Author: Matthew Harrington

Angels Rally on Pair of Homers, Top A’s 4-3

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: mlb.com

By Matthew Harrington

So many times this season the Oakland Athletics have lived by the long ball to win games, but Friday night in Anaheim, the dinger doomed the Green and Gold. The Los Angeles Angels hit two two-run shots, outscoring the A’s 4-3 in the first game of a three-game set. The A’s hit a pair of dingers themselves, a solo shot by Jed Lowrie and a two-run blast by Khris Davis, but Justin Upton and Kole Calhoun’s round-trippers tipped the scales in the Halos’ favor.

The Swingin’ A’s did just that in the first inning, jumping on Angels’ starter Felix Pena after Matt Champan launched his 16th homer of the year with one out and no one on. Jed Lowrie reached base, allowing Davis to crush his team-leading 33rd homer of the season for a 3-0 lead.

Brett Anderson would exit the game in line for the win, but the A’s margin for error was razor thin, nursing a 3-2 lead after Calhoun’s 16th homer of the year knocked in two runs in the bottom of the third.

A’s manager Bob Melvin’s most reliable reliever not named Blake Treinen, Lou Trivino, came into the game in the sixth, but struggled to stymie the Angels after Upton’s two-run shot. Former Athletic Jim Johnson picked up the win, despite throwing just 1/3 of an inning. Blake Parker picked up his 11th save of the season.

The A’s still remain 1 1/2 games up on the Seattle Mariners and they got positive results from newly-acquired reliever Fernando Rodney. He pitched a perfect inning, notching a punchout along the way. Edwin Jackson takes the hill for Oakland in game two, opposed by Tyler Skaggs of the Angels.

The A’s and Angels face each other for game two on Saturday night at 6:07 pm PDT.

Rookie Plays Hero in the Field, at Plate to Walk A’s Off 1-0 Over Tigers in Extras

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @NBCSAthletics

By Matthew Harrington

Ramon Laureano’s first Major League hit would have been a lifelong memory regardless, but on Friday night, he authored the perfect storybook ending to a 13-inning marathon night at the Coliseum. Laureano waited 13 innings for his big moment, lacing a walk-off single in extra innings to hand the Oakland A’s a 1-0 win over the Detroit Tigers.

A’s Brett Anderson and Tigers’ Blaine Hardy dueled all night in a classic pitchers’ duel that featured dueling no-hitters through five innings, but both departed with a no-decisions after neither pitcher’s offense decided to offer up any favors. For Anderson, the start was timely. There were rumors at the deadline of a possible acquisition of starter Mike Fiers, signaling an end to Anderson’s second stint in Green and Gold. His two hits yielded Friday night gave the A’s confidence moving forward on the deal they didn’t make.

Giving the A’s confidence in a move they did make was Laureano. The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic was hitting .297 in the Pacific Coast League, mashing 14 homers for the A’s affiliate before replacing Dustin Fowler on the big league roster. He was acquired in the offseason in a trade with the Houston Astros for Minor League pitcher Brandon Bailey, who’s currently playing High-A ball.

Laureano came up to the plate looking entirely overmatched in his previous four at-bats, striking out twice and stranding a runner. The bottom of the 13th with two outs against Buck Farmer would be his moment. After Nick Martini walked to open the inning, Farmer got two outs, but catcher Jonathan Lucroy kept the inning alive with his single. Laureano fell behind in the count to a quick 0-2 count before taking a ball, then lacing an 81.9 mile-per-hour slider of the out of town scoreboard in right field, giving the A’s (65-46) the win and a 1 1/2 game lead over Seattle for the second Wild Card spot–19 games over .500.

Laureano showed off his arm in the top of the inning after Jose Iglesias swiped second base on an errant throw. Laureano gunned down the greedy runner at third base, erasing the winning run from scoring position and ending the inning to make Emilio Pagan (3-0, 3.52 ERA) the winning pitcher.

Pagan was just one in a string of strong reliever performances on the night. Jeurys Familia took over for Anderson in the eighth and allowed just one hit. Blake Treinen took the ninth and 10th hoping to end it early for the A’s, firing scoreless innings with two hits and four strikeouts, but no victory. Yusmeiro Petit was the surgeon out of the pen, firing two innings of his own to get through the 11th and 12th with no hits or walks and three punchouts, giving way to Pagan on the winning inning.

The Tigers thought they had a shot to beat the A’s for the first time in 10 games against Oakland after Hardy went seven while allowing one hit, then called upon Louis Coleman, Alex Wilson, and Victor Alcantara to hold off the A’s. All were successful, and Farmer (3-4, 4.88 ERA) even pitched a scoreless 12th inning before winding up the loser in the 13th.

Edwin Jackson, fresh off career win number 100, will take the mound Saturday for Oakland. He’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Jordan Zimmermann. Game time is set for 6:05 pm PDT.

A’s Strand 13 Runners, Win Streak Over at 6 with 3-1 loss to Rox

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

There was a traffic jam on the basepaths versus the Colorado Rockies in Denver Friday night and the Oakland Athletics are still trying to get home.

Boasting one of the most potent offenses in baseball, one would expect the A’s tol feast in the Mile High City, but the Green and Gold stranded 13 runners to fall to the Rockies 3-1. The A’s remain a game back of the Mariners for the second Wild Card spot.

A’s ace Sean Manaea gave up three runs, including a solo homer to potential NL MVP Nolan Arenado and Rockies ace Kyle Freeland pitched six shutout innings to snap the A’s win streak at six games. Adam Ottavino picked up his fourth save to end the run of dramatic finishes the A’s found themselves on.

The Rockies first run came on a bit of small ball after rookie Garrett Hampson squared up for a bunt with a runner on third in the bottom of the second. The sure-handed Matt Chapman couldn’t come up with the ball cleanly, but it was eventually ruled a hit and not an error.

The Rox tacked two more in the fifth after Ian Desmond singled in a run and Arenado mashed his league-leading 26th homer. It was the Gold Glover’s 100th career Coors Field blast. Manaea would finish the inning, but exited the game after five innings.

After Freeland exited the game the A’s thought they had an opportunity. Jed Lowrie would double a run in in the top of the seventh, but otherwise no damage was done, despite four hits off the Rockies’ pen in three innings. Oakland would end the night 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Up Next: The A’s will look to start a new streak in Denver Saturday, sending former Rockies pitcher Brett Anderson to the hill. He’ll face Antonio Senzatela.

The A’s and Rockies will face off Saturday at 5:10 pm PDT.

A’s Offense Still on Break in 5-1 Loss to Giants

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland A’s offense still thinks the All-Star break is ongoing. That’d be the only explanation for the A’s 5-1 loss to the Giants at home in round two of the Bay Bridge Series.

Rookie Dereck Rodriguez (5-1, 2.72 ERA) stymied the A’s hitters to just one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings, while home runs from fellow rookie Ryder Jones and Pablo Sandoval handed starter Edwin Jackson (1-2, 2.93) the loss. Mark Canha, the hero of Saturday’s tilt at AT&T Park, knocked in the lone run for the Green and Gold.

Two of the three A’s hits of Pudge’s kid came in the top of the second. Khris Davis hit a double and scored on Canha’s sacrifice and Dustin Fowler also singled in the inning. Rodriguez struck out five batters and walked none to tie the season series at two games apiece.

Jackson pitched well, and on most nights the potent A’s offense would back his outing. He held a 1-0 lead into the fourth, and was no-hitting the Giants before Andrew McCutchen broke up the no-no with a one-out double. After Brandon Crawford pushed McCutchen to third, Buster Posey singled him in for the two-out RBI and a tie game.

San Francisco took the lead in the next inning after Ryder Jones took a Jackson offering off the foul pole in right field for a solo homer. Sandoval tagged Jackson with another solo blast in the top of the seventh to send the righty to the showers down 3-1.

The Giants tacked a pair of runs off the A’s bullpen in the top of the eighth after former Giant Yusmeiro Petit allowed back-to-back singles to open the inning. He would the game with a runner on third, two out and a run in on a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly. Ryan Butcher would yield an RBI single to Brandon Crawford to close the book on Petit with two earned runs. The bullpen struggles further stoke the fire of a rumored trade between the A’s and Mets for closer Jeurys Familia.

The Giants’ bullpen, minus a comeback liner that bounced off Mark Melancon’s foot, cruised with relatively little incident. Reyes Moronta, Melancon and Tony Watson combined for one hit on 2 2/3 innings of work to finish out the game.

The Bridge Trophy will now come down to the winner of Sunday’s game, thanks to a bizarre tie-breaking criterium. Both teams are tied at two wins apiece, meaning regardless of who wins Saturday’s contest, Sunday’s winner would take home the hardware. In the event of a series split, the winner of the final game gets the trophy.

Oakland feels confident for Saturday’s matchup, a showdown between Johnny Cueto and Sean Manaea, but may be trailing the series 3-2 with Saturday’s Madison Bumgarner and Brett Anderson match-up at 6:05 pm PDT.

A’s Head to All-Star Break With Win Over Giants, Take First Round of Bay Bridge Series 6-2

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics took round one of the Bay Bridge Series, winning the rubber game over the San Francisco Giants 6-2 at AT&T Park Sunday afternoon. Oakland rallied for four runs in the fourth inning off Giants’ starter Andrew Suárez and Sean Manaea (9-6, 3.42 ERA) fired six innings, scattering five hits for a pair of runs to pick up the victory. Oakland (55-42) heads into the All Star break, having won seven of its last 10 contests.

For the Green and Gold, the interruption might be unwanted after a torrid stretch of play. Oakland hasn’t lost a series in over a month since dropping a June 12-14 sweep at the hands of the defending World Champion Houston Astros. Since then, the A’s have gone 21-6, but still find themselves three games behind Seattle for the second Wild Card spot in the American League.

Stephen Piscotty, Matt Olson and Matt Chapman singled in runs in the fourth and catcher Jonathan Lucroy lofted a sacrifice fly for the Green and Gold. Piscotty also hit his 12th homer of the season in the top of the sixth inning to collect a pair of RBIs on the day. Leadoff man Chase D’Arnaud hit a solo homer for San Francisco and center fielder Gorky Hernández plated a run for the home team.

The rookie Suárez was staked to a 1-0 lead after Brandon Crawford doubled with one out in the bottom of the second, then crossed the plate on a single Hernández. He shut down the A’s in the top of the next frame 1-2-3, but struggled after getting the first out in the fourth.

All-Star Jed Lowrie, making his first start since exiting Friday’s game after suffering a contusion following a collision with Stephen Piscotty, worked the one-out walk. Saturday’s hero Mark Canha singled to put runners on the corners. Piscotty, Olson and Chapman then hit consecutive run-scoring singles for a 3-1 lead. Lucroy would fly out to knock in the fourth run of the inning, his first of two RBIs on the day. Suárez finished the frame with a groundout from his counterpart Manaea.

The A’s would chase the eventual loser Suárez (3-6, 3.94) after five innings, bringing reliever Reyes Moronta, the magician who helped the Giants win Friday’s game by coaxing three outs with the bases loaded with A’s in the seventh inning. He didn’t pitch a clean inning Sunday though, with Pleasanton native Piscotty crushing an 82 mile-per-hour slider over the wall in left field for a 5-1 Oakland lead. Jonathan Lucroy singled in an insurance run in the top of the ninth off Will Smith for a six-pack of runs.

Manaea cruised after the A’s took the substantial lead, giving up just two hits over his next three innings of work. The only rough patch came when the Giants third baseman D’Arnaud took a 1-0 offering over the wall in center field for his second homer and second RBI on the season. Manaea finished out the inning with a trio of groundouts, hitting the showers staked to a 5-2 lead after allowing just five hits with a single walk and punch-out each. He threw just 73 pitches in the outing heading into the break.

The A’s bullpen triumverate of Ryan Buchter, Lou Trivino and Blake Treinen held the Giants (50-48) scoreless over an inning each to pick up the win and put the A’s 13 games over .500 at the midseason point.

The Bay Bridge series resumes on the other side of the Midsummer Classic, with first-time All-Stars Jed Lowrie, Blake Treinen, and the A’s welcoming the Giants to the East Bay for a Friday through Sunday series. Oakland can win the outright inaugural trophy made from the original Bay Bridge by winning the series. San Francisco would need a sweep to win it outright. If Oakland drops two of three, they’d tie at three games apiece. Starting pitchers have yet to be announced.

A’s Unlucky in Bay Bridge Opener, Fall to Giants 7-1

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @957thegame

By Matthew Harrington

Friday the 13th is an unlucky day by superstition, something the Oakland Athletics can now vouch for after falling to the San Francisco Giants 7-1 at AT&T Park Friday night. After seeing the team MVP exit the game, the bad went to worse. The A’s must have had a black cat or two cross trans-Bay charter on the way to the park after mirroring situations saw the A’s score zero runs and the Giants five.

The A’s loaded the bases with no outs off starter Madison Bumgarner trailing 2-1, but failed to push across a single run after reliever Reyes Moronta punched out Chad Pinder, coaxed an infield lineout from Jonathan Lucroy and pinished off pinch hitter Nick Martini with a bouncer to the sure-handed Brandon Crawford to stymie the threat.

With starter Edwin Jackson lifted for reliever Ryan Dull in the bottom of the innings, the Giants also worked the bases loaded. Reliever Jeremy Bleich enterted the game, making his major league debut after 10 years in the minors. Steven Duggar welcomed him to the bigs with a double down the line in right that scored a pair, then pegged Brandon Belt to reload the bases with Oakland now trailing 4-1.

Former Giant closer Sanitago Casilla replaced Bleich and his infinite ERA, getting Andrew McCutchen out on a sacrifice fly. His wild pitch allowed Duggar to score for 6-1 lead. Buster Posey doubled in a run to add on to the lead.

Oakland starter Edwin Jackson finished his fourth start in as many outings with the A’s by allowing two runs or fewer. He departed the game after six innings with Oakland down 2-1 after he stumbled off the mound in the fourth inning for a run-scoring balk then gave up a Posey RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. He was bolstered briefly by a Chad Pinder solo homer in the top of the fifth of Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, the only run the A’s would score on the night.

Jackson scattered just four hits, while walking three and striking out the one Giant. He was out-dueled ever so slightly by Bumgarner, who allowed three hits, one run and struck out five with his trio of walks. The difference was the pen where Moronta provided the shutdown inning and Sam Dyson pitched two scoreless for San Francisco while Dull, Bleich and Casilla combined for five runs.

Jed Lowrie came out of the game for Oakland, getting pinch hit for by Khris Davis in the sixth inning. He was in a collision with right fielder Stephen Piscotty in the bottom of the third inning. Per the A’s, he exited the game with a leg contusion. It remains to be seen if he’ll appear in Saturday or Sunday’s Bay Bridge series contests.

The A’s will now need to win four of the remaining five contests between the two teams sandwiched around the All-Star break if they want to win the inaugural Bay Bridge series trophy made out of a reclaimed beam from the original Bay Bridge span. Brett Anderson will face Jeff Samardzija, a current trade target of the A’s, in Saturday’s contest. There’s still no word yet on any parade plans for the trophy’s eventual winner.

Blackburn Deals: A’s Win 5th Straight, 3-1 Over Indians

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: sfexaminer.com

By Matthew Harrington

OAKLAND, Calif. — The potential All-Stars were great for the Oakland Athletics Friday night, but it was Antioch’s own Paul Blackburn that stood out the most in the A’s 3-1 win over the Cleveland Indians. Blackburn (2-2, 6.46 ERA) fired 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball to give the A’s the edge over the Central Division leaders at home.

Darkhorse MVP candidate Jed Lowrie continued to be the best player in baseball no-one is talking about, mashing his 14th homer of the season. Blake Treinen nailed down his 18th straight save and the A’s won their fifth-straight game. Marcus Semien and potential American League All-Star Khris Davis knocked in a run each. Francisco Lindor knocked in the Tribe’s lone run.

Matt Olson scored the first run after doubling with one out in the second inning. Semien then came up to the plate against Indians starter Trevor Bauer and, after taking a knuckle curve for a ball, slapped the next one into left field for a 1-0 lead.

Davis, who has openly mulled his participation in the Home Run Derby, jumped on Bauer early in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs and Matt Joyce on second, Davis took the first pitch he saw to left field for a run-scoring double. Bauer would finish off the inning and pitch two thirds of the seventh before coming out of the game after compiling eight strikeouts.

While Bauer (7-6, 2.45) was strong, he wound up the loser, thanks to Blackburn’s bounce back. In his previous outing, the righty went five innings while giving up six runs to the woeful Chiacgo White Sox. He was diealed in Friday, scattering three hits with five punch-outs in an outing that surely saved him from a trip to Nashville.

After Blackburn departed after 6 1/3 innings, Ryan Butcher took over. The Indians touched him up for one earned run on a double in the eighth by Lindor, but Lowrie tagged Zach McAllister in the bottom of the inning to preserve the two-run lead.

Treinen walked the tight rope in the ninth, opening the inning with a single to another MVP candidate, Jose Ramirez. Edwin Encarnacion mashed a ball to center field that looked like a game-tying shot, but his fly ran out of room and Mark Canha made the catch. Former Athletic Yonder Alonso struck out Rajai Davis walked. Jason Kipnis flew out to end the game and move the A’s seven games over .500.

Oakland sends Edwin Jackson to the hill Saturday in what already has been a historic season for the righty. By donning the Green and Gold, he tied Octavio Dotel for most teams played for with 13. He pitched well in his previous outing, holding the Detroit Tigers to one run over six innings. He’ll be opposed by Adam Plutko, who has gone 4-1 stepping into the rotation due to injuries to Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco.

White Sox Win Game 2 of Doubleheader 6-4 over A’s, Snap Skid at 8

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @whitesox

By Matthew Harrington

The Oakland A’s dropped Game 2 of a doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday night, falling to the White Sox 6-4. Pale Hose starter Lucas Giolito began the game strong, then managed to hold on long enough to end the White Sox losing streak at eight. Matt Olson knocked in two runs, going deep once for the Green and Gold.

A’s starter Chris Bassitt got staked to an early lead after Giolito ran into some control problems in the inning. With two outs, the White Sox hurler walked Matt Joyce and Khris Davis. Matt Olson knocked Joyce in with a single for the 1-0 lead before Mark Canha k’d to end the threat.Bled then moved to third on Tim Anderso’s double. They both scored on Omar Narvaez’s base-hit for a 2-1 White Sox edge. Charlie Tilson hit a two-out single to knock in Narvaez for a two-run lead.

Olson pulled the A’s within one in the top of the sixth, blasting his 16th long ball of the year off Giolito’s first pitch of the two-out at-bat. Bassitt couldn’t shut the White Sox down in the bottom of the frame though, exiting the game with runners on first and second with one out. Narvaez singled off reliever Danny Coulombe, but the runner couldn’t advance past third. The next batter, Adam Engel, would knock in both runs for a 5-2 White Sox lead, closing the book on Bassitt with five runs (four earned) over 5 1/3 innings.

The A’s would get two more runs off Giolito in the eighth after White Sox manager Rick Renteria stuck with his young hurler with electric stuff just an inning too long. Dustin Fowler and Marcus Semien singled to open the inning, chasing Giolito from the game with no outs in the inning and eight K’s. Stephen Piscotty walked to load the bases against Jace Fry. Chris Volstad came in to face Davis, who singled in two runners to greet the reliever.

The fourth pitcher of the inning, Xavier Cedeno, managed to coax three consecutive outs from the A’s. He got a line out to short Olson, a Canha punch out and a Chad Pinder forceout to strand the tying run with Davis at third.

Tim Anderson homered for Chicago in the bottom of the inning and Joakim Soria pitched a 1-2-3 9th for his 11th save, punching out two Athletics for the win.

Up Next: Oakland’s Daniel Mengden takes the mound Saturday afternoon from the Windy City in Game 3 of the series at 11:10 am PDT opposing Chicago’s Dylan Covey. Despite the White Sox’s poor record, Covey has been a bright spot, sporting a 2.90 ERA over seven starts.

Barreto Bashes 2 HRs, A’s Win Game 1 of Doubleheader 11-2 over White Sox

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

By Matthew Harrington

While the Oakland A’s surely miss third baseman Matt Chapman in the lineup, the emergence of Franklin Barreto in Game 1 of a Friday doubleheader has softened the blow. Barreto, playing second so Jed Lowrie can shift to third base in Chapman’s absence, collected a career-high six RBIs in the A’s 11-2 win over the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday night.

Barreto hit two homers, the second and third of his career, each with two men on base. Three other Athletics knocked in a run in the Game 1 rout. Starter Sean Manaea (7-6, 3.40 ERA)  fired seven innings for the win, giving up just one earned run while punching out seven. Pale Hose to hand the South Siders their eighth straight win. The A’s touched up White Sox starter James Shields for eight runs, but somehow avoiding seeing his ERA balloon up after all, but two were unearned.

Jonathan Lucroy picked up a sacrifice fly in the top of the second with the bases loaded, then Barreto stepped up to the plate with two runners in scoring position. After working a 2-2 count, Shields grooved a cutter over the heart of the plate that Barreto drove over the bullpen in left field for a 4-0 A’s lead.

Jed Lowrie singled home a run in the fifth, then the White Sox defense fell apart. Khris Davis singled home one run, then Leury Garcia’s gaffe fielding the ball allowed another run to score and Davis to scoot to second base. Matt Olson reached base on Yoan Moncada’s error that pushed Davis to third, then Davis sped home after Shields struck out Mark Canha but saw his pitch sail to the backstop allowing the inning to continue with the A’s up 8-0.

The White Sox scored in the bottom of the sixth off Manaea on an unusual twin killing. With runners at second and third, Jose Abreu came home on Kevan Smith’s bouncer to Lowrie. Matt Davidson decided to leave for third once the throw came to Olson at first, but Olson’s throw got him at third to end the inning with the A’s up 8-1.

Juan Minaya pitched a scoreless two innings in relief before Barreto could touch up Luis Avilan for another three-run bomb in the top of the eighth. This time, Barreto’s shot went well over the bullpen halfway up the bleachers in left field, giving Oakland an 11-1 lead.

Liam Hendriks pitched a perfect eighth, but Josh Lukas gave up an RBI double to Yolmer Sánchez in the ninth before wrapping up the win in Game 1 of the twin bill.

Justify Wins the Triple Crown at the 2018 Belmont Stakes

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @ESPNStatsInfo Video credit: NBC Sports and You Tube

By Matthew Harrington

It was never in doubt, the morning favorite Justify has won the Belmont Stakes and subsequently the Triple Crown. With the win at Belmont, Justify became the 13th Triple Crown winner all-time, winning handedly in the rain at the Kentucky Derby and taking the Preakness Stakes through a heavy fog. The Chestnut thoroughbred is the first Triple Crown winner since American Pharaoh in 2015, and only the second since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978.

Justify, the 4-5 favorite despite the longer 1 1/4 race, enters the conversation with Seattle Slew historically. Arguably the greatest horse in racing history, Seattle Slew is the only horse to have gone undefeated in his run to the crown in 1977. Justify, the horse to break Apollo’s Curse at the derby, now has gone a perfect 6-0 after not racing st all as a two-year-old.

For trainer Bob Baffert, Saturday’s race makes him the second trainer ever to win two Triple Crowns along with James Fitzsimmons (Gallant Fox, Omaha). He is Baffert also trained American Pharaoh, his first Triple Crown winner. He’s had a horse looking for the trifecta at Belmont Park 5 times.

Justify jockey Mike Smith is already in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame for winning an astounding 26 Breeder’s Cups. He now can add Triple Crown to his resume. It’s his third win in the Belmont, having won the third jewel of the Triple Crown in 2010 and 2013. Prior to this year, he’d won the Kentucky Derby in 2005 and the Preakness in 1993.

The Winstar farms livery Smith donned at Churchill Downs and Plimico was gone Saturday, superstitions be dammed. Instead, the red silks with stars of the China Horse Club were in the winner’s circle. The horse is owned by a group of investors with a rotating schedule for the dressage.