Clever Again’s Road to the 2025 Preakness Stakes: Race Progression and Key Wins
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Race Progression Analysis for Clever Again
We analyze Clever Again’s race progression towards the 2025 Preakness Stakes, drawing on his free past performances (PPs) sourced from Equibase and comparing him to other contenders.
Race Progression Breakdown
Clever Again, trained by Steven M. Asmussen, has a record of 2-1-0 in 3 starts, with a prime power rating of 98 (3rd among Preakness contenders). He enters the Preakness as a 5-1 contender from post 8, riding an undefeated 2025 campaign with a Hot Springs Stakes win. Race data is derived from free Equibase PPs, ensuring factual accuracy without reproducing proprietary elements.
Debut (April 21, 2024)
Clever Again debuted on April 21, 2024, at Keeneland in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight on a fast dirt track, finishing 2nd in :53.46 with an 86 speed figure. In an 8-horse field, he dueled two-wide, battled long, and was outfinished by Dreamaway, ahead of Mo Hair Sam. His sprint debut aligns with Pay Billy’s maiden win (1:12.87, 88) and Goal Oriented’s debut (1:10.07, 98), showing early speed but inexperience compared to River Thames’s winning debut (1:10.87, 96).
Maiden Win (February 23, 2025)
On February 23, 2025, Clever Again raced at Oaklawn Park in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on a fast dirt track, winning by 1 ½ lengths in 1:43.47 with a 100 speed figure. In a 10-horse field, he set a relaxed pace, stayed clear, and beat Shepherd and Just Classic. His time is faster than Pay Billy’s Private Terms Stakes (1:44.98, 93) and American Promise’s maiden (1:44.67, 102), and his speed figure surpasses Gosger’s maiden win (1:37.88, 94), marking his transition to middle distances.
Hot Springs Stakes (March 30, 2025)
Clever Again’s final prep was the Hot Springs Stakes on March 30, 2025, at Oaklawn Park over 1 mile on a fast dirt track, winning by ¾ length in 1:37.16 with a 108 speed figure. In a 6-horse field, he set the pace two-wide, responded sharply, and held off Gaming and Perfect Force. His time is faster than Heart of Honor’s UAE 2000 Guineas second (1:37.07, 101) and Journalism’s maiden win (1:36.08, 105), and his speed figure matches Journalism’s Santa Anita Derby (108), positioning him as a serious Preakness contender.
Analysis of Progression
Clever Again’s progression is brief but stellar, with a 2-1-0 record in 3 starts, showing rapid improvement. His debut ( :53.46, 86 speed figure) established his sprint speed, while his maiden win (1:43.47, 100) confirmed his ability to stretch out. His Hot Springs Stakes win (1:37.16, 108) is his peak, matching Journalism’s San Felipe (1:42.08, 110) and Heart of Honor’s UAE Derby (1:59.61, 109), and surpassing River Thames (103) and Pay Billy (93). His front-running style, seen in his maiden and stakes wins, aligns with Goal Oriented and Pay Billy, contrasting with Journalism, Heart of Honor, and River Thames’s closing approaches.
His pedigree, with American Pharoah (2015 Triple Crown winner) and Galileo (sire of Frankel), supports stamina for 1 3/16 miles, as does his 1 1/16-mile maiden win. His 3 starts give him less experience than Sandman (9) or Pay Billy (8) but equal or more than Goal Oriented (2) and Gosger (3). He’s untested on wet tracks, unlike Journalism and American Promise, which could be a concern if Pimlico turns sloppy.
Comparison to Other Contenders
Clever Again’s front-running style aligns with Goal Oriented and Pay Billy (Goal Oriented’s allowance, 1:42.79, 104; Pay Billy’s Federico Tesio, 1:52.57, 93), who also lead early. His 2-for-3 record is less seasoned than Pay Billy’s 4-for-8 but matches Goal Oriented’s undefeated mark, with a higher speed figure (108 vs. 104). Journalism, Heart of Honor, and River Thames, as closers (Journalism’s Derby second, 2:02.16, 101; Heart of Honor’s UAE Derby, 1:59.61, 109; River Thames’s Blue Grass, 1:51.11, 103), could benefit from Clever Again’s early speed, similar to Sovereignty’s Derby rally. Sandman’s Arkansas Derby win (1:50.07, 104) is comparable, but his Derby fade (86) contrasts with Clever Again’s upward trajectory. American Promise’s Virginia Derby win (1:46.67, 101) is strong, but his Derby 16th (52) is weaker. Gosger’s Lexington win (1:44.67, 96) trails Clever Again’s 108 speed figure. Clever Again’s 108 speed figure is among the highest, behind only Journalism (110) and Heart of Honor (109).
Looking Ahead to the Preakness Stakes
Clever Again enters the 2025 Preakness Stakes as a 5-1 contender from post 8, a challenging draw for his front-running style but manageable with his gate speed. His pedigree, with American Pharoah (2015 Preakness, 1:58.46) and Galileo (sire of Cape Blanco, 2011 Arlington Million), suggests he can handle 1 3/16 miles, supported by his 1 1/16-mile maiden win (1:43.47). His lack of wet-track experience is a concern, unlike Journalism and American Promise, who handled sloppy conditions in the Derby. His recent workout (4 furlongs in :50.40 at Churchill Downs on May 12, 2025) indicates maintenance, though slower than Goal Oriented’s :47.60.
The 8-horse Preakness field is smaller than his maiden win (10 horses), easing navigation compared to Sandman or American Promise’s Derby struggles (19 horses). His early speed could challenge Goal Oriented and Pay Billy, potentially setting up closers like Journalism, Heart of Honor, or River Thames, as seen in our Preakness Stakes analysis. His 5-1 odds position him as a strong contender, behind Journalism (8-5) and Sandman (4-1) but ahead of Goal Oriented (6-1). Pairing him with closers like Journalism or Heart of Honor (12-1) in exotic bets offers value, and his Hot Springs Stakes win makes him a viable win bet.
