BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Taj Mahal drew post one for Saturday’s $2 million Preakness Stakes (Grade 1), the Middle Jewel of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown to be run Saturday for the first time at Laurel Park. The mile-and-three-sixteenths test for 3-year-olds has drawn a full gate of 14, the most in the Preakness since Shackleford won in 2011. It is being run at Laurel while construction continues on a new Pimlico Race Course facility.

Taj Majal is one of three Preakness entrants priced as the second choice at 5-1 on the morning line along with Chip Honcho and Incredibolt. Iron Honor is the lukewarm program favorite at 9-2.

“[Post one] wasn’t what I was hoping for, but it is what it is. [Taj Mahal is] a good gate horse and we’ll just have to play it as it unfolds,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “You know, it’s funny. I said to myself the only spot I was hoping not to be was the rail. It’s okay. It’s all good.

“When I saw that [5-1 odds] I thought, ‘Cool, he’s getting some respect,’” she added. “That’s nice to see.”

While bred in the Sunshine State by Peter Vegso’s Vegso Racing Stable based in Ocala, Taj Mahal enjoys a significant homefield advantage as the only Preakness entrant with a race over the track having won all three of his career starts there. Plus, Russell has been Maryland’s leading trainer each of the last three years; and her husband and rider for Taj Mahal, Sheldon Russell, was the state’s leading jockey in 2011 and has six riding titles at Laurel.

Sheldon Russell has had three previous rides in the Preakness, his most recent being his best when the Ed Moger Jr.-trained Chase the Chaos ran fifth behind National Treasure in 2023.

This will be Brittany Russell’s first Preakness as a trainer.

“I think it’s a huge advantage,” Sheldon Russell said referring to Taj Mahal racing at this home track. “He trains here; he does all his works here. He hasn’t shipped to run. Every race he’s sort of learned and come through for us. Knock on wood, he’s training good, he’s feeling good. We’re all excited,” Sheldon Russell said. “[For me], it’s just like the horse. It’s the track you’re most comfortable with.

“It’s the same as a jockey when you ship out of town to different racetracks. Yeah, you’re comfortable but you’re not home. Once we leave that paddock it would just be like a normal weekend, because this is where we race every weekend,” he added. “The same pony people we see every weekend, the same gate crew, so I’ll be at ease. And it’s a huge plus that I know the horse and I’ve been on him in all three of his starts. It’s not like I’m just jumping on him for a different trainer and meeting that horse for the first time. In that sense, we won’t have anything unexpected.”

Taj Mahal, earned an automatic entry into the Preakness with an eight-and-a-quarter-length victory in the $150,000 Frederico Tesio while leading throughout the mile-and-an-eighth on April 18. After starting from the outside post 10, Taj Mahal shot to the front before making the Clubhouse turn. He opened up by 10 lengths after a half mile in :47.90 before seeing his lead shrink to two-and-a-half lengths on the far turn. He opened up again out of the turn then drew clear with every stride through the finish.

“It was huge. It was his first time going two turns, so it’s good that he got that experience into him,” Sheldon Russell said of the Tesio. “Maybe he took the [first] bend a little too sharp and a little too quick. He probably thought he was turning for home. But once we got around the backside and he popped on to the right lead he came right back to me. He caught me off guard a little bit there, but you can see once we got on the backside he chilled and he was very professional in waiting for the field to catch up.

“When I called on him, he knew it was time to go. He was smart in the sense where he just probably ran a little too free. But smart horses and good horses get things done,” he added. “He’s done nothing wrong. This is what these good horses do. They keep getting better and better and they put in those performances and next thing you know, they win big races.”

Prior to earning his first win around two turns in the Tesio, Taj Mahal debuted with a rallying four-and-a-quarter-length score in a maiden special weight going six furlongs on February 6 and won the $100,000 Miracle Wood over a one-turn mile 15 days later. 

Taj Mahal has earned $178,200 for a large ownership group made up of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Goldonda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.

He was a $525,000 selection by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni for SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Taj Mahal is out of the stakes-placed Florida-bred mare Oola Gal, by Quality Road.

“I think this one will always be a little bit more special, being on one of Brittany’s horses and it being at a track where she started her career and a track where we race year-round,” Sheldon Russell said. “The Preakness is always special, and this might be the last one at Laurel. It would be kind of cool if we were to win it.”

The Federico Tesio has produced just one Preakness winner – Deputed Testamony in 1983. Four other Tesio winners have hit the board in the Preakness: Oliver’s Twist was second in 1995 and Broad Brush (1986), Rock Point (1989) and Icabad Crane (2008) each ran third.

Taj Mahal Jogs Tuesday Morning, Will School in Starting Gate Wednesday, School in Paddock Thursday

Taj Mahal jogged and galloped a mile at his usual time shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday. The plan is to gallop and school in the starting gate Wednesday and school in the paddock when live racing resumes Thursday.

“I paddock school everything. He can be a little feel-good on race day, so it’s necessary,” Brittany Russell said. “He’ll go the the gate tomorrow, so he’ll do a little bit more in his gallops, but he’s aggressive. He’s doing plenty.”

–portions of this report were taken directly from Maryland Jockey Club press releases.

Return to the May 12 issue of Wire to Wire