Hemingway’s Key was a major bust this season until he rallied for third in the Preakness.

Zito admitted the colt, owned by George Steinbrenner, was a puzzle he could not solve. Zito suggested the horse might be gelded if he didn’t perform better.

Hemingway’s Key, a 29-1 shot, fended off that drastic action with a strong run through the lane for his first in-the-money finish in five races this season.

“I’m very happy because the horse has a high energy threshold,” Zito said.

Now Zito is considering running Hemingway’s Key in the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

“You think maybe the Belmont because it’s a mile-and-a-half,” Zito said.

Jeremy Rose, who won last year’s Preakness aboard Afleet Alex after avoiding a near-disastrous collision at the top of the stretch, rode Hemingway’s Key for the first time in the Preakness.

“My horse ran a great race,” Rose said. “It set up all right for him.”

A sweet second
Sweetnorthernsaint rebounded from a disappointing seventh in the Kentucky Derby to run second in the Preakness, He was 5¼ lengths behind Bernardini but six lengths clear of third-place finisher Hemingway’s Key.

FREE VIDEO Barbaro breaks leg at Preakness May 20: Kentucky Derby winner injures hind leg shortly after start of race.

The Illinois Derby winner was second most of the race behind the pacesetting Like Now and moved past that rival turning for home. He could not stay with Bernardini when the winner charged past, but Sweetnorthernsaint was clearly the best of the rest.

“Our performance was great,” said trainer Michael Trombetta. “Obviously he got a great trip.”

Sweetnorthernsaint suffered a hoof injury that Trombetta called “a little thing that we’ll have to patch up.”

Back to California
Brother Derek has had enough of the Triple Crown following a fourth-place finishes in the Derby and Preakness.

Trainer Dan Hendricks said it was time for the Santa Anita Derby winner to regroup in California.

FREE VIDEO Bernardini wins Preakness Stakes May 20: Barbaro breaks down shortly after beginning of race, and Bernardini later cruises to victory in the second race of horse racing's Triple Crown.

“I can’t really feel bad about what happened to my horse after seeing what happened to the other horse,” he said.

Brother Derek almost collided with the stricken Barbaro.

“We planned to follow Barbaro,” jockey Alex Solis said. “I luckily swung out and went around him when his unfortunate accident happened.”