Crudo, Zeitlos, Retribution Among Preakness Day Winners

The word "crudo" means "raw" in Spanish and Italian and is often used in the culinary world to describe the presentation of certain foods. So that a horse co-owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay would have a food-inspired name is not surprising. But the 3-year-old Justify colt lived up to his name, exhibiting raw talent in blowing away the field by 7 1/2 lengths in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico Race Course May 17. Pulling away down the stretch, Crudo completed a gate-to-wire victory in the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44.00. Co-owned with James Ventura and trained by Todd Pletcher, Crudo delivered a second win of Preakness weekend for Flay. Another horse with a food-themed name, Candied, won the Allaire du Pont Distaff Stakes May 16. "We've been looking forward to getting him stretched out around two turns and he handled that really well," Pletcher said. "He got a good trip, got to the first turn in good position and got into a good rhythm. That is what he has been showing us in the morning. A talented colt." Zeitlos Victorious In Return Trainer Steve Asmussen probably couldn't have drawn up a better start to the year for his 5-year-old Curlin mare Zeitlos. Returning to the races for the first time since finishing ninth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), she made her move down the stretch and came away a 1 1/2-length victress in the Skipat Stakes. Considering her class, Asmussen was surprised the bettors' third choice wasn't the favorite. "I thought this was the perfect spot to start her season," he said. "And she's as fast as ever, if not faster. Curlin filly, better with age. She's all class. Huge win. We obviously want to get back to the Breeders' Cup with her. We'll work from there backwards. We started a little later this year so we can be stronger at the end. I was surprised she wasn't favorite. I mean, she's 8-for-17 in her career and made $1 million." Bumped out of the gate by Striker Has Dial, jockey Jose Ortiz kept his ride composed and rated off the lead at the start of the six-furlong race. Four lengths back after a quarter-mile, Zeitlos maintained her steady approach going into the far turn. With Striker Has Dial narrowly holding the lead at the top of the stretch, Ortiz swung Zeitlos out to the center of the track to launch their assault. Taking the lead with a furlong to go, Zeitlos finished out the race with urging from Ortiz, stopping the clock in 1:11.20. Strike Has Dial, favored One Magic Philly, and Disco Ebo rounded out the top four. Zeitlos paid $8.40 for the win. Retribution Stands Tall In Chick Lang Retribution emerged from a crowd midstretch to secure the $150,000 Chick Lang Stakes. Digging in between Ancient World and One Nine Hundred coming down the stretch, the Cherie DeVaux-trained Retribution gained separation and held on for the win in 1:11.27 for the six furlongs. "What I have learned about Cherie DeVaux, other than the fact that she is my wife, when she picks a spot to step one up, the horses are usually going to perform," said David Ingordo, managing partner of Belladonna Racing who co-owns the colt with Twin Brook Stables, Woodford Racing, Savvy Stables, GRC Racing, and Taylor Creek. "We were talking about this race, and he was obviously eligible for an allowance race, but she wanted to take a shot when she saw the speed inside and how he has been training. The way he runs, she thought it could turn out like it did. If you said draw it up on a white board, we would have drawn it up this way." The win is the second in three career starts for Retribution, who paid $20 for the win. Touchy, Ancient World, and Normandy Coast rounded out the top four. Witty Outsmarts The Field In The Jim McKay It's not how you start, but how you finish. As far as cliches go, it's about as reliable as they come. That rang true Saturday in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes as Witty, who came in second in this race a year ago, spent most of the five-furlong race last but came on strong late for the win. Trailing by nearly 12 lengths early, jockey Flavien Prat found an opening near the eighth pole, swung out into the five path, and the gray or roan gelding did the rest. Storming past a cluster of rivals gathered on the inside, Witty charged down the center of the turf for a 3 1/4-length triumph in :59.61. No Nay Hudson (IRE), Determined Kingdom, and Coppola finished second through fourth, respectively. Owned by Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel, and breeder Elizabeth Merryman, Witty paid $7.80 for the win. The gelding is a Great Notion half brother to 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Caravel. "That's him," Merryman said. "He always comes from way off the pace. There was a ton of speed in the race, so I expected him to be way behind. You never know, it was a long ways back. Like Flavien said, turning for home he thought he'd get a piece of it, and all of a sudden he was four in front. I like that part." DeVaux Strikes Again DeVaux grabbed a second stakes win Saturday when Reagan's Wit, a supplemental entry, found his opening entering the stretch after stalking the lead to win the James W. Murphy Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths. Splitting Curahee, who had led most of the mile-long contest, and Stormy Flight just past the eighth pole, Reagan's Wit had more in the tank than the rest of his competition. He stopped the clock in 1:40.25. A $2 win bet paid $3. Soleil Volant, Twain, and Barbadian Runner finished two-three-four. Bred by Deann Baer and Dr. Greg Baer, Reagan's Wit is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Ingordo, and CJ Stables. "Really pleased with him. He's kind of a goofy horse," DeVaux said. "He showed that in the stretch. (Jockey Jose Ortiz) did a really good job keeping him to task and staying on the horse, most importantly."