Blazing Sevens Putting Smiles On Connections’ Faces | 2023 Preakness Stakes News

Jose Hernandez, the assistant trainer to Chad Brown, has been smiling all week around the Pimlico Stakes Barn.

That’s because he continues to be impressed with how John and Carla Capek’s Rodeo Creek Racing LLC’s Blazing Sevens has taken to Old Hilltop as he prepares to run in the 148th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1) Saturday.

Preakness Stakes 2023 Betting Bible

Get the Racing Dudes’ 2023 Preakness Stakes Betting Bible, featuring the EXACT race-by-race wagering plans for Aaron Halterman and Jared Welch, the two founders of RacingDudes.com. See how they’re playing every race on on May 20, 2023 at Pimlico!

FREE DOWNLOAD NOW

“I think he is sitting on a big race,” Hernandez said Wednesday morning after the son of Good Magic galloped about 1 ¼ miles for the second consecutive day with exercise rider Peter Levia.

The only difference in the routine was that Blazing Sevens went out at 6:30 a.m., a half hour earlier than the last two days.

Blazing Sevens, winner of the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old, finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland. In two starts this year, he ran a disappointing eighth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park and an improved third in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland in his last start April 8.

Hernandez also took care of Brown’s two Preakness winners – Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting last year – before the boss showed up in Baltimore to saddle the horses.

“I’ve got the same feeling with this one that I did with the others,” Hernandez said. “This is a pretty nice horse to work with.”

Blazing Sevens will return to the track at 6:30 Thursday morning and will also school in the paddock between races. Brown is scheduled to arrive in Baltimore Friday night.