Jesus' Team to Supplement to Preakness

Grupo 7C Stable's Jesus' Team, third in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and fourth in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1), will be supplemented to the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1), to be run Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course. The decision was made, said trainer Jose D'Angelo, after the 3-year-old son of Tapiture breezed a :47.80 half-mile Sept. 19 at Monmouth Park. "I explained to the owner the races (available) to him, and he thinks the best decision was to run in the Preakness," D'Angelo said. He worked four furlongs very well. He's very, very good right now, and the Preakness is a great race for us." D'Angelo said Jesus' Team, named after the owner's son, would work again next weekend at Monmouth before heading to Pimlico. Jesus' Team broke his maiden in a claiming event March 18 at Gulfstream Park and then won a claiming race May 8 before finishing second behind Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) runner-up Sole Volante by three-quarters of a length in a June 10 allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream. The colt then headed to Monmouth Park for the Haskell, where he was beaten 7 3/4 lengths by eventual Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Authentic, followed by a second-place tally in the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes on that same course. His most recent effort came Sept. 5 when he finished second to Mystic Guide in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga Racecourse. "In all his races, and in all his works, I think he runs his best race last to front … only one move," D'Angelo said. "I think that will be his best way in the Preakness." D'Angelo, a native of Venezuela, is the son of another Gulfstream-based trainer, Francisco D'Angelo. Francisco, a champion trainer in Venezuela, came to the U.S. in 2015. Jose worked for his father before saddling his first winner in July 2019. Jesus' Team is the latest to confirm participation in the Preakness. He joins Authentic, Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector, Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) winner Thousand Words, third-place Derby finisher Mr. Big News, Pegasus Stakes winner Pneumatic, and Jim Dandy runner-up Liveyourbeastlife. Others being considered for the Preakness are Tiz the Law, who won the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), and Curlin Florida Derby (G1); Belmont runner-up Dr Post; Jim Dandy winner Mystic Guide; and Tesio Stakes winner Happy Saver.