Title: Preakness
Author: Stephen Ratliff
Rating: [G]
Series: TNG, Marrissa Stories, Triple Crown Trilogy
Codes: none
Part: NEW 1/1

     Welcome to Pimlico on the this third week in May.  I'm Don McKay. 
The day dawned with a rain shower but around noon, the sun came out
here in Baltimore.  But the track is still muddy.  Those conditions do
not favor the Derby winner, Lady Stargazer. That has made Warp Speed,
who finished second in the Derby the favorite.  
     Of the ten horses that started the Derby, only six are here at
Pimlico. Quarterdeck Breed follows it's older brother, Vulcan's Glory
to the Preakness.  It was a year ago that Vulcan's Glory narrowly lost
to Insignia from Stargazer Stables.  Vulcan's Glory beat Insignia by a
length at the Belmont Stakes.
     Both Stargazer Stables entries are here.  Warp Speed is favored
here, due to the muddy track.  Two of his four wins were on muddy
grounds.  Lady Stargazer is the crowd favorite.  Her jockey, Isabelle
Boucher remains the only female jockey in the field, just as Lady is
the only filly. 
     The Klingon entry, Code of Honor, returns Korrath to his sixth
straight Preakness.  Perhaps today will be his first win.
     Romulan Dawn is here off a third place finish in the Derby. 
Kirk's Bane also made it to the Preakness.  
     Seven horses that didn't run the Kentucky Derby join the field.  
InseQurity is a odd name for a horse, but the entry from Only Human
Farms has four wins in eight starts.  Strike Zone is a horse which
bears watching, expect it to stay close and move in after the finial
turn. Federal Express joins the field, despite never have won a race.
Otterskin comes from Europe with an impressive run of four straight
wins, but all of them were on turf. 
      Locomotive has never raced greater than a mile, but known for
coming on strong at the end.  Eye of the Storm is a wet track
specialist.  He should do well here.  Apollo's Chariot rounds out the
field.

     But It's not just the horses on the stage.  The owners, trainers,
and jockeys also have stories to tell.  At the Derby you heard about
Stargazer Stables' two rookie jockeys, today it's time for the trainer
to be at center stage.  For the past three years, trainer Mikey White
has trained the winner of this race.  With two front running horses,
he looks to become the first trainer to have four straight Preakness
wins.

     Mikey White was born in 2301 in the little town of Galax Virginia
Earth.  His family often attended races at nearby tracks, but at the
time, Mikey wasn't really interested.  After a year's internship at
Calumet Farms, young Michael White entered Star Fleet Academy,
majoring in Engineering.  He swiftly rose though the ranks to become
Chief Engineer on the Stargazer.  However, life in Star Fleet was to
end in 2345, after more than 20 years of service.  An accident left
him unable to continue his duties.  
     His ship mates, having heard many stories about life in the horse
business, decided that their soon to depart Chief Engineer needed a
new career as a horse trainer.  So Stargazer Stables was born. 
Captain Picard purchased some land near his boyhood home, and during a
month layover at Earth, the crew built by hand all of the necessary
buildings.  It took a decade before Mikey had horses he thought could
win.  Since then his horses have proved Mikey White's worth as a
trainer.  It has been eleven years he went without a win in a major
race.  It's been five since he has gone without Triple Crown win. 
Today he brings Lady Stargazer with Isabelle Boucher aboard and Warp
Speed with Rene Picard aboard.  Will he extend his Preakness winning
streak?

     Today the Klingon Emperor, Kah'less, will be watching his horse,
Code of Honor.  While the Klingon Empire has fielded an entry every
year, they've never won. This year, the entry is listed as been the
Emperor's own entry.  Emperor Kah'less the second became the first
Klingon Emperor in over a hundred years last year.  Since then, he's
become the spiritual center of the Empire.  Perhaps his prescience
will lend Code of Honor the spirit necessary to win.

     Among the Jockeys today are the Macedon twins, Joe and Jay. 
Fortunately they'll be wearing different silks today, so we will be
able to tell them apart.

     We'll recap our field, with the current odds.

     In the first post position is the Derby winner, Lady Stargazer. 
She's never won from the post position, or on a muddy track, like
today's.  Riding her for Stargazer Stables is Isabelle Boucher, as an
entry with Warp Speed, her odds are 4-1.
     The second post holds InseQuirty from Only Human Farms. Jockey
Roger Alara wearing the white and crimson silks, will ride her.  He's
part of the field at 60-1.
     Warp Speed will start from third Post.  Rene Picard will ride her
for Stargazer Stables.
     Post four will be Strike Zone ridden by Peter David in the blue
with kangaroo icon silks. Strike Zone is also a member of the mutual
field.
     In fifth post, Federal Express from Kendel Farms will be ridden
by the veteran jockey, Ryan James in red, white, and blue silks. 
Express is another member of the field.
     Post six will hold Otterskin, ridden by Joe Macedon.  He'll be
wearing the brown and red silks of Talking Stick Stables.  Otterskin
is part of the field as well.
     Quarterdeck Breed will start from Post seven.  Jockey Sirvok wear
the black silks with the old gold Star Fleet insignia.  Quarterdeck is
at 8-1.
     In Post eight is Locomotive ridden by Timothy Epperly.  He'll
wear the blue and green of Chesapeake.  His odds are at 9-1.
     Post nine is Code of Honor.  Korrath rides him in the silver with
red and orange Klingon insignia for Emperor Kah'less.  He's at 8-1.
     Eye of the Storm starts in Post ten.  Jay Macedon rides the PSU
entry in their black and white striped silks.  Storm is a member of
the mutual field now at 62-1.
     Romulan Dawn, who was third at the Derby, is in the eleventh
Post.  Neale Davidson rides him in the green and silver of Silicon
Stables.  He is at 6-1.
     Apollo's Chariot will fill the twelfth Post.  The blue and white
of Grecian Stables will be worn by John Clark.  
     In the thirteenth Post will be Kirk's Bane from Styles Stables. 
Mark Green will wear black and white silks. Both Apollo and Kirk's
Bane are part of the field, which has dropped to 65-1.

     It's ten minutes till post time here at Pimlico.  Ten minutes
until Lady Stargazer tries to win the second race in her bid to become
the first filly to win the Triple Crown.  The Preakness was in its
second century before a filly won it.  Only five have won it since. 
Will Lady Stargazer become the seventh?  Will she become the only
filly to win both the Preakness and the Derby?  Will another horse end
the hopes for a Triple Crown winner this year?  It will take less than
two minutes to find out once the gatess open.

     Before the horses are called to post, let's take a look back at
the Kentucky Derby, two weeks ago.  Ten horses started the race. Those
ten horses ran the most exciting race that has been seen at Churchill
Downs in decades.  Warp Speed took the early lead at a fast pace.  As
he lead the pack, Lady Stargazer started back in fifth at the quarter
pole.  But by the time she reached the end of the backstretch, she was
even with Warp Speed.  When they came down to the wire, no one could
tell who won.  The photo light was in use for the first time in the
Derby this century.  For Warp Speed and Lady Stargazer, this was the
normal course of events.  In their eight races previous to the Derby,
five were photo finishes.

     At the Kentucky Derby, they race for red roses.  Here at the
Preakness, they race for black-eyed susans.  Back in the early days of
the race, they had to paint to daisies.  Today however, we have a
wonderful woven carpet of black-eyed susans for our winner.  Now
playing Maryland, My Maryland, the Star Fleet Academy Gee Club.

     The horses are making their way across the turf coarse toward the
gate.  Let's go though that run down as they are loaded up.  Lady
Stargazer is by the rail.  InseQuirty is in the two hole.  Warp Speed
is in the third post.  Strike Zone is guided into the fourth position. 
Federal Express takes the fifth gate.  Otterskin goes into the six
hole.  Quarterdeck Breed glides into the seventh gate.  Locomotive
rears up before entering the eight position.  Code of Honor is in the
ninth gate.  Eye of the Storm fits in the ten hole.  Romulan Dawn
takes the eleventh gate.  Apollo's Chariot hesitates before taking the
twelfth position.  And Kirk's Bane is pulled into the thirteen hole.

     All the horses are loaded ... and they're off.  Once again, Warp
Speed leads them out of the gate.  Kirk's Bane, makes a surprise move,
pulling in front of Otterskin, Eye, Apollo and Locomotive.  Code of
Honor is even with Warp Speed, with Lady Stargazer, InsecQuirty, and
Federal Express right behind.  Quarterdeck Breed is now battling with
Kirk's Bane as they head into the turn.  Kirk's Bane who stumbles,
Kirk's Bane has fallen, Otterskin tries to avoid,  but falls as well,
the rest of the field tries to avoid.  Only the front six are clear,
as they now head down the backstretch.  Warp Speed leads with Lady
Stargazer coming along side.  Code of Honor now fights Romulan Dawn
and InsecQuity.  Federal Express has faded.  As they enter the turn,
Warp and Lady are battling it out.  Lady appears to have it, now Warp,
back and forth they trade the lead.  Code of Honor pulls out ahead
from Romulan Dawn and Locomotive, but Warp and Lady have put two
lengths on the remnants of the field.  Down the stretch they come,
Lady Stargazer and Warp Speed are neck and neck as they run to the
finish line.  It looks like it's going to be another photo finish. As
they cross the wire, I can't tell who won.  The judges have signaled
the second photo finish in Lady Stargazer's bid for the triple crown. 
Code of Honor comes across the line third back two lengths.  Romulan
Dawn takes fourth, back three.  InseQuirty, fifth, three and a half
back, Federal Express completes our finishing field.
     Lady and Warp slow down to avoid the mess that has developed in
the first turn.  Seven horses are down.  Kirk's Bane started it, with
his stumble then fall, and the rest ran right into the mess. 
Otterskin is down.  Apollo's Chariot has at least one broken leg.  Eye
of the Storm is trapped beneath the rail, I don't see how he got
there.  Strike Zone is still standing, but is limping off the field. 
Locomotive apparently has had the luck of the field.  He's making his
way around the track at a slow pace.  He managed to pull up and avoid
the mess, but was out of the race.
     The race time was 1:52.2.  A record for who ever the winner was. 
Let's take a look at that finish...  It appears to be Lady Stargazer,
once again.  The two Stargazer Stables entries are pacing a cool-down
lap on the turf course.  The Official light goes up, signaling Lady
Stargazer as winner.  Warp Speed places, with Code of Honor showing. 
The exacta of 1-3 pays 5.50.  The trifecta of 1-3-9 pays 9.90.  The
win pays 4.90.
     Charity Cavet has the third place jockey, Korrath, who rode Code
of Honor.

     "Korrath, you rode Code of Honor to a strong showing today in the
Preakness, what did you think of the race?" Charity asked.
     "It was a hard race.  Warp Speed set a fast pace, and by the time
Lady Stargazer pulled along side him, all the rest of us could do was
to fight it out for third," Korrath said.  "I don't know where
Stargazer Stables got those horses, but I'm glad I don't have to race
them all day.  And those two new jockeys of Mikey's are honorable
competitors. It was an honor to just be in a race with both the
jockeys and the horses."
     "What about the problem in the first turn?" Charity asked.
     "I don't know what happened," Korrath said.  "One moment Kirk's
Bane is to my outside, the next, he's gone."
     "Back to you Don."

     Lady Stargazer has made her way to the winner's circle, and is
draped with black-eyed susans.  Here is Governor Charlie Rankin of the
State of Maryland to present the trophy.  Our Gene Humpries is there. 

     "It is my honor to present this trophy to the owners, Captain
Jean-Luc Picard and Lieutenant Marrissa Picard, represented by Rene
Picard; the trainer, Michael White; and the jockey Isabelle Boucher. 
It was a great race marred by a tragedy, but still we saw an
magnificent race from Lady Stargazer."
     "On behalf of my uncle Jean-Luc, and my cousin Marrissa, our
trainer Mikey White, and Isabelle, I accept this trophy," Rene said.
     "Rene, you rode Warp Speed today, what was the race today like?"
Gene asked.
     "Well from my point of view, I didn't really see anything," Rene
said.  "I was basically racing first Code of Honor and then Lady
Stargazer.  Now Isabelle may be able to tell you more."
     "Isabelle, you took Lady Stargazer through traffic to win," Gene
asked.  "How was the race from your view point?"
     "Well, I got behind Warp Speed from the beginning," Isabelle
said.  "Lady doesn't make the best start.  InsecQuity and Federal were
on my outside.  When Code of Honor started to fall back, I went unto
the gap he made.  Then it was Warp verse Lady all the way.  When I
looked up after the finish and saw the mess in the first turn, I was
shocked.  I didn't think one sick horse could cause that much
trouble."
     "Did you say sick horse?" Gene said.
     "Kirk's Bane did not look in the best of health when I saw him in
the post parade," Isabelle said.  "He should not have raced.  Mikey
didn't believe me though."
     "I'd say you're a good judge of horses," Gene said.  "How does it
feel to win the Preakness and have a chance at winning the Triple
Crown."
     "Well, I'm not counting on it yet," Isabelle said.  "Although
Rene is buying me dinner again tonight... and I'd like to get a nice
dinner at the Waldorf in New York in three weeks."
     "I assume that's a hint," Rene said.
     "Good assumption," Isabelle replied.
     "Mikey, this is your forth straight Preakness win," Gene said. 
"Do you think you can finally win all three in the same year."
     "I'm not sure," Mikey said.  "Lots of good horses were taken out
by Kirk's Bane, but there is still Code of Honor and Quarterdeck
Breed.  None of the horses have raced a mile and a half before. 
However, I believe that I will have a horse win the Belmont Stakes ...
and like I said at Churchill Downs ... I don't know which."

     Well that ends our day here at Pimlico.  As we leave you with
images of Today's run for the black-eyed susans, the 499th run of the
Preakness. Lady Stargazer is on her way to the Belmont Stakes, as for
the second year running we have a chance for a Triple Crown winner. 
Will Lady Stargazer win the award that hasn't been given out in
thirteen years?  We'll find out in Elmont New York when the Belmont
Stakes are run.  We'll see you there.  For Federation Broadcast
Network Sports, I'm Don McKay.  I'll see you at the Belmont Stakes.