Great White, carrying Brazil’s flag behind his Preakness dream

The gray colt from Three Chimneys Farm, trained by Gonçalo Torrealba, will attempt to become the eighth gelding to capture the second jewel of the American Triple Crown

LAUREL, Maryland (Special to Turf Diario).- Great White, racing for the colors of Three Chimneys Farm and trained by John Ennis, will attempt this Saturday to become only the eighth gelding ever to capture the Preakness Stakes (G1), the second jewel of the Triple Crown, which this year carries a purse of US$2 million at Laurel Park.

The last gelding to accomplish the feat was the unforgettable Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) in 2003, after winning the Kentucky Derby (G1). He joined a highly exclusive list that also includes Prairie Bayou (Little Missouri, 1993), Holiday (Broomstick, 1914), Buskin (Hamburg, 1913), Layminster (Matchless, 1910), Don Enrique (Hastings, 1907), and Shirley (Lexington, 1878). Geldings, it should be remembered, were barred from the race between 1920 and 1934.

The decision to geld Great White before his debut had nothing to do with temperament but rather with his imposing physical build.

“Great White was simply becoming too heavy,” Ennis explained from Kentucky. “If we had kept him intact, he would’ve become too thick through the neck, and it’s hard to keep horses like that sound carrying so much weight. It was the right thing to do to keep him athletic and manageable.”

The gray arrived at Laurel Park early Wednesday morning and is scheduled to complete his final preparations Thursday under the guidance of FanDuel TV analyst Andie Biancone.

While winning a major classic often leads to regrets over losing a future stallion prospect, the team at Three Chimneys has no second thoughts. The operation owns both his sire, Volatile, and his dam, Kelly Bag (Uncle Mo), meaning a Preakness victory would dramatically enhance the value of both.

Volatile, winner of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes (G1), has already shown significant promise at stud through runners such as Japanese star T O Elvis, a Grade 1 winner during Kentucky Derby week. Meanwhile, Great White’s female family carries deep South American roots, as his granddam is Birkin Bag, a Grade 1 winner in Brazil.

Bred by Stud TNT of Gonçalo Borges Torrealba, the gray colt went through a digital auction in December of 2024 but failed to meet his reserve after bidding stalled at US$55,000. That was when Ennis—already captivated by the colt’s physique—worked out a deal with Three Chimneys to acquire a 50 percent ownership interest.

“Ennis saw the frame and the raw power the horse still needed to grow into,” explained Doug Cauthen, vice president of Three Chimneys. “It was a gamble because horses that big are either very good or not good at all. Fortunately for us, he’s very good.”

Winner of two of his four starts, including the Leonatus Stakes (L) over the synthetic surface at Turfway Park, Great White heads into the Preakness off a fifth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), his first career attempt on dirt.

That afternoon, the colt was forced into setting the pace, something his connections hope to avoid Saturday.

“We know he needs to improve and have a target in front of him,” Cauthen noted.

The team endured an emotional roller coaster during Kentucky Derby week. After drawing into the field from the also-eligible list, Great White was scratched at the last moment following an incident behind the gate in which the colt flipped over.

“The most important thing is safety. The horse was fine, but it was the right decision,” the owner said. “Maybe it was meant to happen that way so he could arrive fresh for the Preakness.”

Listed at 15-1 on the morning line in a field of 14, Great White will attempt to spring the upset and return geldings to the winner’s circle in Triple Crown racing.