Desormeaux not losing faith in Exaggerator

1:13 PM ET

You might call Keith Desormeaux persistent. He’d probably prefer that you call him a man of faith and conviction.

Exaggerator, trained by Desormeaux, has lost all four times he has run against Nyquist, most recently May 7 in the Kentucky Derby — and yet Desormeaux is highly optimistic that Exaggerator will emerge on top when the 141st Preakness is run Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

“I believe in my horse,” said Desormeaux. “I mean, I’ve got all the respect in the world for Nyquist and his connections and what they’ve accomplished. I really do. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go in there confident that we can turn the tables.”

While Exaggerator was frantically trying to make up lost ground in the Derby — the colt was 17 lengths off the lead with a half-mile to go — Nyquist was on cruise control, opening an insurmountable lead in midstretch to finish 1-1/4 lengths clear of Exaggerator.

Nyquist also was the winner in three prior meetings: in their career debuts last June 5 at Santa Anita, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall at Keeneland, and their 3-year-old debuts in the Feb. 15 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux’s Exaggerator, center, finished second behind Nyquist in the Kentucky Derby. Coady Photography

Desormeaux also trains a colt named Swipe, who finished second to Nyquist in four straight stakes last year: the Best Pal, Del Mar Futurity, FrontRunner, and BC Juvenile.

This time, however, is when Wile E. Coyote finally catches Road Runner.

“I’ll tell you why I believe so,” …

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