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From the moment Always Dreaming and Classic Empire drew side-by-side post positions for the 142ndPreakness, the hype began for a potential match race between the two most talented 3-year-olds in this years class.

Would it be Always Dreaming, the Kentucky Derby champion, running another brilliant race in a brilliant 2017 campaign?

Or would it be Classic Empire, gaining revenge after a brutal early collision knocked him our of Derby contention?

As it turned out, the answer Saturday at Pimlico Race Course was neither.

Instead, Cloud Computing, who didn't run in the Kentucky Derby, ran the two favorites down on a cool, cloudy evening at Pimlico Race Course. Jockey Javier Castellano led Cloud Computing through traffic and trailed Classic Empire closely until making his move down the stretch with a near-perfect run.

Always Dreaming faded after dueling with Classic Empire from the start. And it looked like the two favorites were going to take the duel to the wire before others overtook the Derby champion.

But it was Cloud Computing edging Classic Empire at the wire. Senior Investment finished third.

With Always Dreaming finishing out of the money in eighth place after two seemingly perfect weeks of preparation, trainer Todd Pletcher is now 0-for-9 in the Preakness, the only Triple Crown race he hasnt won. And for a second straight year, the Belmont Stakes will be run without a Triple Crown on the line.

childs.walker@baltsun.com

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Cloud Computing edges Classic Empire to win 2017 Preakness Stakes - Chicago Tribune