Gold Square LLC’s NAPOLEON SOLO (Liam’s Map), a Grade 1 winner at two who had come up short in his two races this year, went the distance in Saturday’s 151st Preakness Stakes (G1) on an historic day at Laurel Park. The three-year-old was bred in Kentucky by Canadian John Gunther, who hails from Vancouver. Gunther, who co-bred Napoleon Solo with Eurowest Bloodstock, raced the colt’s dam, Atomic Blonde.
For the first time, the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown was renewed at Laurel Park, not Pimlico Race Course, which is scheduled once again to host the 1 3/16-mile Classic next year when ongoing construction on a new facility is complete.
Napoleon Solo, a bargain yearling purchase for $40,000 who had shown signs of distance limitations while fading to fifth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park and Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct at 1 1/8-miles, was given another chance to prove himself at a distance of ground by trainer Chad Summers, and the grey colt delivered Summers and jockey Paco Lopez their first victories in a Triple Crown event while scoring as the fourth betting choice at 7-1.
An easy winner of his two starts last year, including a 6 ½-length victory in the one-turn mile Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct, Napoleon Solo prevailed in a full field of 14 three-year-olds, the largest to enter the starting gate since Shackleford also defeated 13 rivals in 2011.
Two weeks after Cherie DeVaux became the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby (G1) with Golden Tempo, Laurel-based trainer Brittany Russell saddled the undefeated Taj Mahal, the 9-2 favorite, in a quest to become the first woman trainer to win the Preakness.
Taj Mahal broke alertly from his rail post position under jockey Sheldon Russell, the trainer’s husband, and sprinted to an early lead along the front-stretch before being joined on his outside by Napoleon Solo and Lopez heading into the first turn. Taj Mahal, who ran the first half mile in 46.66 seconds, continued to show the way along the backstretch with Napoleon Solo rating kindly for Lopez, well within striking distance in second.
Taj Mahal continued to lead the way on the far turn as Napoleon Solo turned up the pressure, but was no match for the eventual winner after straightening into the homestretch, where the Summers trainee asserted his class to forge ahead and hold off a late-running Iron Honor, the 9-2 morning-line favorite who rallied from sixth. Taj Mahal, who had won three races at Laurel without defeat, faded to 10th.
Napoleon Solo ran 1 3/16 miles in 1:58.69 for a 96 Beyer Speed, according to Daily Racing Form. Iron Honor and jockey Flavian Prat finished 3 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Chip Honcho, who raced evenly throughout. Ocelli, a seven-race maiden who finished third in the Kentucky Derby at 70-1, closed from 11th to finish fourth. No maiden has won the Preakness since 1888.
Gold Square is owned by Al Gold, who races horses at Woodbine with trainer Kevin Attard.
PEDIGREE STUFF
Gunther’s Glennwood Farm sold Napoleon Solo for $40,000 at the Keeneland September sale in 2024. His sire, LIAM’S MAP, by Unbridled’s Song, has become one of the world’s top sires. From nine crops, Liam’s Map has sired 33 black-type winners, 15 of them graded including Grade 1 winner Burnham Square. The stallion stands at Lane’s End for $50,000.
The Preakness winner’s dam, Atomic Blonde, was bred by Gunther, Nicole Gunther and Eurowest and she is by Scat Daddy from Volver (Ire) by Danehill Dancer (Ire). Atomic Blonde won the South Beach Stakes on the grass at Gulfstream Park and won a total of three races from nine starts. Napoleon Solo is her second foal.
More News
