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The Preakness: Is ‘Loony Lani’ The Horse To Stop Nyquist?

By Nancy Bailey
Published on: 09:37 PST, May 19, 2016

The 2016 Preakness is the source of much excitement after the undefeated Nyquist ran away with the Kentucky Derby.

The Preakness is the second leg of the much-touted Triple Crown, the coveted jewel in a race horse’s career.

Just a little over a mile long, the Preakness track at Pimlico in Baltimore, Maryland, has dashed many dreams. A win at the Derby doesn’t guarantee a Preakness victory, even though there are often many of the same horses running.

In this case, it is Exaggerator who is 3-1 odds, against Nyquist 3-5. Exaggerator kept the heat on Nyquist until the bitter end of the Derby, accelerating just as the lead horse went under the wire.

Besides Exaggerator, there are a few long shots in the Preakness that will keep Nyquist hopping, according to IB Times.

There’s Fellowship, 25-1, who skipped the Derby.

There’s Uncle Lino, 28-1, who was trounced by Exaggerator in the Santa Anita.

There’s Awesome Speed, 30-1, who has had four wins in only five starts.

And, there’s Lani.

With odds of 32-1, and a ninth place finish in the Derby that IBT called, “dreadful,” Lani has just that edge of unpredictable that will keep things interesting.

A grey colt, Lani is sired by the famous Tapit, considered one of the most productive stallions in the United States. By the time he entered the Derby, Lani had won three of his six starts. He edged out competition in the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby (the same distance as the Preakness) about six weeks before slogging home in the Kentucky Derby.

But Lani, according to an article by Melanie Martines in Twinspires, can get the job done when he makes up his mind.

“One thing I did notice, though, during Kentucky Derby week, is that once Lani gets focused he does settle and becomes a different horse. The rebellious behavior gets shoved aside, and he glides over the surface like whipped butter smeared on a perfectly toasted piece of bread.

“The gray beauty transforms into a poised athlete screaming for more. The longer he runs, the more comfortable he looks.”

Lani won the UAE Derby despite shenanigans when loading, and then stumbling when he came out of the gate. He was the first Japanese horse to claim victory in this race in Dubai.

Lani had never raced in the United States prior to the Kentucky Derby. His career has been centered in Japan, where he is owned by Yoko Maeda.

Dubbed, “The Crazy Horse,” by Yahoo! Sports, Lani landed in Preakness post position just three horses away from Nyquist.

“He’s one of the oddest entrants in Triple Crown history.”

Lani is at Post 6, which puts him right between Exaggerator and Collected (10-1).

If Lani breaks out of the gate and bumps either of these contenders, he could affect their finish. According to trainers Bob Baffert (Collected) and Keith Desormeaux (Exaggerator), neither of them are worried about the post positions.

Lani has the reputation of doing nothing by the book. According to Yahoo! Sports, during workouts, he sometimes didn’t feel like running. He would be on the track, walking, trotting, perhaps finally coaxed into a gallop.

Also, he isn’t known for keeping his brain where it belongs. He seems often ruled by hormones, in a display some refer to as “studly.” Many press photos of Lani had to be photoshopped to remove the evidence.

Not only were his workouts unconventional, but trainer Mikio Matsunaga’s pre-race handling is, too. Lani did quite a bit of walking before the Derby, wearing his racing blinders, to thwart distraction from crowds and media — and pretty mares.

Catch the Preakness Stakes on NBC, Saturday, May 21, beginning at 5 p.m. EDT.

[Photo By Charlie Riedel/AP]

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