Rombauer pulls upset with stretch run at Preakness

By Stephen Whyno The Associated Press

3 years ago

Flavien Prat atop Rombauer, right, breaks away from Irad Ortiz Jr. atop Midnight Bourbon moment ... — Flavien Prat atop Rombauer, right, breaks away from Irad Ortiz Jr. atop Midnight Bourbon moments before crossing the finish line to win the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Preakness entrant Rombauer works out during a training session ahead of the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

BALTIMORE — Rombauer romped to an upset victory in the Preakness on Saturday, denying Kentucky Derby winner Medina Sprint the chance at a Triple Crown that would have come with a giant asterisk.

Medina Spirit finished third. Midnight Bourbon was second.

Rombauer has given trainer Michael McCarthy his first Triple Crown victory by winning the 146th running of the Preakness as a 25-1 shot.

Rombauer came on strong down the stretch to overtake Bob Baffert’s front-running Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit on Saturday. Medina Spirit finished first at Churchill Downs two weeks ago but that result remains in limbo because the horse tested positive for a steroid after the race.

Midnight Bourbon came in second at Pimlico Race Course, 3 1/2 lengths back, after going off with 3-1 odds. Medina Spirit ended up third after going off as the 2-1 favorite.

Rombauer covered the 1 3/16th-mile course in an unofficial time of 1 minute, 53.62 seconds.

The bay colt had skipped the Kentucky Derby on May 1 and was McCarthy’s first Triple Crown entrant.

The win allowed McCarthy to get a Preakness win before his mentor, Todd Pletcher, a seven-time Eclipse Award winner as trainer of the year.