2025 Preakness Stakes Horse Profile: Clever Again

Among the several “new-shooters” for the 2025 Preakness Stakes is Clever Again, a rapidly improving, under-the-radar longshot.

In the latest installment of my Respected Money Preakness Stakes (G1) horse betting profiles we will dive into a colt who Hall of Fame trainer Steven Asmussen believes is “capable” of pulling off the upset.

“I think it’s just talent,” Asmussen said. “You’re physically capable or you’re not, and he’s physically capable. Jose [Ortiz] commented on how manageable he is. He’s got a great mind. He’s very athletic. He’s shown a lot of speed, but he doesn’t act like he’s in a hurry — he’s just capable.”

Clever Again enters the prestigious race off an impressive victory in the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park back on March 30.

Clever Again goes gate-to-wire in the Hot Springs S. at Oaklawn Park under @jose93_ortiz for trainer Steve Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds! 🏆

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/SlpPhcCWyN
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 30, 2025

Clever Again

POST NUMBER: TBD

JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz / TRAINER: Steven Asmussen

RECORD: 3 starts: 2-1-0

TOP EQUIBASE SPEED FIGURE: 108

RUNNING STYLE: Pacesetter

CAREER EARNINGS: $198,400

This son of American Pharoah and Flattering heads into the “Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown” as a lightly-raced sleeper who has vastly improved his Equibase Speed figures in each of his three starts (86-100-108).

Clever Again Breeding

Sire: The connections of Clever Again are hoping that sire American Pharoah, the 2015 Triple Crown champion, has passed on his speed and appreciation for longer distances. It is important to highlight that despite his dominance on dirt surfaces, thus far offspring of American Pharoah have primarily found success on turf.

Dam: Flattering was a versatile daughter of 2001 European Champion Three-Year-Old Galileo. The champion colt was best known for winning the 2001 Epsom Derby (Gr. 1), the 2001 Irish Derby(G1), and the 2001 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Gr. 1).

Clever Again Jockey / Owner Derby Achievements

Jockey Jose Ortiz, who won the Preakness aboard Early Voting in 2022, will be in search of his second trip to the winner’s circle in his sixth mount in the renowned race.

Trainer Steve Asmussen is seeking a third Preakness victory joining Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Since 2018, Asmussen has earned three in-the-money finishes with: Midnight Bourbon, (2nd, 2021), Epicenter (2nd, 2022), and Tenfold (3rd, 2018).

Clever Again Race History

Clever Again has a career record of two wins, one second-place finish in three career starts. After coming up a ‘head-short’ of winning at four and a half furlongs in his debut as two-year-old at Keeneland, the colt has taken a major step forward in both of his starts as a three-year-old.

The emerging talent earned his first taste of victory in February with a gate-to-wire 3 and ¼ length win in a 1 1/16-mile Maiden Special Weight at Oaklawn Park in his time stretching out.

Asmussen’s rapidly improving Preakness hopeful once again showcased his front-running tactical speed winning the Hot Springs Stakes by four lengths on March 30 at Oaklawn Park, earning a career-best Equibase Speed figure of 108.

Clever Again Preakness Stakes Outlook

Clever Again enters the Preakness on a two-race winning streak as a “live” underdog to hit the board. Clever Again has been training extremely well, most recently firing off five-furlongs in 1:01.60 on May 6 at Churchill Downs. After closing at odds of 15-1 in the Preakness Future Pool, bettors will likely not find double-digit odds on him on May 17 following the recent deflections of Sovereignty, Baeza and Sandman.

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