Will Hard Spun CHOKE again at 2007 Preakness Stakes?

The last time we saw Hard Spun, he let Street Sense breeze by to win the 2007 Kentucky Derby.

Now, Street Sense is on the verge of a Triple Crown win with a victory at the 2007 Preakness Stakes. As for Hard Spun, the colt is probably contemplating on what might have been. Then again, we all know that the jockeys do the thinking for them anyway.

And speaking of jockeys, the king of the Pimlico Race Course, home of the 2007 Preakness Stakes this Saturday, Mario Pino, will try not to let Street Sense go pass Hard Spun again.

He found out how sweet it was to lead a 20-horse field at the 2007 Kentucky Derby. To lead the first leg of the Triple Crown series only to have it snatched away by Street Sense like that was just unfortunate and Pino, coming to his own yard at Pimlico, will make sure that doesn't happen again. Of course, he knows that those moments doesn't come often, especially in horse racing.

''I don't think I'll ever have that feeling again. I've been around 29 years and never had that thrill,'' said the 49-year-old veteran jockey who ranks 15th all-time with 5899 winning rides.

Mario Pino talked about what he felt when he lead the 2007 Kentucky Derby before Street Sense passed him.

''I'm trying to keep my composure. I'm thinking about all the years when I was little and now I'm turning for home and I'm three in front and I'm still sitting there and I'm trying to keep focused, because I know it's a long way (in the stretch) at Churchill Downs and the roar of the crowd was just something.''

''You know I've heard people tell me that, but you hear it and you feel it. It was a roar just hitting you in the face as you turn for home and I said 'No one's going to beat me.''

''As soon as I said that I saw a lot of horses' heads come into view.''

And yep, one of them was Street Sense.

Can Mario Pino ride Hard Spun to win the 2007 Preakness Stakes? Who will win the second leg of the race for the Triple Crown? Bodog has the odds.

Hard Spun 5/2

Street Sense 5/4

Curlin 7/2

King of the Roxy 15/1

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2007 Preakness Stakes Hard Spun