Preakness Stakes News | Uncle Heavy Confirmed

When it was time to make a decision, trainer Butch Reid Jr. said that the key elements pointed to a run for Uncle Heavy in the 149^th Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.

The Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion will be the first Preakness starter for the veteran trainer based at Parx in Philadelphia.

After it was clear that Uncle Heavy would not have enough qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1), Reid considered the $200,000 Peter Pan (G3) on Saturday at Aqueduct or the $2 million Preakness for Uncle Heavy’s next start. In his most recent outing, Uncle Heavy was fifth after a troubled trip in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct April 6. 

“We were looking at both of them. In the end it was the horse that prevailed,” Reid said. “He’s doing so well and had a tremendous breeze last week, and we’re going to have another shorter one this week. He’s training well. He looks well. This looks like the time to take a shot.  And it looks like the race could set up for him a little bit. There’s a fair amount of speed in there, and he’s a closer, so we decided to go ahead and take a shot with him.”

Uncle Heavy, named for Reid’s brother Mark, a retired trainer, has won three of five starts. He signaled that he had the ability to compete at the Triple Crown series level with his victory in the Withers (G3) on Feb. 3. However, many things went wrong for Uncle Heavy in the Wood. Most notable was at the top of the stretch while making a sustained run from far back, he was near Deposition when he fell, dropping the rider. 

“Yeah, it was really tough,” Reid said. “When we drew and I saw the 13th hole I knew it was going to make things difficult for him that he was going to get fanned out wide, which he did. And then unfortunately, the horse fell next to him. That kind of put him and the jock off their game a little bit. Who’s to say that he should have won, but he certainly should have had a better trip than that.”

Reid, 67, said the colt will work Saturday and will ship to Pimlico on Tuesday.

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Horsemen will be offered $7.5 million in bonus opportunities as well as two qualifiers for races at Newmarket and Deauville come Preakness Day May 18 at legendary Pimlico Race Course.

In addition to their respective purses, a $5 million bonus awaits the owner or owners of the horse who wins the $2 million Preakness (G1), the $1 million California Crown (G1) Sept. 28 at Santa Anita, and the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in 2025.

Meanwhile, a $2.5 million bonus awaits the owner or owners of the horse who wins Pimlico’s $500,000 Dinner Party (G3), the $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf (G2), and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

In addition, the winner of the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint will receive an automatic entry and travel incentive to run in the July Cup Stakes (G1) at Newmarket on July 13, while the winner of the Gallorette Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares on the turf will receive an automatic entry and travel incentive to run in the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet (G1) at Deauville Aug. 18.

The Maryland Jockey Club will also offer bonus money totaling $100,000 bonus to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the stakes races during Preakness weekend, and another $50,000 bonus for trainers with the most points in non-stakes during the weekend.