Ny Traffic could be second New York-bred classic winner of 2020 if he wins Saturday’s Preakness. Ryan Thompson/Gulfstream Park Photo.
By Tom Law
Ny Traffic takes another swing at an American classic and attempts to become the second New York-bred classic winner in 2020 when the takes on 10 others Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.
The 3-year-old son of Cross Traffic, who lost the Grade 1 Haskell by a nose to Authentic before chasing that same foe when eighth in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, will look to be the first New York-bred winner of Maryland’s signature race since Funny Cide in 2003. He also will attempt to join Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes in June, as winners of a race in the reconfigured Triple Crown series of 2020.
Bred by Brian Culnan and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Ny Traffic brings two wins, three seconds and two thirds from 10 starts into Saturday’s Grade 1 Preakness. He finished second in three straight Derby preps this season – the Grade 2 Lousiana Derby, Grade 3 Matt Winn and Grade 1 Haskell – for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Ny Traffic picks up a new rider for the 1 3/16-mile Preakness in Maryland-based veteran Horacio Karamanos, a native of Argentina with 2,266 victories in the U.S. since 2000. He won more than 1,500 races in his native country and takes the call for Joseph and owners John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley.
“This is my opportunity now. I feel really good, man,” said Karamanos, one of four Maryland-based jockeys with a mount in the Preakness along with Trevor McCarthy, Sheldon Russell and Jevian Toledo. “This is my home, Maryland.”
Unlike the other three Maryland riders, Karamanos will make his Triple Crown debut in the Preakness. He likes his chances aboard the gray or roan colt out of the Graeme Hall mare Mamie Reilly.
“This is a nice horse. I watched his last two races. He ran good when he finished second at Monmouth,” said Karamanos, 47. “In Kentucky the horse broke out a little bit and then sit second and third. He ran evenly to the wire, but the race was so fast. He’s a good-trying horse. You never know. We have a good shot. He’s a nice-looking horse, too.”
Ny Traffic is the 15-1 sixth choice in the Preakness field off his eighth-place finish, beaten 13 ¾ lengths by Authentic, in the Kentucky Derby. He came out of the Derby with an excuse – perhaps even two – after suffering a cut in his left front ankle and losing his right front shoe. Ny Traffic also raced wide in portions of the Derby and his connections hope for better luck in Baltimore.
“Would I say he ran his best race? No,” Joseph said of the Derby. “I don’t know when he lost his shoe. When you’re at that level, you need to have everything go right. He wasn’t the best horse in the race to begin with, so he can’t afford to give away advantages.”
Ny Traffic drew post 7 in the Preakness field, two stalls to the inside of 9-5 favorite Authentic and two stalls to the outside of 6-1 co-third choice Thousand Words. He figures to run close to the pace along with 5-2 second choice Art Collector, the filly and 6-1 co-third choice Swiss Skydiver, Thousand Words and Authentic.
The Preakness goes as the 11th of 12 races on Pimlico’s stakes-exclusive card Saturday, with a post time of 5:36 p.m. ET.
Ny Traffic is one of two New York-breds entered Saturday, along with two-time champion New York-bred Somelikeithotbrown, who looks to add another graded stakes to his resume in the Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes (formerly run as the Dixie Stakes). The 4-year-old son of Big Brown won Saratoga’s Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap two starts back for owners Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stables – which co-bred the colt with Hot Pink Stables – and trainer Mike Maker.
