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Tuscan Gold out on a perfect morning at Pimlico. (Maryland Jockey Club)
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
BALTIMORE, Md. – It appears that Tuscan Gold has his game face on as the 149th running of the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) gets closer and closer.
The son of Medaglia d’Oro galloped a mile and a quarter over the Pimlico Race Course track on a picture-perfect Thursday morning with exercise rider Janiel Rosado on board.
“He is getting serious now,” Jose Hernandez, an assistant to trainer Chad Brown, said. “He wanted to do more.”
Tuscan Gold, owned by William H. Lawrence, Walmac Farm and Stonestreet Stables LLC, is the most lightly raced 3-year-old in the eight-horse Preakness field.
He has had just three starts, which, by the way, were the same number of starts that Brown’s two prior Preakness winners (Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting in 2022) had.
Tuscan Gold broke his maiden in his second start and Brown thought enough of him to run in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on March 23. He finished third after a less-than-ideal trip.
“He made a move a little early,” Hernandez said. “I think he is a lot more focused now. He is getting more into the game. I think this was the right move coming to this race. I think he is going to handle it big time.”
Brown chose to run in the Preakness over the $200,000 Peter Pan (G3) at Aqueduct last weekend. Hernandez said that plans call for Tuscan Gold to gallop Friday morning at 8:30.
Tyler Gaffalione, who has ridden Tuscan Gold in his last two starts, will ride him in the Preakness.
