Exaggerator

After winning his second career start at Del Mar in June 2015, Exaggerator shipped east for the Saratoga Special Stakes and rewarded his connections' confidence with a gutsy victory in the Grade 2 race for 2-year-olds. The Curlin colt slipped through a narrow opening in the stretch and finished powerfully to prevail in his stakes debut.

Exaggerator finished second in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in his final prep for the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

After finishing fourth following a troubled trip in the Juvenile, Exaggerator bounced back with a determined victory in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes on Nov. 21.

Exaggerator opened his 3-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish to unbeaten champion Nyquist in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes. He then finished third as the second betting choice in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes but Exaggerator showed a powerful new dimension in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. Exaggerator rolled into contention with a powerful rally on the turn and streaked past Danzing Candy, favorite Mor Spirit and Uncle Lino on his way to a 6 1/4-length romp.

Exaggerator's runaway win in the $1-million Santa Anita Derby positioned him to be one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 7 at Churchill Downs. While the colt didn't win the race, he ran a game second to champion Nyquist.

After his runner-up finish to Nyquist in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Keith Desormeaux immediately targeted the Preakness Stakes and when the forecast called for steady rain, Exaggerator's chances to gain a measure of revenge on Nyquist improved dramatically. He'd won the Santa Anita Derby and the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes on sloppy or muddy tracks.

Exaggerator got a perfect ride from jockey Kent Desormeaux in the Preakness, saving ground while hugging the rail as Nyquist set a pressured pace on the sloppy main track. Nyquist surged into the stretch with the lead, but Exaggerator swooped past explosively to take command and powered clear to win the Preakness decisively.

In his four starts since the Preakness, Exaggerator has solidified his reputation as a horse that relishes an off track. He struggled to make an impact in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, finishing 11th in both, and never challenged in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, finishing seventh. But in the Grade 1 betfair. com Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park, Exaggerator once again bested Nyquist over a sloppy track, winning by 1 1/4 lengths with a well-timed rally as Nyquist ended up fourth.