Fresh off winning the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, Crude Velocity emerged as one of the top prospects in the 2026 Preakness Stakes. In fact, the colt closed as the 4-1 favorite in the race’s future wager around a possible Triple Crown run for Bob Baffert. However, despite the high expectation, Baffert decided to withdraw the colt from the May 16 race. Interestingly, the decision came just eight days before the race, and the reasoning appeared similar to the one recently cited by trainer Cherie DeVaux.

According to a post by @agentes305 on X, Bob Baffert was “very tempting” but ultimately felt that “The Preakness is coming too close for Crude Velocity, so he will point the horse towards the Woody Stephens’ and Haskell; so they will pass on this year’s edition of the @PreaknessStakes…”

Well, the timing of the decision becomes clearer when looking at Crude Velocity’s recent effort. On May 2, 2026, he produced a standout performance in the Pat Day Mile, defeating Cherie DeVaux’s rising star Englishman (by Maxfield) by 3 3/4 lengths and with a time of 1:33.87. But that effort left him with only a 14-day gap before the Preakness.

As we know, in modern training standards, most horses are given closer to three to four weeks to fully recover. So, instead of rushing into the Triple Crown’s second leg, Bob Baffert opted for a more spaced campaign.

Crude Velocity targets Woody Stephens (June 6), then Haskell at Monmouth (July 18), which offers a Breeders’ Cup Classic spot. Bob Baffert, who has won the Preakness eight times and the Triple Crown with American Pharaoh and Justify, said he trusts Crude Velocity. “He could probably make the race, but it would be asking a lot for him,” he said, hinting at long-term planning.

And now, as Crude Velocity withdrew, no horses from the Bob Baffert barn will run this year’s Preakness. Stablemates Potente, who finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby, and Cherokee Nation were already ruled out. It also marks a rare absence for Baffert, who has dominated the Preakness over the years but will now go without a starter in the race for the first time since 2022.

But at the same time, the reason behind the withdrawal feels well justified, especially because a very similar approach was already taken by trainer Cherie DeVaux.

Cherie DeVaux’s Golden Tempo ends Triple Crown hopes

Just after Cherie DeVaux made history as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, she saddled 23-1 longshot Golden Tempo to a victory in the 152nd “Run for the Roses”. After that effort, he quickly became one of the early favorites for the Preakness Stakes.

Soon after, it was confirmed that Golden Tempo would not run in the Preakness Stakes, ending any Triple Crown hopes for 2026. Cherie DeVaux explained that the decision was based on the colt’s health and long-term future.

As she said, “Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort. His health, happiness, and long-term future will always remain our top priority.” Now the bid is to go ahead with the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Interestingly, this will mark the eighth straight year without a Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018. Golden Tempo is the third Kentucky Derby winner in the last five years who will not run in the Preakness.

So yes, for now, trainers are obviously trying to focus on the horse’s future rather than just getting the “Triple Crown” story in the short term. It’s for this reason alone that Bob Baffert’s move with Crude Velocity has drawn understanding from within the sport.

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