Hopes for Great White Heard at Alibi Breakfast

Following the tradition of the event's long history of recalling the reasons, bad luck, or excuses that cost their Kentucky Derby (G1) entrant victory, trainer John Ennis at this year's Preakness Alibi Breakfast May 14 at Laurel Park, told the sad tale of Great White. Of course this story was a little different than past tales of slow starts, bumping, and wide trips as Great White never even got his chance to mix it up because he was scratched just before the race because of an incident behind the gate when he reared and flipped. In a made-up award that no one wanted, Ennis relayed the year's best sad story while expressing hope that things may be different May 16. Ennis recalled the scary moment that resulted in his hulking gray/roan horse being scratched moments before the Derby. Fortunately, he avoided any serious injury and has proven healthy enough to prepare for another classic try Saturday. That second chance is resonating with racing and sports fans throughout the country who have identified with coming so close to pursuing a dream only to have the opportunity removed at the last second. "I don't think the incident took anything out of him," Ennis said of the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes winner. "I've rode him myself since, and he has plenty of energy and looks good. It's like he was never at Churchill Downs. It took nothing out of him. And his energy since the mishap has been fantastic." As the Preakness moves about 30 miles to Laurel for a planned one-year stop while traditional home Pimlico Race Course is rebuilt, Saturday's crowd will be limited to about 5,000 people. While the on-track numbers will be down this year, the energy level was high Thursday morning as hundreds joined in the fun of the Alibi Breakfast on the third floor of a refurbished Laurel clubhouse. Nine of the 14 trainers with Preakness horses attended. While Chad Summers (Napoleon Solo) and Danny Gargan (Talkin) had to leave early, the other seven each offered a few comments from the podium about their Preakness horse. Jeremiah Englehart, trainer of Team Penney Racing, Echo Racing, Flower City Racing, Anthony Bruno, and Christopher Meyer's Pretty Boy Miah—a horse name referencing the trainer's nickname—followed in the tradition of Bob Baffert and the late D. Wayne Lukas by throwing some tall tales and good-natured shade. "Shirl Penney named this horse Pretty Boy Miah after my good looks," Englehart said, adding that he's always been a pretty boy. "Absolutely. Myself. Brad Pitt, Jason Momoa, guys like that. It's a tough thing; being the best-looking guy in the room. "When I'm around (trainer) Whit Beckman, (bloodstock agents) Kyle Zorn, Chris Valente, and Chris Gracie, it's pretty easy to stick out." Trainer Dallas Stewart, who will send out longshot Corona de Oro, brought those direct ties to the late Lukas as one of his former assistants. Stewart summed up the good feelings of being able to send a horse out in a classic. "I mean, it's a great race. It's a marquee race. It's one of the races we dream about all year long," Stewart said. "I'm very glad to be here. I've been second twice. I'd love to win. I think maybe we have a chance on Saturday." Stewart added that he'd love to see John Velazquez, the Racing Hall of Fame rider on Corona de Oro, be the final interview for Donna Brothers, who is retiring from NBC where for years she has conducted postrace interviews of winning jockeys while on horseback. "That would be great," Stewart said. "I'm very proud of Donna. She's done a great job for the industry. I've known her a long time." Other trainers to take to the podium included Brittany Russell (Taj Mahal), Beckman (Ocelli), Donnie Von Hemel (Crupper), and Todd Fincher (The Hell We Did). Those in attendance saw a facility that most assuredly has a number of comfortable seating options and attractive areas to serve up food and drink. They also saw an apron without much room, a feature that developed after Laurel widened its turf course several years ago. That figures to take away from the typical, wild Preakness scene, but the facility appears well prepared to cater to the limited, sold-out crowd. Honorees at Thursday's breakfast included a dead-heat Special Award of Merit for positive impact on racing going to both Maryland Horse Breeders Association executive director Cricket Goodall and 1/ST Racing chief veterinary officer Dr. Dionne Benson. The Old Hilltop Award honoring select members of the sports media who have covered Thoroughbred racing with excellence and distinction went to Childs Walker of the Baltimore Banner, while Charles Toler of Eclipse Sportswire received the Preakness Photography Award for 2025 for a shot of a bumping incident involving eventual Preakness winner Journalism. The David F. Woods Memorial Award recognizing the best Preakness story of 2025 went to Bob Ehalt's race recap for BloodHorse. It's the third time Ehalt has received this honor.