Stronach finally gets his Preakness win Associated Press BALTIMORE -- Frank Stronach's skip-the-Derby strategy paid off again. Three years ago, Touch Gold skipped the Kentucky Derby, nearly won the Preakness and then spoiled Silver Charm's Triple Crown bid by winning the Belmont Stakes. On Saturday, Red Bullet, who skipped the Derby, went out and beat Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus by 3¾ lengths in the $1 million Preakness Stakes. Once again, there will be no Triple Crown winner, and a colt owned by Stronach is the reason. "Before we beat Silver Charm, I said `Great, whoopee.' It's great to have Triple Crowns. But on the other hand you can't give it to someone on a silver platter. I was happy when Touch Gold won, and at the same time a little sad. "In this industry, we need horse heroes." Racing has been waiting for a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed swept the Derby, Preakness and Belmont in 1978. The 67-year-old Stronach agreed with Orseno to keep the lightly-raced Red Bullet out of the Derby after a loss to Fusaichi Pegasus in the Wood Memorial on April 15. "Horses are not machines and this one got hooked up in a speed duel in his last start (the Wood)," Stronach said. "So we decided to skip the Derby and aim for this race. What went through my mind when he won the race was we made the right decision." Stronach, born in Austria, is one of the most powerful people in racing. He owns Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, Golden Gate Fields and Thistledown, among other tracks, and has vast holdings in racing and breeding. He also operates breeding farms in Ontario, Kentucky and Florida. He bought Santa Anita for $126 million in 1998, and Gulfstream for $95 million in 1999. His principal business is Magna International Inc., which specializes in electronic technology and the manufacture of auto parts. In '99, Stronach won his second Eclipse Award as the nation's top owner and owns such champions as Awesome Again, Wild Rush and Alwuhush. Now, it may be on to the Belmont for Stronach & Co. -- Red Bullet, trainer Joe Orseno and jockey Jerry Bailey. "We'll see how the horse comes out," Stronach said. "It seems like he wasn't breathing hard, but Joe will know for sure in the next few days."

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