By Margaret Ransom
Keepmeinmind was a solid juvenile, having won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs last Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs as a maiden, which came after a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and a third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
Keepmeinmind – Photo Courtesy of Oaklawn Park
He hasn’t really been able to turn that form into a productive 2021 and is winless in three graded stakes, though his seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) was better than it looked thanks to a troubled trip.
He was bred in Kentucky by Laoban’s owner/breeder Southern Equine Stables and was purchased privately by his current connections. Keepmeinmind is a large horse with no early speed, which is why he does his best running late. The Preakness will be his fourth track in his eighth career start.
He vanned to Pimlico on Tuesday for three full days of training over the Maryland oval’s main track.
Betting The Preakness: Keepmeinmind
Post position: 2
Odds: 15-1
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
Jockey: David Cohen
Owners: Cyprus Creek Equine (Kevin Moody), Arnold Bennewith & Spendthrift Farm
Career record: 7-1-2-1
Career earnings: $424,987
Best Equibase speed figure: 99
Pedigree: Laoban-Inclination, by Victory Gallop
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notes: Keepmeinmind was named after a song by the Zac Brown Band … Diodoro, a 46-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has more than 2,670 victories since 1995, including nine in graded stakes … Keepmeinmind was his first Kentucky Derby runner and will be his first Preakness starter … jokey David Cohen will also ride in the Preakness for the first time after riding in his first Derby aboard Keepmeinmind … Spendthrift Farm as an owner was represented by Horse of the Year and runner-up Authentic a year ago, though Moody and Bennewith will have their first Preakness starters this year … Laoban raced nine times with a single win coming in the 2016 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga … Dam Inclination never raced.
Preakness Stakes 2021 Entries
| 1 | Ram | 30-1 | D. Wayne Lukas | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| 2 | Keepmeinmind | 15-1 | Robertno Diodoro | David Cohen |
| 3 | Medina Spirit | 9-5 | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez |
| 4 | Crowded Trade | 10-1 | Chad Brown | Javier Castellano |
| 5 | Midnight Bourbon | 5-1 | Steve Asmussen | Irad Ortiz |
| 6 | Rombauer | 12-1 | Michael McCarthy | Flavien Prat |
| 7 | France Go De Ina | 20-1 | Hideyuki Mori | Joel Rosario |
| 8 | Unbridled Honor | 15-1 | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez |
| 9 | Risk Taking | 15-1 | Chad Brown | Jose Ortiz |
| 10 | Concert Tour | 5-2 | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith |
