Horse racing newsletter: Rombauer does it in the Preakness

FLASHIEST got knocked into rival leaving the gate, settled at the back, advanced around the far turn, swung four wide into the stretch, closed fast from outside and drew clear. NERVES OF STEEL sprinted to the front, set the pace under pressure from outside, cleared briefly in upper stretch, was overtaken nearing the sixteenth pole but was clearly second best. BARRAZA got bumped twice leaving the gate, pulled into and around the first turn from inside, bid three deep at the top of the stretch, bumped with COASTAL KID in upper stretch and stayed on to secure the show. BACK RING LUCK broke out and bumped rival at the start, stalked from inside then entered the lane two wide and lacked the needed bid. SENSEMAKER chased in the two path then between rivals, angled to the rail for the far turn, tipped out in the drive and failed to rally. COASTAL KID bumped inside rival leaving the gate, pressed the pace from outside, challenged into the lane, bumped with outside rival in upper stretch and weakened. MAN FRIDAY was moving just before the gate opened then hopped and came away to a slow beginning, steadied off heels around the first turn, went three deep on the backstretch, moved to the two path for the far turn, exited that bend three wide and weakened.

SYNTHESIS stumbled at the start, rated behind the leader from inside, took over at the five-sixteenths pole, cleared rival at the top of the stretch and held well. DR. TROUTMAN hustled to the front, angled from the three path to the two path around the first turn, showed the way up the backstretch, lost command at the five-sixteenths, fought back into the stretch, could not kick on with the winner in the lane but stayed on for the place. TRUTH SEEKER tracked off the inside, angled five wide into the lane and finished evenly. MONGOLIAN WIND angled in on the first turn, traveled along the inside then entered the stretch two wide and never threatened. HOUSE LIMIT away quickly in the beginning, eased outside the leader on the first turn, chased off the rail then put in a mild bid three deep on the far turn, failed to keep up leaving the bend and chased four wide into the stretch and weakened.

THE CHOSEN VRON settled off the pace, advanced along the inside on the turn then angled out leaving the bend and took aim three wide into the stretch, put a head in front at the eighth pole and drove clear. LAUREL RIVER set the pace under pressure from I'LL STAND TALLER, cleared that rival at the seven-sixteenths, inched away around the turn, held a diminishing lead into the stretch, lost command at the eighth pole and stayed on well for a clear second. WIPE THE SLATE angled out early, came back to the two path for the turn, drifted five wide leaving the bend and never produced a bid. I'LL STAND TALLER was off alertly from outside, pressed LAUREL RIVER early on, chased that rival into the turn, drifted a bit and checked at the quarter pole, eased in the lane and walked off.

FI FI PHAROAH went four wide around the first turn, bid between and bumped rivals on both sides entering the far turn, lost contact with the leader nearing the quarter pole, re-bid along the fence in upper stretch, slipped through inside to take the lead with a furlong to go and edged clear. SHELL SHOCK pulled on the first turn then eased outside the leader, moved up to apply pressure on the backstretch, drifted out a bit then got bumped with inner rival entering the far turn while battling three deep, shook free nearing the quarter pole, drifted inward in upper stretch, lost the lead at the eighth pole, fought with the winner to deep stretch and faltered late. ANGEL OF FREEDOM was off a bit slow and stumbled at the start, settled on the inside, crept closer up the backstretch, lacked room at the seven-sixteenths pole, angled out on the second bend and finished willingly for the show honors. WITCH MOON traveled five wide around the first turn, four wide through the second and flattened out. MONGOLIAN MISSION had good early speed, got pressured on the backstretch, bumped into the far turn, was in tight and steadied around that bend, remained inside to the stretch and weakened. MOART went three then two wide around the first turn, dropped back on the far turn, came four wide into the lane and tired.

HEYWOODS BEACH stalked two then three wide, bid three deep at the three-eighths, surged clear at the five-sixteenths, put to left-handed urging in the lane and held safely. BOLD ENDEAVOR drifted out around the first turn, advanced four to five wide around the far turn, finished well in the lane but had to settle for second best. SASH (GB) raced up close outside the leader, chased HEYWOODS BEACH three wide into the lane and weakened. KERSHAW tracked outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch and also weakened. MAJOR CABBIE showed speed along the inside, showed the way inside of SASH up the backstretch, was overtaken on the far turn, tired and was eased in the lane and walked off.

LIAR LIAR (IRE) stalked from inside, slipped through to take control at the quarter pole, cleared outside rivals into the stretch and held well in the late stages. OX BRIDGE brushed with inner rival at the start, was forwardly placed off the rail, bid three deep at the quarter pole, lost contact with LIAR LIAR into the lane and stayed on to secure the place. HOOP DREAM bumped leaving the gate, settled off the pace, angled three wide into the lane, four wide in upper stretch and faltered late. GOOD BYE PUTIN bumped both sides at the start, trailed in the beginning, saved ground into the stretch and needed more in the final sixteenth. ABSOLUTE UNIT was a bit tight into the first turn, stalked outside outside a rival, angled four wide into the lane, five wide in upper stretch and weakened. BUD KNIGHT broke out and bumped rival in the beginning, vied for the lead from outside into the first turn, cleared rival around the bend, showed the way to the far turn, lost command at the quarter pole and also weakened.

BIG ANDY settled off the pace, lost ground around the turn while along the inside, tipped out into the stretch, closed late and reeled in the runner-up. SUPERSONIC FLYER sped to the front from inside, padded the lead around the turn, led from off the rail into the drive, remained clear in the drive then got caught in the closing moments. PISTACHIO PRINCESS was closest in pursuit up the backstretch, angled in on the turn and finished evenly in the final furlong. HALF HOPING bumped and checked early, went three wide into the stretch and kept on to earn a minor award. SO VERY SMART steadied off heels early and dropped to the back, chased outside a rival, three deep then five wide into the stretch, angled out upper stretch and finished willingly. MEDUSA'S GAZE got bumped from outside and steadied early, tracked off the pace, went three deep into the turn, angled four wide into the stretch, moved out further at the top of the lane and could not rally. HOT AND A MESS raced off the pace, came two wide into the drive and never threatened. ELGOFRANCO tracked outside rivals, was floated out and bumped into the stretch and could not summon the needed response. PANCAKES AND BEER was off slow to begin, put in tight and steadied at the seven-sixteenths, remained inside to the stretch and had little left. V BUCKS stalked off the rail, drifted out and bumped rival into the stretch and weakened. MAMAS GOT CASH came in and bumped rival early, traveled three wide into the lane and came up empty. LIPS LIKE SUGAR was off slow and steadied at the start, was in tight and steadied again early, angled four wide into the stretch and failed to menace.

MUCHO DEL ORO vied for the lead between rivals then dropped back to chase leaving the backstretch, saved ground into the stretch, bid between with a furlong to go, struck the front nearing the sixteenth pole and held off the runner-up. GOLDINI was in range early on, raced along the inside into the turn, two wide into the drive, lacked room behind rivals in upper stretch, angled in some and rallied late to gain the place. ROCKTILLYOUDROP was in range early from the far outside then angled in some and raced outside a rival, angled four wide into the stretch and closed well to earn the show. TITRATE vied for the lead from inside up the backstretch, held command inside rivals through the turn, clung to a narrow advantage at the eighth pole and yielded in the late stages. CROSSWORD showed early speed and vied three deep, pressed into the turn, re-bid at the quarter pole but flattened in deep stretch. WEDDING GROOM was off slow and shuffled back at the start, saved ground into the lane, angled out in the stretch and never made an impact. CHASING FAME attended the pace four deep, vied three deep around the turn and weakened. RECKONING DAY fractious in the gate, broke inward at the start, pulled up early and walked off.

GOOD WITH PEOPLE prompted the pace from outside, challenged around the turn, cleared leaving the bend, kept to task through the drive and held well. HOWBEIT chased four wide around the turn and was gaining to the wire. LITTLEBITAMEDAL raced three deep early, trailed two wide into the turn, came out in upper stretch and finished well. I WILL NOT tracked from inside then angled three wide into the stretch, angled in then back out in the stretch and improved position. RAYRAY chased off the rail, three wide around the turn and flattened in the final furlong. WHISKY MY GOD (ARG) set the pace under pressure, dueled around the turn, could not keep pace with the winner into the stretch and weakened. TAP BACK was forwardly placed up the backstretch, raced along the inside into the turn, two wide into the stretch and also weakened. EXPLOSIVE chased outside a rival, angled four wide leaving the bend and came up empty.

HARBORED MEMORIES forwardly placed and moved to the inside, cut the corner into the stretch, tipped outside the leader, gained the lead late and prevailed over the runner-up. LINCOLN HAWK (IRE) off a bit slow to begin, settled inside, angled out in upper stretch, drifted out further then summoned a late bid but was not enough. EAGLE CHIEF dropped back early, traveled along the rail then angled three wide into the stretch, steered out to race widest in the lane, closed well and gained the show. MAGIC MAN set the pace up the backstretch, angled over to the inside, asked right-handed in the drive and yielded late. ISTANBUL was closest in pursuit outside the pacesetter, chased two wide around the bend and finished evenly in the final furlong. HOLLYWOODHELLRAISR tracked off the inside then went between rivals, exited the turn four wide and lacked a necessary bid. PRO BONO pulled up the backstretch, chased two then three wide into the stretch, lacked room in upper stretch, steered inside mid-stretch and kept to task to the wire. AURELIAN MAN stalked outside rivals, entered the stretch three wide, was bothered by LINCOLN HAWK mid-stretch and weakened. DONCIC came out and bumped early, steadied at the seven-sixteenths pole, angled to the rail on the turn and failed to rally. SUBCONSCIOUS stumbled at the start, got knocked into rival and crowded early, steadied at the seven-sixteenths pole, came five wide into the stretch and had nothing left. PERFECTO AMOR broke out, got bumped from inside early, took the turn four wide, angled in upper stretch and weakened. NEWPARK (IRE) was hard to ride in the early going, went five wide into the turn, five to six wide into the stretch and weakened.