In a stunner, Cloud Computing won the Preakness Stakes, spoiling Always Dreaming’s bid at a Triple Crown.

The 142nd Preakness was billed as a head-to-head battle between Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Classic Empire, who was looking for revenge after a rough trip two weeks ago at Churchill Downs. And for three-quarters of the race, that’s exactly what it was, with Always Dreaming running in the lead, and Classic Empire on his right hip the entire way.

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But as they rounded the final turns, Always Dreaming began to fade, ceding the lead to Classic Empire, who was, it appeared, home free.

But out of nowhere came Cloud Computing, who entered the race at 13-1 odds. The three-year old ridden by Javier Castellano had run third for most of the way, but at the top of the stretch blew by Always Dreaming and eventually caught Classic Empire just a few feet from the finish line, beating him by a nose in 1:55.98.

Senior Investment (30-1) finished third. Always Dreaming faded to eighth.

Was this expected? No. No. No. Always Dreaming won the Derby as the favorite in somewhat easy fashion. But that was a bit misleading. Classic Empire might as well have been a co-favorite, but his Derby got off to a brutal start when he got side-slammed right out of the gate. That took him out of contention and eliminated Always Dreaming’s main competition.

Cloud Computing beats Classic Empire by a nose to win the Preakness Stakes. (AP)

So while Always Dreaming went into the Preakness as the 6-5 favorite, Classic Empire was right there at 2-1 – essentially a co-favorite again. Hence, the pre-race billing, and the relative anonymity of the rest of the field, including Cloud Computing – the sixth favorite in a 10-horse race.

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So how did this happen? Well, for starters, there was a reason for the 37-year Triple Crown drought before American Pharoah broke it two years ago: it’s hard to win three races in five weeks.

More precisely, Todd Pletcher, trainer for Always Dreaming, isn’t a fan of racing his horses on two-weeks rest. It’s why he often skips the Preakness if he doesn’t have a Derby winner and goes to the Belmont, his home track, with a rested stable. He didn’t have that choice this time around.

Coincidentally or not, Pletcher’s only other Derby winner, Super Saver in 2010, also finished eighth at the Preakness, the only leg of the Triple Crown Pletcher hasn’t won.

On the flip side, Cloud Computing, trained by Chad Brown, was fresh, having not competed in the Derby and working on six weeks rest.

What’s next? The Belmont Stakes on June 10.

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• NBA vet gives Lonzo Ball father-related advice</s>Cloud Computing ensured there will be no Triple Crown winner this year after a thrilling come-from-behind victory at the 2017 Preakness Stakes on Saturday.

Now, with three weeks before the Belmont Stakes, the spotlight will be on Cloud Computing to see if he can repeat his feat from Pimlico at the test of the champion.

Here's how Cloud Computing's victory looked, followed by what can be gleaned from it heading into Belmont:

The biggest question looking ahead to the Belmont is whether or not Cloud Computing will compete, which trainer Chad Brown said after the Preakness isn't a guarantee, per BloodHorse.com's Jeremy Balan:

Let's operate under the assumption Cloud Computing will give the final leg of the Triple Crown a shot.

The Preakness Stakes was Cloud Computing's first race since the Wood Memorial on April 8 after his team opted to skip the Kentucky Derby. He started from the second post position and was given the fourth-best odds to win at 14-1, per OddsShark.com.

What started as a two-horse race between the top two contenders, Always Dreaming and Classic Empire, eventually developed into Cloud Computing chasing down Classic Empire on the final stretch for the narrow victory.

The six-week gap between races for Cloud Computing is notable for how the race ended. His trainer Chad Brown offered a simple explanation for skipping the Kentucky Derby.

"The horse has a run a lot in a short period of time," Brown said on April 18, per Jason Frakes of the Courier Journal. "I don't want to overwork him."

Cloud Computing ran three races in a span of eight weeks from February 11 through April 8. Always Dreaming and Classic Empire were coming off the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago and both horses ran three races between February 4 and May 6.

After his horse's victory, Brown admitted the time off was a calculated piece of strategy.

"I'm not going to dispute the fact that we brought in a fresh horse -- that was part of our strategy," he said, per CNN's Steve Almasy.

It showed coming down the final stretch, as Always Dreaming fell off the pace and ended up finishing eighth. Classic Empire was able to remain in second place, but he did run out of steam and left an opening that Cloud Computing took advantage of.

Cloud Computing's winning time of 1:55.98 was the fastest at the Preakness since California Chrome in 2014 (1:54.84).

The Belmont is as much a test of endurance as it is pure speed. The Preakness plays well for a speed horse because it's the shortest Triple Crown race at 9.5 furlongs.

At 12 furlongs, the Belmont Stakes can put a horse through the wringer. Combine that with only having three weeks to prepare, Cloud Computing doesn't seem likely to pull off back-to-back victories.

With Brown acknowledging he doesn't see his horse as being ready to handle the 1.5 miles at Belmont, if he even takes part in the race, this looks like the second-straight year in which three different horses will win the three Triple Crown races.</s>The 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes was a memorable one.

Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and No. 2 Preakness favorite Classic Empire were locked in a close race for most of the run around the Pimlico track, but Always Dreaming faded toward the end, paving the way for Classic Empire.

But Cloud Computing put together an incredible late surge and won by a nose.

Here are the payout results from the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes, via SB Nation.</s>The second jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, will be held Saturday.

The field is smaller than the Kentucky Derby, and many will be watching for a rematch between Derby winner Always Dreaming and Classic Empire.

Here’s what you need to know about the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans at Pimlico.

When is the 2017 Preakness? 



What time does it start? 



Coverage of the race begins at 5 p.m. ET. Post time for the race is 6:45 p.m. ET.



What channel is it on? 



NBC will broadcast pre-race activities along with the race.



Yes. Click here, NBC Sports Live, to watch on Saturday.



How far do the horses run?

What is the track surface? 



What is the record at the track? 



Secretariat holds the record. The horse ran the 9.5 furlongs in 1:53.

What’s the purse for this year’s Preakness?

Which horses are running in the 2017 Preakness Stakes? 



Who is the favorite to win the 2017 Preakness? 



As of Thursday, the betting favorites were Classic Empire and Always Dreaming. Lookin at Lee is also one to watch, according to some odds makers.

What is the special song they sing?

Just after the horses for the Preakness are called to the post, the song "Maryland, My Maryland" is played. The official state song of Maryland is led by the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.

What’s the weather going to be like?

According to Accuweather.com, the high will be in the low 70s with a mix of sun and clouds. No rain is expected.

Where can you find the Preakness Stakes Facebook and Twitter accounts?

For Facebook, click here. For Twitter, click here.</s>LAS VEGAS – Horse racing’s second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, takes place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore Saturday. Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming is the big favorite after a dominating run through the muck at Churchill Downs.

If you’re new to horse racing or just brushing up on the basics, here’s the “Squares guide to the Preakness Stakes” from sister site Covers.com:

Always Dreaming (John Velazquez, 4-5): He’s still undefeated at three years old and that’s quite the feat, although his front-running style definitely worked to his advantage in the Derby. Pletcher is a trainer that likes giving horses adequate rest between races. He’s started 48 Kentucky Derby horses but only ran three back in the Preakness. There’s no denying Pletcher has struggled at Pimlico. Pletcher has lost 17 straight on dirt when racing within 14 days of his last start. Perhaps those statistics are enough to warrant a play against the short priced favorite.

Classic Empire (Julien Leparoux, 3-1): He broke very poorly in the Kentucky Derby and lost the race right from the very beginning. He prefers being closer to the pace and he will have every opportunity to do so racing over a (hopefully) fast track, and versus a much smaller field in the Preakness Stakes. While his last effort was pretty poor based on what we’ve seen this colt capable of doing, it’s a definite positive sign to see that he made up ground and closed for third. Pay attention to the status of his right eye. He suffered an eye abrasion and was unable to open it the following day in the Derby. Although, I’m fairly confident connections wouldn’t race him if he’s not at 100 percent, but it may be something to watch out for.

Lookin At Lee (Corey Lanerie, 10-1): He surprised many rallying up the rail to finish a very game second to the eventual winner Always Dreaming in the Kentucky Derby. He’s a colt that has been improving and the effort he puts forth in races are very apparent and definitely a positive trait to see out of young horses. He’s one of a few in the Derby that showed a particular affinity for the off track. With a faster pace upfront, would he have been able to track down Always Dreaming? Not likely, but it’s possible. He prefers racing longer where there’s a little bit more ground traveled. You may want to wait until the Belmont before backing this colt.

Cloud Computing (Javier Castellano, 12-1): He’s another lightly raced colt which may be sitting on a big effort. The Preakness has historically been favorable to front-running horses and speed, so he should warrant some consideration. He may work out the perfect stalking trip and save ground racing behind front runners Conquest Mo Money and Always Dreaming. Jockey wise, he receives a big upgrade to Castellano who is choosing to ride him over his Derby mount of Gunnevera.

Hence (Florent Geroux, 20-1): I’ll give him a pass for not taking well to the off track at Churchill Downs. He never seemed comfortable and not many horses were making up ground late. He’s capable of a bounce-back effort Saturday. He did have a nice rebounding effort after the disappointing seventh in the Southwest Stakes, coming back to win the Sunland Derby a little over a month later. Trainer wise, it doesn’t get much better than Steve Asmussen, who has won the Preakness Stakes with the likes of Curlin in 2007 and super filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

Multiplier (Joel Rosario, 30-1): He’s one of few entering fresh after skipping the Kentucky Derby. That’s partly due to how long it took this horse to break his Maiden and his relative inexperience. His biggest win was in the G3 Illinois Derby in a time of 1:47.98 – the second fastest in the race’s history. Pedigree wise, his sire The Factor is known for his sprinting talent, but this colt looks to have stamina on the grandam side, so I feel pretty confident in saying distance will likely not be an issue. He takes a huge jump up in class today but being lightly raced could work to his advantage.
• Unlike the Kentucky Derby, which was run in the rain with sloppy track conditions, the Preakness Stakes weather report is calling for a dry track with temperatures in the mid-70s for Baltimore Saturday.
• Since 1980 only six horse have won the Preakness Stakes without first running in the Kentucky Derby: Codex (1980), Aloma’s Ruler (1982), Deputed Testamony (1983),Red Bullet (2000), Bernardini (2006), and Rachel Alexandra (2009).
• The betting favorite has won the Preakness Stakes in 72 of the 141 races, including in two of the last three years.
• The No. 6 post is the most successful starting gate spot, with 16 all-time Preakness winners (15.5 percent of all 106 entries). Oxbox in 2013 was the most recent No. 6 to win. Gunnevera, ridden by Mike Smith, is the No. 6 horse heading into Saturday, at 15/1 odds.
• According to America’s Best Racing, seven of the 16 Kentucky Derby winners since 2000 have gone on to win the Preakness Stakes.
• Renowned trainer Todd Pletcher is hoping to end his drought at the Preakness Stakes with race favorite and Kentucky Derby winner Almost Dreaming. Despite being named Trainer of the Year seven times and boasting two Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners, Pletcher has never trained a Preakness winner. Always Dreaming’s jockey, John Velazquez, is also without a Preakness crown, having won the Derby and Belmont twice each.
• Odds on Always Dreaming winning the Triple Crown have “Yes” as a +300 long shot (a $100 bet would win $300) with “No” priced at -450 (you need to wager $450 to win $100).

Covers.comhttp://www.covers.com/index.aspx racing analyst Monique Vag and senior managing editor Jason Logan contributed to this report. Covers is also owned by Tribune.</s>BALTIMORE, Md. (CNN) — Cloud Computing, ridden by Javier Castellano, finished first in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday (May 20), denying Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming a chance to capture horse racing’s Triple Crown.

Classic Empire crossed the finish line second at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Always Dreaming, which led much of the race, finished well back.</s>BALTIMORE (AP) — Cloud Computing crossed the finish line first in the Preakness Stakes.

Cloud Computing caught Classic Empire in the final strides to win the Preakness in an upset.

Classic Empire dueled with Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming throughout most of the race before taking the lead turning for home. It looked as if Classic Empire was going to win, but Cloud Computing came after him on the outside and beat him to the wire.

World Approval has won the $250,000 Dixie, the oldest stakes race held at Pimlico Race Course.

The 5-year-old gray beat Projected by 2 1/4 lengths Saturday, improving his record to eight wins in 20 starts. The victory pushed his career earnings over $1.1 million.

World Approval paid $7 to win. He ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.15 on the turf.

The winning Dixie team of trainer Mark Casse and jockey Julien Leparoux will team up in the Preakness with Classic Empire.

With less than an hour until post time, Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming is the 7-5 favorite for the Preakness. Always Dreaming was 4-5 on the morning line set Wednesday.

Classic Empire, who finished fourth two weeks ago at Churchill Downs, is the 2-1 second choice followed by Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee at 8-1 and Conquest Mo Money at 9-1. Every other horse in the field has double-digit odds to win.

No Mo Dough survived a lengthy stewards’ inquiry to win the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes for 3-year-olds at Pimlico.

Angled extremely wide by jockey Jose Ortiz turning for home, No Mo Dough cut sharply to the inside while launching his rally. The stewards ruled that no other runners were impeded by the move, and let the result stand.

No Mo Dough rolled to a 2 3/4-length victory over Time to Travel. He paid $20 to win for the 9-1 upset.

It was the third win in four races for the colt making his stakes debut and it gave trainer Graham Motion his second win of the day.

A Triple Crown contender last year who finished 19th in the Kentucky Derby, Whitmore is 5 for 5 since shortening up to six furlongs.

He surged in the final strides to beat A.P. Indian by a half-length Saturday in the $150,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico.

Trained by Ron Moquett, the 4-year-old gelding was ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. He covered the distance in 1:09.90 and paid $4.40 to win as the 6-5 favorite.

In the $150,000 Gallorette Stakes for fillies and mares, Cambodia has earned her first stakes victory.

The 5-year-old ridden by Florent Geroux patiently stalked the pace set by 66-1 longshot Come to Mischief. Cambodia sprinted away from that tiring rival in the lane, powering to a two-length win over On Leave in the turf race.

Trained by Tom Proctor, Cambodia got her fourth win in 10 starts. She paid $11.20 to win.

The time was 1:44.35 for 1 1/16 miles.

Rain that fell Friday afternoon muddied up the main track at Pimlico, but it’s expected to be fast by the time the Preakness goes off around 6:48 p.m. The track was listed as “muddy” for the first few races of the day and upgraded to “good” by the time Race 9 went off.

Maryland Jockey Club president and general manager Sal Sinatra said he was pretty confident the track would be upgraded to “fast” even without sun to dry it out.

“It’s drying out pretty good,” Sinatra said. “I got here this morning and there was a lot of water on it. I think we’re in good shape.”

Recruiting Ready has extended his winning streak to three in a row with a 3¾-length victory in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Pimlico.

It was also the third win on Saturday for jockey Horacio Karamanos.

Recruiting Ready improved his overall record to 4 for 9 for trainer Horacio DePaz. The colt paid $7.40 to win after running six furlongs in 1:10.35.

Aquamarine, trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, rallied up the rail to get second.

Yoshida added some international flair to the Preakness day undercard with a four-length victory in the $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf.

The Japan-bred colt got his second win in three starts, all in the U.S., for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Yoshida paid $7.60 to win. He ran a mile in 1:36.83.

Support has softened for Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming in early wagering for the Preakness.

After opening as the 1-5 favorite on Friday, the colt’s odds have drifted up to 3-2, which translates into roughly a $5 win payoff for each $2 wager.

Classic Empire, who was fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is giving the favorite a run for his money as the 2-1 second choice.

Lookin At Lee, the fast-closing runner-up in the Derby, is third choice at 8-1.

Conquest Mo Money, expected to vie with Always Dreaming on the early lead, is fourth choice at 9-1.

The other six horses are all at double-digit odds.

This is not your father’s Preakness Day infield. Heck, it’s not even your big brother’s infield.

It’s been a long time since fans were allowed to bring their own kegs into Pimlico on the day of the Preakness.

Now, fans can receive endless refills of modestly sized mugs or buy drinks of Jack Daniel’s whiskey at $10 a pop.

The change has certainly made it a safer environment. But it’s also much more drab than in the crazy days when the infield mascot was named “Kegasus.”

Instead of breaking legs running over portable toilets, the millennials are buying turkey legs.

Oh, and there’s this: More people are vaping than smoking cigars.

Everything Lovely has kicked off the Preakness Stakes undercard with a front-running victory in the $100,000 Very One for filly and mare turf sprinters at Pimlico.

The 5-year-old trained by Kate Demasi grabbed hold of the softened course rated good Saturday following heavy rain a day earlier. It was her sixth win in 20 starts, and a sharp rebound from last year when she finished 11th in this race.

Javier Castellano was aboard for the five furlongs in 57.93 seconds. Everything Lovely held off Sunnysammi by a length and paid $7.80 to win.

The infield party is in full swing ahead of the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore.

Country singer Sam Hunt and electro house music DJ Zedd are co-headlining the pre-race concert under cloudy skies. Also on the bill is Good Charlotte.

The racetrack is listed as muddy after Friday’s rainstorm. After three straight days of 90-degree weather, Saturday’s high is 66 degrees (18 C).

The U.S. Army Golden Knights will parachute, the B-2 Stealth bomber is set for a flyover and the Budweiser Clydesdales will parade later on.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Cloud Computing caught Classic Empire in the final strides to win the Preakness in an upset.Ridden by Javier Castellano, 13-1 long shot Cloud Computing ran 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.98.Classic Empire dueled with Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming throughout most of the race before taking the lead turning for home. It looked as if Classic Empire was going to win, but Cloud Computing came after him on the outside and beat him to the wire.</s>Cloud Computing's involvement in the Triple Crown races could be over following his Preakness Stakes victory Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

According to ESPN's Lane Gold, Cloud Computing's trainer Chad Brown said he hasn't yet made a decision as to whether the horse will run in the Belmont Stakes June 10, citing the race's distance—one-and-a-half miles—as an important factor in the final decision.

With a surge down the final stretch, Cloud Computing beat Classic Empire by a nose to take the Preakness. NBC Sports shared a replay of the race:

Should Cloud Computing skip the Belmont Stakes, it wouldn't come as a major surprise. Travis Stone, a track announcer for the New York Racing Association, noted how the colt doesn't have a long competitive record:

Prior to the Preakness, Cloud Computing only ran in two graded-stakes races, the Gotham Stakes in March and the Wood Memorial in April.

If Brown entered Cloud Computing in the Belmont Stakes, he'd have only three weeks to prepare the horse for the longest race of his career. That's a quick turnaround time, even for more seasoned horses. Brown has some time to savor Saturday's success with jockey Javier Castellano before they arrive at a conclusion regarding Cloud Computing's availability.

Whether or not he makes the trip to Baltimore, Cloud Computing has already made a major impact on this year's Triple Crown.</s>Always Dreaming's bid for a Triple Crown ended Saturday at the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Cloud Computing played the role of spoiler, crossing the finish line in first place. It's the first graded stakes victory of his career and jockey Javier Castellano's second win at the Preakness Stakes. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Rachel Alexandra in 2009 is the last horse to win the Preakness after skipping the Kentucky Derby.

Below is the finishing order, courtesy of ESPN's Lane Gold:

1. Cloud Computing

2. Classic Empire

3. Senior Investment

4. Lookin at Lee

5. Gunnevera

6. Multiplier

7. Conquest Mo Money

8. Always Dreaming

9. Hence

10. Term of Art

For much of the race, it looked like Always Dreaming and Classic Empire were going to go head-to-head to determine a winner. Starting in adjacent gates, they ran neck and neck for much of the race. Coming around the final turn, though, Always Dreaming began fading, with Classic Empire building a healthy lead.

Then, Castellano pushed Cloud Computing hard down the final stretch, and they overtook Classic Empire by a nose at the finish line.

NBC Sports shared a replay of the race and a photo of the finish:

Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde questioned whether Classic Empire and jockey Julien Leparoux started celebrating the victory a little too early:

ESPN's Darren Rovell argued the level of excitement around the Belmont Stakes took a big hit with Always Dreaming's defeat. The Kentucky Derby winner placed eighth:

The wait for a 13th Triple Crown winner will extend at least another year, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for horse racing in general.

It was only in 2015 American Pharoah pulled it off. While that recency doesn't lessen what an accomplishment the Triple Crown is, it creates a bit of a hangover effect. Following along with each step of the Triple Crown process remains an enjoyable pursuit, but there's no comparing awaiting the end of a nearly 40-year drought with one lasting two.

With each year after Affirmed won the Belmont Stakes in 1978, anticipation built that a horse could finally break the dry spell. Some fans may have given up on every seeing a Triple Crown winner again.

When American Pharoah triumphed at Belmont, it was a monumental moment because of the weight of history.

That's not to say anything other than a decades-long wait will feel underwhelming. But the worst thing that could happen for horse racing is that the Triple Crown becomes so commonplace it happens every few years.

From a fan perspective, the journey to the Triple Crown is far more fulfilling than the achievement itself.

With Always Dreaming out of the hunt, the focus now shifts to whether Cloud Computing will run at the Belmont Stakes and whether he can make it two wins in a row.

In addition to the stamina issues that inevitably come with running a mile-and-a-half-long race on a short turnaround, the Belmont field may be deeper as horses who skipped the Preakness Stakes make the trip to Elmont, New York.
In American horse racing, Cloud Computing wins the 2017 Preakness Stakes in only his fourth race.