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.
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.
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
2022 Kentucky Derby in photos 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Brynn Anderson/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Hats at the 2022 Kentucky Derby 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) (Charlie Neibergall/AP)