Preakness profiles: Conquest Mo Money

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Staff Reports

In our Preakness profiles, we look into each of Saturday’s Preakness contenders.

WHO IS CONQUEST MO MONEY?

This speedy, improving Uncle Mo colt won the first three starts of his career before trying graded company. He ran second in both the Grade 3 Sunland Derby and Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, leaving him on the outside looking in when it came to qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. Despite the horse’s fancy bloodlines, trainer Miguel Hernandez scooped him up for just $8,500 out of the Conquest Stables dispersal.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT CONQUEST MO MONEY

“This is the best horse I’ve ever been on,” said Jorge Carreno, a native of Mexico, who is Conquest Mo Money’s jockey and exercise rider. “After he broke the maiden and come back and win the non-two in a stake race – it’s not easy to break your second condition in a stake race. After that, I knew he was a real horse.”

WHY HE COULD WIN

As the competition has gotten better, Conquest Mo Money has gotten better, too, an important attribute as he faces what figures to be the sternest test of his career. He ran a big one in the Arkansas Derby, finishing just a half-length behind Classic Empire, a horse who figures to have plenty of bettors’ respect in this event. And in a race light on early runners, this one has the tactical speed to lead or press from the opening jumps.

WHY HE COULD LOSE

Uncle Mo, this runner’s sire, was more of a miler-middle distance horse than a true router, and this runner has shown hints of that. In his two efforts beyond 1 1/16 miles, he’s lost ground in the later stages — not a promising trend given this race’s 1 3/16 mile distance. And though he’s run credibly in both his graded tries, he hasn’t won either of them — and seven of his nine rivals own a graded triumph.