All bets are off for a Triple Crown in 2022 as the owner of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike has announced he won’t be running the next horse race.
>> Read more trending news
Rick Dawson announced through the Maryland Jockey Club that his horse will “point toward the Belmont in approximately five weeks,” WBAL reported.
Dawson said in a statement that his horse’s appearance at the Preakness was dependent on the Derby. If the horse would have skipped the first race of the triple crown, he would have run in the Maryland race, but since he ran in Kentucky, he’s going to take the 5 or 6-week break the team had already planned, meaning he’ll be on schedule for Belmont.
>>Previous coverage: Longshot Rich Strike wins 2022 Kentucky Derby
Rich Strike had 81-1 odds of winning the Kentucky Derby and wasn’t originally listed among the horses until Ethereal Road pulled out of the race.
Rich Strike’s jockey, Sonny Leon was suspended for four days for careless riding during the third race on April 27 at Thistledown Racecourse, The Associated Press reported.
Ohio racing officials said Leon “deliberately and aggressively” steered another horse, One Glamorous Gal, towards the rail to block other horses from passing him. One Glamourous Gal was disqualified from the third-place win and finished sixth.
The suspension was Leon’s fifth since last fall.
However, if Rich Strike would have run the Preakness, the suspension would not have affected the race, the AP reported.
A spectator takes a selfie with a horse at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
A spectator places a bet before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The red rose garland awarded to the winning horse is displayed in the Churchill Downs plaza before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Fans look out windows onto the paddock area before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Spectators place bets before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A fan walks through the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Josh Cito, of Denver, cheers on his horse in the fifth race of the day at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A spectator pets a horse at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Fans watch the first race of the day at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A race fan walks through the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Fans celebrate after the second race of the day at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A race fan walks through the Churchill Downs plaza before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Roses are carried into the plaza at Churchill Downs before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Fans look over a racing form before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A race fan walks through the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A woman walks to the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A man walks to the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A race fan adjusts her hat before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Fans look out over the paddock before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A woman walks to the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A woman walks to the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A spectator watches from the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Race fans talk before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A race fan walks to the grandstand before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Spectators watch a race from the grandstand at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race is scheduled for later in the day. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Brittany McKewn, of Asheville, NC, wears a hat shaped like a rose before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A woman reads her racing program before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A race fan looks at his program before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A race fan poses in front of a wall of roses before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
A race fan poses in front of a wall of roses before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Two women pose for a picture in front of a mural before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)