Derby Remix: Pneumatic against the world

"I'm at war with the world ‘cause I

Ain't never going to sell my soul

I've already made up my mind

No matter what I can't be bought or sold"

The me-against-the-world attitude that pervades "Awake and Alive" by Skillet also reflects the plans of connections who make unconventional decisions with their 3-year-olds.

The fervor to get a horse to the biggest races can be powerful — especially races where a horse will only ever get one shot — but forgoing a big race can leave room to grow. Though Pneumatic won the final race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, his connections are already pointing to October and the Preakness (G1) instead.

Pneumatic emerged at Oaklawn Park, where he broke his maiden on debut and then stretched out to two turns with authority in an allowance.

It was enough for trainer Steve Asmussen to put him in graded stakes company. He performed admirably. He finished third, behind the proven Maxfield and Ny Traffic, in the Matt Winn (G3), then fourth, behind Tiz the Law, in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Pneumatic got almost two months to rest, then returned in the Pegasus at Monmouth Park. He looked as confident as he had since Oaklawn. After a sweet outside stalking trip, he swept past Arkaan around the far turn, cleared in the lane, and held off a dogged Jesus' Team to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

"I'm awake I'm alive

Now I know what I believe inside

Now it's my time

I'll do what I want ‘cause this is my life"

It's up to every horse's connections to make the right plans. Though the 20 points from the Pegasus were enough to get Pneumatic in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds racing manager David Fiske have stated they want to give him more than three weeks after the Pegasus — bypass the Derby and confront its winner at full power in the Preakness.

As disappointing as bypassing the Derby may feel in the short term, this unconventional plan may mean we see the best of Pneumatic later in the year.

Derby Remix is a weekly series that crosses the lines of culture and Kentucky Derby contenders.

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