The horse is the difference and what we do with him in reading him." No one in the race's 149-year history has saddled more horses in the Preakness than Lukas, with 48 since debuting in 1980.

"I don’t think it’ll be a two-horse race. I don’t see it that way. There are other horses who could surprise," said Johnny Avello, director of race and sportsbook operations for DraftKings.

He broke out well enough, but trapped on the rail, boxed in tight, the favored horse faded in the pack just as the race began to burn. The fastest surged forward. Journalism didn’t flinch.