Wicked Whisper Back on Top in Miss Preakness

BALTIMORE, MD – It took her nearly a year to do so, but Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Wicked Whisper finally finished back on top in a race, taking Saturday’s $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) at Pimlico.

Wicked Whisper broke from post 2 under Joe Bravo at 5/1 odds and sat a close stalking trip while saving ground down the backstretch.

Fly On Angel set the opening tempo, posting fractions of :23.08 and :45.78 while racing narrowly ahead and outside of Ain’t No Elmers.

Turning for home still on the rail just behind the front-runners, Wicked Whisper waited until the 1/8 pole before slipping between them and surging forward.

While every other rival struggled to make up ground, the Steve Asmussen trainee drew off to cross a length the best, completing the 6-furlong fast dirt sprint in 1:10.36.

Ain’t No Elmers held off Sound Machine by 3/4 of a length for second, while the 1/2 favorite Mundaye Call failed to menace after running wide throughout and could only finish fourth.

Princess Cadey, Fly On Angel, and an always-trailing Ankle Monitor completed the order of finish in the race restricted to 3-year-old fillies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq5FnjC0e7o

Wicked Whisper’s win was her first since the Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park last October 6 and improved her overall record to 6-3-1-0 with $463,300 earned. The Liam’s Map filly, purchased for $500,000 as a yearling, was most recently second, beaten just a 1/2-length, in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) behind Fly On Angel.

Wicked Whisper returned $12.60 to win, $5.40 to place, and $4 to show. Ain’t No Elmers brought back $4.80 to place and $4.20 to show, while Sound Machine paid $7.40 to show.