Hindi tulad ng inaasahang two-horse race ng dala­wang paborito pero two-horse duel pa rin ang resulta ng Preakness Stakes, ang ikalawang yugto ng US Triple Crown Series, kahapon sa Pimlico Race Course sa Maryland.

Nanalo ng isang ulo lang sa finish line ang baguhang si Cloud Computing (Maclean’s Music-Quick Temper, by AP Indy) na ginabayan ng kampeong hineteng si Javier Castellano sa pangangalaga ni Eclipse-champion trainer Chad Brown.

Tinalo niya ang paboritong si Classic Empire para makamtan ang pinakamalaking panalo sa kanyang batang career. Ito ang unang panalo ng 38-year-old na si trainer Brown sa kanyang pagsubok sa Preakness Stakes, ikalawa naman sa career ni Castellano (nanalo sa ibabaw ni Bernardini noong 2006 edition).

“I’ve been training now for 10 years. We’ve run four horses in the Derby. This is our first Preakness try. But I personally put a lot of time in, and my staff has put a lot of time in. When you add the time as an assistant trainer, for two great trainers, it feels like I’ve been doing it forever, really. So I don’t take it for granted,” bulalas ni Brown, tungkol sa kanyang entry na pinalampas ang Kentucky Derby kaya preskung-presko kahapon.

Ito naman ang nasambit ni jockey Castellano: “It’s special, because Chad – he gives me a lot of support in my career. We have been satisfied the last couple of years. We’ve had a lot of great winners. Today is special.”

Disappointment si Kentucky Derby champion Always Dreaming na hindi tinantanan sa unahan ni Classic Empire pagbukas pa lang ng starting gate. Papasok ng far turn ay naupos na ito at dumating lang na pangwalo sa finish line.

Natersero ang nanggaling sa likuran na si Senior Investment, ang iba pang nagsipagtapos sa karerang pinaglaban sa distansyang 1-3/4-mile ay sina Look­inAt Lee, Gunnevera, Multiplier, Conquest Mo Money, Always Dreaming, Hence, at Term of Art.