BALTIMORE (AP) 鈥 Mark Casse was not a Metallica guy until he began training Sandman. Now he is a big fan.
The band has returned the favor.
Front man James Hetfield met the horse at Churchill Downs before the Kentucky Derby, and he and the rest of Metallica filmed a video for Casse and Co. wishing Sandman well in the Preakness this weekend.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to cheer on the people鈥檚 horse, Sandman, who鈥檚 heading to Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore this Saturday for the , the second leg of the Triple Crown,鈥 Hetfield said. 鈥淢etallica would like to wish Sandman and his awesome team good luck for a safe and winning trip at Preakness 150. Enter Sandman!鈥
Metallica to outfit the entire Casse Racing operation. Casse sent a hat signed by Hetfield to a friend and received in return a pair of Metallica-logoed underwear.
鈥淚 will be wearing them,鈥 Casse said. 鈥淭here鈥檒l be no stone unturned.鈥
Sandman could use luck turning in his favor after . Accustomed to being in the back of the pack, he struggled in the slop as he had more mud kicked back in his face than normal because of the 18 horses ahead of him.
鈥淗e just never got comfortable,鈥 Casse said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e here. We鈥檙e going to throw that one out. Hopefully we get a better track on Saturday, and even if we don鈥檛, we鈥檙e only going to have eight horses throwing mud back at us.鈥
Calm River Thames
Todd Pletcher-trained River Thames was one of the latest-arriving Preakness horses, getting to Baltimore on Wednesday. The strapping colt took to the track at Pimlico for the first time Thursday morning, galloping a mile under exercise rider Nick Merritt.
鈥淛ust trying to keep him happy for the race, essentially,鈥 Merritt said. 鈥淐hill, chill horse. He鈥檚 taking it all in.鈥
Pletcher has won the Derby twice and the Belmont Stakes four times. A Preakness victory is the last thing missing from his Triple Crown resume, and River Thames opened as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line after 8-5 favorite Journalism and Sandman at 4-1.
Baffert and Lukas
The far corner of the stakes barn at Pimlico during Preakness week has seen many Hall of Fame trainers, including good friends Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas chatting, telling stories and, often, giving each other and anyone within earshot a hard time.
They took their buddy comedy on the road for the , roasting and poking some fun at fellow trainers. Lukas said he tried to talk Mike McCarthy out of having Journalism in the No. 40 stall usually reserved for the Kentucky Derby winner.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the kiss of death 鈥 you can鈥檛 put him in there,鈥 Lukas said. 鈥淚 told him to go over and get him into another stall. Bob said: ‘No, no, leave him there. Leave him there.’ Don鈥檛 make him feel comfortable. He鈥檚 already got the favorite.”
Baffert responded: 鈥淭he best horse wins the race, Wayne. It doesn鈥檛 matter what stall he鈥檚 in.鈥
Lukas and Baffert then turned their attention to Casse, who is based in Ocala, Florida, but is the most accomplished trainer at Woodbine Racetrack outside Toronto.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to watch out for this Mark Casse; he鈥檚 won the Sovereign Award as leading trainer in Canada about 35 times or something,鈥 Lukas said.
鈥淲hat happens in Canada stays in Canada,鈥 Baffert quipped. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like Vegas, OK?鈥
Lukas chimed back in: 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 count. Mark, nothing counts in Canada.鈥
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