October 3, 2020 
It’s rare when the Preakness gets as much attention as the Kentucky Derby and more than the now long-ago Belmont Stakes.
But that’s what happens when the middle jewel in the spring Triple Crown series is the first big race of the fall. It’s been that kind of year.
Handicappers believe this Preakness is an “any horse can win” kind of race. But in a good way.
They’ve decided favorite Authentic is the real deal after his shocking win over Tiz the Law in the Derby. His pedigree and performance suggest he can win because he is so adaptable to any pace. But they’ve also decided Art Collector could paint a masterpiece. That Authentic stablemate Thousand Words could have the last say (if he makes it to the gate). That Ny Traffic might get the green light. That Filly Swiss Skydiver could hit the bullseye in the landing zone. That Jesus’ Team… ‘Nuff said.
Then there’s Mr. Big News, the forgotten competitor with an old timey name that seems right out of the two 1930s Damon Runyon short stories (“The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown” and “Blood Pressure”) that bred the play and film “Guys and Dolls.” Can’t you just hear Tick Tock McLaughlin (William H. Macy) in the film “Seabiscuit” banging on the keys of his manual Underwood typewriter as he says in his exaggerated style “MISter BIG Neewwwsss is the BIG story of THIS race!”?
Okay, so Mr. Big News didn’t race against Seabiscuit or War Admiral. But the Preakness is run at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course, site of the famous match race that actually stopped the nation’s business for a day in 1938. And he was foaled in 2017, not 1935. But a three-year-old colt that has already run eight times is a throwback to the days when the horseracing industry was about racing, not breeding.
Mr. Big News got his entry into the Preakness courtesy of his longshot “Win and In” victory in Arkansas’ Apr. 11 listed Oaklawn (Park) Stakes on a muddy track. Among the horses he defeated that day? Bob Baffert’s Thousand Words, the horse that literally backed himself out of the Derby by rearing and falling while being saddled minutes before the race.
Thousand Words is back for the Preakness. A late foal, he showed his inexperience early this year, nearly unseating jockey Joe Talamo when he almost fell leaving the gate at the start of the Oaklawn. The terrible start resulted in an 11th place finish.
Mr. Big News’ Oaklawn Stakes win, however, was marred by a sixth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes, won in a romp by Art Collector over Swiss Skydiver Jul. 11 at Keeneland.
Still, it seems the W. Brett Calhoun-trained son of Giants Causeway (out of Unappeased by Galileo) with Storm Cat as his grandsire shouldn’t be sitting so far “below the fold” after finishing a strong third at odds of 46-1 in the Sept. 5 Derby. He was just three lengths off winner Authentic.
His frequent racing schedule proves he’s both experienced and sound. He’s a closer whose speed figure has improved with every race—his Derby Beyer speed figure was 101. And he’s already pocketed $468,553. That’s no claimer’s bank account.
His longshot performance in the Derby proved him capable of a big race. He came from the back of the pack in 10th place, even challenging Authentic for the lead heading into the final turn:
“He gave me a real thrill in the Derby,” recalls Calhoun. “Between the three-eighths pole and the quarter pole, I got pretty excited. I knew the horses were running pretty quick up front and I thought there was a pretty good chance they might back up to us.
“The way he [Mr. Big News] was moving, I thought if they backed up and he continued moving like that, he had a chance to win the whole thing. It was a huge effort on his part. The winner and second-place horse ran outstanding races. They made all the pace, a quick pace, and kept on running.”
Mr. Big News galloped 1 1/2 miles on a wet, overcast Wednesday morning at Pimlico to complete his final preparation for the Saturday race. In a follow-up interview with the Maryland Jockey Club, Calhoun pronounced him “bouncing and happy.”
“It was pretty dark. The track was obviously pretty wet, but he kind of likes the ‘off’ going. The track was in very good condition,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “He seemed to love it. He settled in really good, made the trip very, very well.”
The trainer also reported the colt has maintained his weight and is eating well.
So what’s the deal?
Well, even with the absence of Tiz, watching from the comfort of his paddock, the 11-horse field is pretty loaded since the Preakness still is a classic with a $1.5 million purse. Too, the way in which COVID-19 (yeah, that again) scuttled the Triple Crown and the fall racing season along with it left few options for trainers with horses needing prep races before heading to the Breeders’ Cup.
There is no Pennsylvania Derby this year, often a prep favored by Bob Baffert before the Breeders’ Cup. He saddles both Authentic and (sometimes) Thousand Words.
The Oct. 10 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont is a “Win & You’re In” qualifier for a free pass to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It currently has only two probable entries with some name recognition, Tacitus and Plus Que Parfait, along with a host of largely unknown possible entries.
While most handicappers give Mr. Big News little chance for a win, bettors have made his odds a respectable 12-1 this time. His Derby jockey, Gabriel Saez, once again will have the ride.
“Winning a G1 Classic,” reflects Calhoun. “That’s the Holy Grail.”
The trainer appreciates the difficulty his horse faces in this good a field. He carries the hope that his underdog closer of a horse can improve on his Derby performance just enough to make Preakness headlines.
THAT would be REALLY big news!
