Rombauer, an 11-1 longshot, scripted a late charge to conquer the 146th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, meanwhile, tainted by a failed drugs test after the Kentucky Derby victory, Medina Spirit finished third.

Riding on Rombauer’s brilliance, trainer Mike McCarthy secured a victory in his very first entry in one of US flat racing’s Triple Crown races.

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For US-based French jockey Flavien Prat it was a second Triple Crown win — but his first chance to experience the thrill of taking the wire since his 2019 Kentucky Derby victory aboard Country House was inherited when Maximum Security was disqualified for interference.

“It does feel totally different,” Prat said. “What a feeling.”

Meanwhile, Medina Spirit, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by John Velazquez, had been in the spotlight all week but not with the usual anticipation of seeing a Kentucky Derby winner pull off the second leg of the Triple Crown.

The colt tested positive after the Derby victory for betamethasone, which is banned within two weeks of a race.

With the “B” sample yet to confirm the positive result and Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby victory still in the balance, racing authorities green-lighted his Preakness bid.

He went off the 2-1 favourite and broke well from the third post, seizing the lead with 3-1 second choice Midnight Bourbon pressing the pace.

Midnight Bourbon, trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Irad Ortiz, had taken the lead as they headed into the final turn but would settle for second as Rombauer roared past both of them and powered to victory.