Prairie BayouPrairie Bayou, a poster boy for New York winter racing, came to Kentucky for the March 27 Jim Beam Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park.Prairie Bayou had spent the first part of his 3-year-old season racing over Aqueduct's inner track. He started out with a runner-up effort in the Pappa Riccio Stakes, then made a name for himself by winning the Count Fleet and Whirlaway Breeders' Cup Stakes, both by three lengths.
Prairie Bayou went off the 6-5 favorite in the Jim Beam in his first graded stakes appearance. On a speed-favoring track, he passed horses around the far turn and won by three-quarters of length. No longer just an "Aqueduct inner-track horse," Prairie Bayou added Triple Crown Poll leader to his resume after winning the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland in his final Kentucky Derby (gr. I) prep.Favored at nearly 9-2 in a wide open Derby, Prairie Bayou lagged behind the leaders in the early going, but had too much to do in the stretch and finished second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Sea Hero. Prairie Bayou then won the Preakness (gr. I), with Sea Hero fifth. Tragedy struck in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) as Prairie Bayou broke down and had to be euthanized.
