Strong Field for the Preakness

For the first time in years, the Preakness Stakes should be a very competitive race.  Recently, there have been seemingly more triple crown chances, and yet more squandered.  The reason for this, is sometimes the way that the Belmont sets up.  One of the other reasons is that when a very good horse does not perform very well in the Derby, skip the Preakness and head to the Belmont.  Usually, only one or two horses, last the entire Triple Crown trail.  The fact that a smaller number of horses compete for all three reasons, is less enjoyable as a spectator, because besides the Derby, the other two races, the Preakness especially, are cheapened by lesser horses.  In 2012, Union Rags, after a poor Derby, skipped the Preakness to run in the Belmont, in 2011, Dialed In, skipped the Belmont, he too was the Derby favorite.  Both the Derby and the Preakness winner skipped the Belmont in 2010, and so on.  Races are more enjoyable with better competition.  The rivalry between Secretariat and Sham, Affirmed and Alydar, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer, Silver Charm and Free House.  We, as fans do not get these rivalries anymore, because, unless you win the Derby, there is a good chance that you will skip one of the next two races.  Luckily, this year, it seems like it may turn around.  Not only, is American Pharoah running in the Preakness, so too is Firing Line, who finished second, Dortmund, who finished third, Danzig Moon who finished fifth, and a very good Competitive Edge, who missed the Derby trail de to injuries.  Although we are not sure if this is the official entered field, it is the reported field.  Hopefully, the Preakness will be as exciting as the Derby, which hasn't happened since 2007.