The 138th Annual Preakness won by Oxbow ridden by Gary Stevens (Photo by Jay Baker at Baltimore, MD. 18 May 2013 Maryland GovPics)
Where are they now? Preakness Winners from the past 10 years
By Maribeth Kalinich
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens came out of a seven year retirement and just back from knee surgery at the age of 50 to ride Calumet Farm’s Oxbow to victory in the 2013 Preakness Stakes at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.
Stevens had ridden the Awesome Again (ON) colt in the Arkansas Derby to a fifth-place finish and to a sixth place finish in the highly contested Kentucky Derby. The Preakness would be their third race together.
In fact, it would be the first time Oxbox would have the same rider three consecutive times.
The week before the big race Stevens had another workout with Oxbow. The veteran rider stated that it was that was: “the first time [Oxbow] had listened to me,” later amending his comments to say, “maybe it’s the first time I’ve listened to him.”
Maybe the consistency was starting to have an effect.
In a field of nine that included Kentucky Derby winner Orb under Joel Rosario, Mylute with Rose Napravnik and Itsmyluckyday with Hall of Fame John Velazquez aboard, Oxbow piloted by Stevens would break from post number 6.
Brushed by number 7, Will Take Charge, Oxbow quickly recovered to cruise past Goldencents taking the lead at the quarter pole and never leaving less than a length and a half between himself and his competitors as Stevens masterfully moved his mount through his route to victory.
On the lead, Stevens got Oxbow to relax with an easy first quarter in 23.94, the half in 48.60, and three-quarters at 1:13:26. Despite the pedestrian pace, what one sportswriter called “lullaby fractions”, described by Stevens as “just walking the dog”, the colt was still one and a half lengths in front at the three-quarter-mile mark.
Although Steven said the horse “rated himself”, sportswriters speculated that once in front, the veteran captain had slowed the pace, leaving Oxbow with enough reserves for the final push. Turning for home, Oxbow “exploded off the turn” and led by three lengths.
Although Itsmyluckyday gave a late rally, Team Oxbow sailed to the win by 1-3/4 lengths.
Trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, Oxbow earned a career-high Beyer speed figure of 112 and paid a tidy $32.80 at 15-1 odds.
Itsmyluckyday offered betters a $7.80 place reward while Mylute paid $5.20 for show making for a tasty Trifecta of $ 2,061.60.
The even odds favorite Orb would finish fourth followed by Goldencents, Departing, Will Take Charge, Governor Charlie and Titletown Five.
In post-race interviews, Stevens said, “[Oxbow’s] mind was right,” “when I hit the half-mile pole … The race was over at that point,” and “[t]hey gave me a free three-quarters of a mile today.”
Stevens later tweeted that Oxbow was the “most intelligent horse I have ever ridden.” He noted the horse was not particularly tired after the race and described him as a “happy horse” in the winner’s circle.
Lukas said, “He never even broke a sweat.”
The victory was 77-year-old Lukas’ sixth career Preakness win and his 14th Triple Crown win, surpassing the record of “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. It was Lukas’ first win in any Triple Crown race since Commendable won the Belmont Stakes in 2000.
Oxbow’s success was Stevens’ third career Preakness win and his ninth Triple Crown win, but the first since winning the Preakness and Belmont on Point Given in 2001.
Oxbow and Stevens would compete in the Belmont Stakes three weeks later and finish second to Palace Malice, another high odds payer.
The 2013 Haskell Invitational would be Oxbow’s last race where he finished in the middle of the pack to a total 9-3/4 length blowout by Verrazano.
The Awesome Again colt would retire to stud in 2014 to Taylor Made Farm. Out of the Cee’s Tizzy mare Tizamazing, Oxbow had a royal pedigree to pass on to future Triple Crown hopefuls.
In 2020, Oxbow was moved to his place of birth, Calumet Farm, where he now stands for a fee of $10,000.
Oxbow’s first winner was the filly Delaphene, out of the Empire Maker mare Boustierre who won a maiden race at Arlington Park on July 16, 2017. Coach Rocks, winner of the 2018 Gulfstream Park Oaks. was Oxbow’s first graded stakes winner.
Graded-stakes winner Hot Rod Charlie is Oxbow’s leading performer. Out of Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss, Hot Rod Charlie won the Louisiana Derby (G2), the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), the Al Maktoum Challenge (G2) in Dubai and the Lukas Classic (G2). The colt was second in the BC Juvenile (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and San Antonio (G2) and Salvator Mile (G2), and he placed third in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Robert B. Lewis (G3) and Whitney (G1).
Hot Rod Charlie was retired after his sixth-place finish in the Breeder’s Cup Classic in November and entered stud at Shadai Farm in Japan for the 2023 breeding season.
