Giacomo rallied again but finished in third

The Kentucky Derby winner was caught up in the pack and couldn't break loose.
BALTIMORE (AP) -- No Triple Crown for Giacomo. Nothing to be embarrassed about, either.
Giacomo's bid to back up his Kentucky Derby victory ended Saturday with a third-place finish at the Preakness. As he did in the Derby, the horse rallied gamely.
This time, though, it wasn't enough.
Afleet Alex survived a scary collision to win the race ahead of Scrappy T and Giacomo, who stormed to the finish after standing in 10th place at the three-quarters pole.
It was a gallant effort by the horse that shocked the racing world by capturing the Derby as a 50-1 shot, but it means that another year will go by without a Triple Crown winner.
Smith did great job
Giacomo jockey Mike Smith did a wonderful job of weaving through traffic in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, but couldn't do the same in the 14-horse Preakness.
"I didn't get loose until we got to the quarter pole. I was just stuck right behind them," Smith said. "I could have went around, but that was an awful long way to go around. I was going to lose at least 10 lengths."
His only option was to hope for an opening. By the time he found one, it was too late.
"I was waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting," Smith said. "I was able to get out and make my run, but by then they were gone."
Every time he looked for a hole, the gap was filled. That's the difference between finishing first and third.
"A lot of them shut on me today. That happens in racing," Smith said. "I was so proud of him to run third. I'm looking forward to the Belmont."
Triple Crown bid ends
Giacomo was bidding to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. He went off as the third choice in the race, and justified that support by paying $4.80 to show.
He is the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby and lose the Preakness since Monarchos in 2001.
"I don't think there was any embarrassment in running third in the Preakness," trainer John Shirreffs said. "We were pleased with the effort. I think it says a lot about Giacomo. Mike Smith said he had a lot of horse at the wire. He was full of run."
With no place to go.
"My horse ran dynamite, but I had to idle a very long way and that really hurts you in this type of race," Smith said. "He galloped out great, so I know he'll come back strong in his next race."