There Won’t be a Triple Crown Winner in 2019 as Country House Will Not Race in Preakness

• After winning the Kentucky Derby by disqualification, Country House will not run in the 2019 Preakness
• This is the first time in 23 years the Derby winner will not start the Preakness
• What had been long odds on a Triple Crown winner are now gone

This year’s Kentucky Derby was overshadowed by controversy. Had Country House reached the finish line first, the narrative would have been about the second-longest shot in Derby history winning the roses.

However, being 65/1 paled in comparison to the fact that original race-winner Maximum Security got disqualified, leading to Country’s House’s victory.

The disputed decision to take Maximum Security off the board and award Country house the win put horse racing in the spotlight. When can you ever remember people talking about racing a day or two after the Derby, and analyzing video like the Zapruder film?

No Preakness Rematch

Shortly after the Derby, Maximum Security owner Gary West made it pretty clear that his horse would not run in the Preakness.

Horses are not used to running twice in 14 days, and with his prized colt unable to capture the Triple Crown because of the DQ, resting and preparing for the Belmont Stakes or another big event this summer makes sense.

Dropping like flies

One day after Maximum Security turned down the second leg of the Triple Crown, Country House opted to pass too.

While trainer Bill Mott had expressed a reluctance to run back so soon, he recognized the obligation that comes with winning the Derby. However, a cough which appears to signal the start of a minor illness is enough to have changed the decision.

What if he had run?

Sportsbooks have posted odds of +2000 that Country House would capture the Triple Crown, and -10000 that he would not. That indicates roughly a five-percent chance of winning the Preakness and Belmont.

There have been just 13 Triple Crown winners in history, though two have occurred in the past four years. Of the 13, most have been very low odds at the Kentucky Derby. The highest odds for a Triple Crown-winner in Louisville was 8/1 by Assault in 1946.

We’ll never know if Country House could have won the Triple Crown, but recent longshots that won the Derby did not win the Preakness.

After winning the roses at 20/1 in 2011, Animal Kingdom finished second in the Preakness. Mine That Bird won in Louisville at 50/1 in 2009 and was second in Baltimore. Giacomo captured the 2005 Kentucky Derby at 50/1 and was third at the Preakness.

Chances are that Country House would have fallen short, as well, and bettors who wagered on no Triple Crown-winner would have eventually cashed anyway. But they can head to the proverbial window early with today’s news.