By Compiled from Times wires
Published May 18, 2003
BALTIMORE - Leading the Preakness field at the far turn, Edgar Prado sensed victory as he prepared Peace Rules for the final push to the finish line.
It wasn't long before the jockey realized the race was slipping away.
"I knew I was in a little trouble when I saw Funny Cide beside me," Prado said.
Funny Cide quickly left Peace Rules in his wake and cruised to victory Saturday. Peace Rules, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby, faded to fourth in the Preakness after leading much of the race.
"He fought as best he could, but today just wasn't his day," Prado said.
Things looked good at the outset for Peace Rules, the second-favorite behind Funny Cide. Under instruction from trainer Bobby Frankel, Prado took the horse to the lead early.
"Bobby said the horse was good enough to do something at the front of the race," Prado said.
"Bobby was disappointed that the horse didn't finish in the first three. He just said, "We live to fight another day.' "
LOSING COMBINATION: The entry of famed trainer D. Wayne Lukas returned show money to its backers; Scrimshaw stayed close to the lead for much of the race and took third. Lukas also is the trainer for Ten Cents a Shine, which was ninth in the 10-horse race.
Bob Baffert's Senor Swinger charged from 10th to finish fifth. Baffert, who had a run of two straight Preakness wins, said, "I couldn't find my horse, so I was watching Funny Cide."
Baffert indicated he will skip the Belmont.
CROWD COUNT: The crowd at Pimlico was 100,268, fourth-best in Preakness history and the fourth time in five years attendance reached triple figures. Overall handle was $59,384,334, down 7.9 percent from last year, according to Pimlico officials.
LAST LAUGH: Funny Cide trainer Barclay Tagg couldn't resist getting in a jab at his horse's critics who claimed - among other things - Funny Cide's perfect trip at Churchill Downs was the only reason the 12-1 shot won.
"You wouldn't believe all the stuff I heard. You'd have thought he was carrying a lot more than 126 pounds out there with all the stuff people were laying on them," he said. "I never worried though. I felt early on that he might be this caliber horse, and he has done nothing but prove it since."
UNDERCARD RACES: Dr. Brendler beat Perfect Soul by half a length to win the Citgo Dixie, a $200,000 Grade II race for 3-year-olds and up on turf. ... Best Minister won the 1 1/16 mile, $102,750 Sir Barton Stakes, which Sarava won last year before winning the Belmont Stakes. ... Patrick Valenzuela, replaced as the rider on Ten Cents a Shine in the Preakness, scored on the undercard by guiding Carib Lady to a neck victory in the $100,000 Grade III Gallorette Handicap, a 1 1/16 mile turf race. ... Other winners: Mt. Carson, Hirsch Jacobs Stakes; Pioneer Boy, Maryland Breeder's Cup; Gang, Woodlawn Stakes; and Windsor Castle, William Donald Schaefer Handicap.
ELSEWHERE: Golden Marlin beat Double Scoop by a length in the $109,000 Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. ... In Malvern, Pa., Al Skywalker held off Iron Country Xmas to win the National Hunt Cup steeplechase by half a length. ... Wild Spirit came from off the pace to win the $200,000 Shuvee Handicap, for fillies and mares 3 and older, by 31/2 lengths at Belmont Park. ... Makeup Artist survived a foul claim to beat Rutters Renegade by 11/2 lengths in the $113,500 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Hollywood Park.
