BALTIMORE – Prior to the Kentucky Derby, John Velazquez walked from the Churchill Downs jockeys’ room to the paddock alongside Javier Castellano. The two veteran riders and longtime friends had just watched part of the NBC broadcast where a graphic detailing Castellano’s 0-for-15 record in the Derby was shown. “They were rubbing it in that he had not won it,” Velazquez, himself a three-time Derby winner said. “I said, ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s going to come, it’s going to come.’ ” It came indeed. Castellano got off the Derby duck by guiding 15-1 shot Mage to a one-length victory over Two Phil’s in the 149th Run for the Roses. “We didn’t have to wait long,” Velazquez said. “Less than 20 minutes later, he won the Derby. It was pretty cool that it happened. Very, very happy for him, especially being pretty good friends for a long time.” Entering Saturday’s 148th Preakness Stakes, the roles are reversed. Whereas Castellano is a two-time Preakness winner, Velazquez, who has won 6,503 races, is winless with 12 mounts in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Since 1909, according to the Preakness media guide, only Edgar Prado (14) has had more mounts without a Preakness win. “I’m trying. Like I said to Javier, I’m not going to worry about it, but hopefully it comes,” Velazquez said. :: Get ready to bet the Preakness! Join DRF Bets and score a $250 Deposit Match + $10 Free Bet + Free PPs - Promo code: WINNING Velazquez, who rides National Treasure in the Preakness, has finished second in the race three times. In the COVID-delayed Preakness of 2020, Velazquez was aboard Authentic, who had won the Kentucky Derby four weeks earlier at Churchill Downs. Authentic, after a prolonged stretch drive with the filly Swiss Skydiver, fell a neck short. Following the Preakness, Authentic won the Breeders’ Cup Classic. “As good as he was, he jumped every shadow that was on the track,” Velazquez recalled of the Preakness. “He was jumping the shadows from the tire tracks, the shadows from the poles. I tried to put him in the middle of the track where he didn’t see the shadows. “He never got into a good rhythm and the filly got to the lead at the half-mile pole and I thought if he had someone to follow maybe he’ll pay attention,” Velazquez said. “He never did. He ran a great race, not his best.” Velazquez also had runner-up finishes aboard 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and two years later aboard Itsmyluckyday. In 2019, Velazquez was aboard Bodexpress, who reared up badly at the gate when it opened and unseated Velazquez. Bodexpress completed the course riderless while Velazquez got right back up with only a bruised ego. Prior to the Preakness, Bodexpress had developed a reputation as a bad gate horse. In the Preakness, however, Velazquez said Bodexpress was behaving. Velazquez said the assistant starter had the horse pinned toward one side of the gate. He also had ahold of his mouth when the gates opened. “The horse jumped so high and when the horse jumped he was still in his mouth and he jumped even higher just the way he had him so tight in there,” Velazquez said. “It wasn’t the horse’s fault at all.” Coincidentally, Bodexpress was trained by Gustavo Delgado, who on Saturday sends out Kentucky Derby winner Mage. :: DRF's Preakness Headquarters: Contenders, latest news, and more Thus, Velazquez will try to end the Triple Crown dreams of Castellano, Delgado, and Mage with National Treasure, trained by seven-time Preakness winner Bob Baffert. Last summer, Velazquez won on National Treasure first time out sprinting at Del Mar. He was also aboard for third-place finishes in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Sham Stakes and a fourth-place finish in the Satna Anita Derby. “From Day One he showed he’s a very talented horse but he gets distracted very easily,” Velazquez said. “He’s going forward, then he forgets that he’s running. You try to put him in the race, he runs, then he stops running. He’s one of those horses that has a lot of talent but doesn’t put it together the way you want him to.” During the winter, National Treasure was transferred from Baffert to trainer Tim Yakteen so he would be eligible to earn Derby qualifying points, National Treasure suffered a bruised foot that forced him to scratch from the San Felipe on March 4. He may have been a short horse when he ran fourth in the Santa Anita Derby. “He was a little bit flat that day,” Velazquez said. “If he comes the way it seems like he’s training, hopefully he can put it together.” After consultation with Velazquez, Baffert is putting blinkers back on National Treasure for a third time in his career. “When Bob asked me after the last race [about blinkers], maybe we should, start getting his mind together,” Velazquez said. “He’s definitely a talented horse he just needs to put it together.” Perform avoids loose horse Wednesday was a pretty routine morning for Preakness contenders who put in gallops over the main track. The lone exception may have been Perform, who had a loose horse from another barn whiz by him and exercise rider Noemie Pauquete shortly after he stepped onto the track following the mid-morning renovation break. It didn’t really impact his training as Perform backed up to the three-quarter pole, then went on an easy gallop once around the main track. “He handled it as well as you could ask a horse to handle it,” said Anthony Hamilton, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey. “Noemie did a great job with him and we just went on like it didn’t happen.” :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play with FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic.  Perform and Red Route One, the latter who just jogged, had their first day over the track. Chase the Chaos arrived from Northern California late Tuesday night and simply walked Wednesday. Mage, the Kentucky Derby winner, Blazing Sevens, First Mission, and National Treasure all had routine gallops. Mage did rear up a little bit coming off the track. “He was showing off a little bit, feeling good,” Gustavo Delgado Jr. said back at the barn. Coffeewithchris was due to arrive at Pimlico by noon after training at Laurel Park on Wednesday morning. John Velazquez Preakness record 2022, Simplification, 6th 2021, Medina Spirit, 3rd 2020, Authentic, 2nd 2019, Bodexpress, DNF 2017, Always Dreaming, 8th 2016, Stradivari, 4th 2013, Itsmyluckyday, 2nd 2012, Went the Day Well, 10th 2011, Animal Kingdom, 2nd 2009, Big Drama, 5th 2008, Stevil, 5th 2007, Circular Quay, 5th :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.