Word: bende
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...band played Maryland, My Maryland, eight thoroughbreds paraded to the post for the $180,000 Preakness at Pimlico. Candy Spots again was the favorite (at 3-2), and Shoemaker struggled with strategy. Should he try to match strides with Harry Guggenheim's pace-making Never Bend, the Derby runner-up? Or should he hang back until the stretch, then try to outduel John Galbreath's late-charging Chateaugay, the Derby winner? Said Willie: "I decided not to worry about Never Bend. Chateaugay was the horse I had to beat...
Shoemaker guessed right. As the horses broke from the gate for the 1 ³∕16-mile race, Never Bend quickly grabbed the lead, and opened up a gap of nearly two lengths in the backstretch. Candy Spots was galloping easily in third place, and Chateaugay was a distant seventh. Rounding the final turn, Shoemaker glanced back: Chateaugay was beginning to move. He clucked at Candy Spots. Into the stretch the horses thundered-Never Bend in front, Candy Spots second, Chateaugay now third and closing fast on the outside. In an instant, Candy Spots had the lead, Chateaugay was second...
...Never Bend, as expected, took the lead at the start of the Preakness. Front-running No Robbery was not entered in the race, so Willie Shoemaker, on Candy Spots, knew he would have to stay close to the pace to prevent the swift New York colt from "stealing" the race. With longshot Rural Retreat running close to Never Bend, Candy Spots saved ground, about two lengths behind the loaders...
...backstretch Shoemaker roused his mount and shot into the lead, but all eyes were on Chateaugay, who was streaking from far behind. As the horses turned into the stretch, the scene looked like a news-reel shot from Churchill Downs two weeks earlier: Candy Spots and Never Bend were battling for the lead with Chateaugay, on the far outside, about to mow them down...
...Never Bend faded, but Chateaugay was a blur closing in on the leader, and for an instant it appeared that he was going to run away with the second leg of the Triple Crown. Then Shoemaker want to the whip, and Candy Sopts surged to a remarkably easy triumph over Chateaugay, with Never Bend third...