Dialed In and Shackleford aim for the MI Developments’ bonus program, Preakness 5.5
Horse racing fans are rooting for an energy packed duel at the Preakness Stakes. The game is now filled with more action as MI Developments announced a bonus program that would give a prize money of $5.5 million to the winner of the Preakness Stakes.
This was announced in a MID release which said it is a "historic and unique bonus program" called "Preakness 5.5" which is designed to "allow both east and west coast based 3-year-olds to qualify by having the preliminary races at Gulfstream Park, Santa
Anita Park, and Golden Gate Fields." MID is controlled by Frank Stronach.
Dialed In, owned by Robert LaPenta, could be the next ‘six million dollar man’. A win in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown would enable the colt to get his hands on the $5.5 million bonus along with the winner’s share, making a total of $6 million.
He is eligible for the bonus as he earlier won in the Holy Bull Stakes and the Florida Derby.
Dialed In might have failed to live up to the expectations of the audience in the Kentucky Derby that was sponsored by ‘Yum! Brands’.
The 5-1 favourite endured some issues in the start which rendered the colt to finish at the eighth position. The race was won by Animal Kingdom.
The winner’s share and the bonus would be equivalent of a North American record of $ 6.1 million for a winning horse.
This also eclipses the amount earned by Smarty Jones. Smarty Jones earned $ 5.884 million in 2004. His earnings would also be comparable to the money earned by The Dubai World Cup winner, Victoire Pisa.
The colt’s trainer, Nick Zito, is not enthusiastic about the prize money. He said, “For me, honestly, I'm telling you now—you could give mine to charity—as long as the feed man don't mind, He could take his and you could give the rest to charity. You've
gotta pay your bills, that's what it's about. But I'm blessed, as you know, and I'm not going to change. I'm just grateful to have the horse”.
Zito would be granted $500,000 of the $5.5 million, the rest of the share will go to the horse’s owner, Robert LaPenta.
His trainer intends to have the services of jockey Julien Leparoux to help the colt practise next week. The colt is to fly to Maryland on May 18. The three year old is sired by the horse of the Year 2003 Mineshaft.
Dialed In is not the only possible candidate for a bonus.
Shackleford, who stood fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is a beneficiary to a consolation bonus of $550,000. He was second in the Florida Derby, held on April 3, 2011. He also raced in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes where he stood fifth on February
26, 2011.
Shackleford is owned by Mike Lauffer & Bill Cubbedge. He is trained by Dale Romans.
Dale was unaware of any consolation prize being offered. He commented on this, saying, “We were going either way, it's just a little more incentive, you're going to train to win, either for a million or a half million”.
Shackleford breezed a mile and a half on Thursday morning.
Both the trainers are looking for a character building duel between the two horses in the Preakness Stakes.
Hence, horseracing enthusiasts need to hock onto the Preakness Stakes as the race has immense thrill packed up for them.
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