Jeffrey F Bill Baltimore Sun photo: Jockey Mike E Smith rides Justify (7) who holds a close  lead followed by Good Magic just behind on the inside

By Matt Harrington and Joe Lami

It started out with a victory at decisive victory at the Kentucky Derby for what was to put the Preakness winner on the brink for a Triple Crown.  The gallop on Saturday at the Preakness in Maryland had Justify take the spoils for his second consecutive win in muddy foggy conditions on the Pilimco Track.

It was not for the faint of heart as Justify graced the track with a close half of length win in 1:55.93. Bravazo was runner up to Justify while Tenfold finished up in third. This was a competitive race and with the top three horses putting it to the proverbial pedal to the medal there was no surrendering but Justify was just that length better.

Champagne on Ice: Trainer Bob Baffert said it was the hardest race that Justify has ever run and was really put to the test, “It was a hard race today on him, probably the hardest race he’s had, but he’s getting fit,” Baffer said.

The muddy conditions might have the reason why the competition was so close at the Preakness. At Kentucky the odds were 2-5 for Justify, Good Magic who had 7-2 odds Good Magic was not anywhere close to Justify and for good measure no other competing horses at the Kentucky Derby had double digit odds like Justify or Good Magic.

At the Preakness there were only four horses who kept up on the muddy track and for Justify’s competitors the odds were much larger for any chance for a win. The odds for Bravazo were 15-1 and Tenfold had 25-1 odds.

PLACE	HORSE
1	Justify
2	Bravazo
3	Tenfold
4	Good Magic
5	Lone Sailor
6	Sporting Chance
7	Diamond King
8	Quip

The Belmont Stakes sets the stage for the possibility for Justify to become the 13th thoroughbred to win a Triple Crown. The last winner was American Pharaoh in 2015 Baffert also was the trainer of American Pharaoh. 37 years previous to American Pharaoh’s victory in 2015 the last horse to win the Triple Crown was Affirmed.

Next up the Belmont Stakes: The Belmont is slated for June 9, 2018 a date that could catapult Justify as the second horse in three years to win a triple crown. Baffert has trained some of the best horses and there’s that air of confidence from Baffert that Justify could just get that one more needed race.

Matt Harrington and Joe Lami are talk show hosts for Sports Talk podcasts and http://www.sportsradioservice.com