There will not be back to back Triple Crown winners. On Saturday, Exaggerator won the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist finished third on a muddy track.
Nyquist got out to an early lead, and was running neck and neck with Uncle Lino for the first half of the race. Exaggerator got off to a slow start and languished several lengths behind. But in the second half, Exaggerator turned on his jets and passed Nyquist in the home stretch to take home the win.
The reigning Derby champion fell to third, losing out on the runner-up position to Cherry Wine, who edged him out in the final seconds.
It’s the first career loss for Nyquist, and a huge win for Exaggerator, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, and jockey Kent Desormeaux.
American Pharaoh can rest easy – he’ll remain the last Triple Crown winner for another year. Apologies to those at NBC – there won’t be a chase of history at the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.
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