the entryway and encouraged before completing eighth.

A year ago, on board California Chrome, Espinoza won the Derby and Preakness before completed fourth in the Belmont.

No sooner had Espinoza hopped off American Pharoah when somebody needed to know his considerations about continuing a pursuit that has hitherto been vain.

"Ideally, the third time will be the fortunate leaf clover," Espinoza said.

It's the first run through in history that the same racer has entered the Belmont two years consecutively with an opportunity to win the Triple Crown.

In spite of the fact that American Pharoah demonstrated he's exceptional on a messy track, Espinoza will doubtlessly be searching for better conditions when it comes time to approach the beginning door in three weeks in New York.

Things got truly abnormal for the 42-year-old maneuver as the Preakness drew nearer. One race prior, the stallion he was on board — Grand Tito in the Dixie Stakes — sat down in the slow down and must be scratched.

At that point, just 15 minutes prior to the Preakness, a terrible tempest hit the track. As lightning broke out there and thunder blasted above, sheets of downpour dropped the hammer on old Pimlico Race Course.

"The principal thing I consider is such a great amount of water in my boots," Espinoza said.

The time had come to modify on the fly, and few in the game do it and Espinoza.

"Going into these huge races, once in a while we have an arrangement and a considerable measure of things will transform," he said. "Doubtlessly, it changed a considerable measure. At times you settle on the right choices, try what's hardest for the stallion. All changed with the downpour, however it worked out well."

Espinoza made a radiant showing — thus did American Pharoah.

"Every race I discover some new information, and he astounded me how he came around," Espinoza said. "Today is only an astounding race for him. I couldn't perceive how far I was in front in light of the fact that there was such a great amount of water in my eyes. Be that as it may, I was not agonized over it."

Nor was Baffert.

"Victor ran an enormous race and give him a chance to run," Baffert said. "That is the manner by which he gets a kick out of the chance to run."

There came a moment that American Pharaoh lost quite a bit of his lead. Turns out, it implied nothing.

"Victor backed him off a tiny bit, and afterward when they came to him at the 3/8th shaft, my wife, Jill, was stating, 'They're coming to him,'" Baffert said. "I said, 'He's simply holding up. He's holding up. What's more, he simply place it in ove
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