Zoldan’s horse likely to sit out

Visionaire’s trainer may replace jockey Jose Lezcano.

STAFF/WIRE REPORTS

Most likely, Visionaire, the horse owned by Mahoning Valley businessman Bruce Zoldan, won’t be running in next week’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico near Baltimore.

Visionaire finished 12th in last week’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Zoldan, who owns B.J. Alan Fireworks and the Mahoning Valley Phantoms amateur hockey team, is part of the Team Valor International of Lexington, Ky., that owns Visionaire.

“We were thinking of the Preakness, but we’re probably going to sit it out,” Zoldan said.

One reason is because Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown will compete in Maryland in an effort to become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.

“Big Brown is such an unbelievable horse,” Zoldan said.

Visionaire is being stabled in New York, where the Belmont Stakes will be run in four weeks.

A jockey change is possible for Visionaire before his next competitive race. Because the horse “has been acting like a spoiled brat,” Zoldan said trainer Michael R. Matz is contemplating replacing Jose Lezcano on Visionaire’s saddle.

Matz trained 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Zoldan was pleased that down the stretch in the Derby, Visionaire went from 19th to 12th.

Visionaire ran from the No. 8 position at 12-1 odds. Visionaire stumbled at the start and raced with the pack, but did not kick in hard enough.

The probable field for the Preakness Stakes grew to 13 on Friday, with only fifth-place Derby finisher Recapturetheglory taking another shot at the unbeaten colt trained by Rick Dutrow Jr.

Hey Byrn and Icabad Crane were the latest confirmed starters, joining fellow new shooters Behindatthebar, Giant Moon, Kentucky Bear, Racecar Rhapsody, Riley Tucker, Stevil, Tres Borrachos and Yankee Bravo. Harlem Rocker remained a possible starter.

Hey Byrn comes into the 1 3/16th-mile Preakness off a victory in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., but did not have enough graded stakes earnings to make the Derby field.

Icabad Crane won the Frederico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico on April 19.

Big Brown ran away from 19 rivals in the Derby, and a Preakness win would set up a Triple Crown attempt at the Belmont Stakes on June 7. It’s been 30 years since Affirmed became the 11th and last Triple Crown champion. Since then, there have been 10 horses to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown and fail in the Belmont, including six in the past 11 years.

Big Brown, ridden by three-time Derby winner Kent Desormeaux, will be the heavy favorite in the race that comes two weeks after the Derby. The short turnaround has given others hope.

“Let’s not get Big Brown in the Hall of Fame too soon here,” Kentucky Bear trainer Reade Baker said. “He certainly was the best of those horses [in the Derby]. What I’d be more concerned with, where Big Brown is vulnerable, if we were handicapping any other race, the handicapper would say there’s a horse that carried 126 and he’s going to run back in two weeks off a peak effort. The wise guys would say he’s going to bounce. How come he can’t bounce now?”

Even if Big Brown is by far the best, there’s a decent payoff for running second or third in the $1 million Preakness. The winner’s share is $600,000, with $200,000 for second and $100,000 for third.

“If Big Brown runs back to the Derby or his race in Florida, I don’t think anyone can beat him,” said Aaron Cohen, racing manager for Icabad Crane owner Earle I. Mack. “But based on the other horses running, I think we have a chance; and second- or third-place money in the Preakness isn’t bad.”

Behindatthebar and Harlem Rocker, both trained by Todd Pletcher, are coming off victories. Behindatthebar won the Lexington Stakes, while Harlem Rocker is 3-0 after winning the Withers at Aqueduct on April 26.

Big Brown went for a mile jog Friday morning at rainy Churchill Downs, the third day in a row the colt was unable to gallop because of the wet conditions.