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Preakness field in flux; El Gato Malo to Lone Star Derby The field set to test undefeated Kentucky Derby (G1) winner BIG BROWN (Boundary) continues to change as the connections of some three-year-olds weigh a start in the $1 million Preakness S. (G1) on May 17 at Pimlico.
Big Brown will be joined on that flight by Tres Borrachos, the third-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby (G2) on April 12 at Oaklawn Park. Trainer Beau Greely, who owns Tres Borrachos in partnership with John Greely IV and Phil Houchens, will be in Louisville on Wednesday to supervise a work by the bay gelding. Tres Borrachos galloped a mile and five-eighths at Churchill Downs on Tuesday with Andy Durnin in the saddle. Beau Greely trained Borrego, who ran seventh in the 2004 Preakness behind Smarty Jones. On Wednesday afternoon, Kentucky Bear will be the first Preakness hopeful to arrive at the stakes barn for the Preakness. Trainer Reade Baker confirmed Tuesday that the chestnut colt, who finished a good third in the Blue Grass S. (G1) on April 12 at Keeneland, will leave Lexington, Kentucky, at 6 a.m. (EDT) for the 539-mile drive. Kentucky Bear, who has recently recorded two consecutive bullet workouts in the Bluegrass State, is scheduled to work on Saturday at Old Hilltop, immediately after the renovation break at 8:30 a.m. Baker said Tuesday morning he is still undecided about a jockey, but is leaning toward Jamie Theriot, who rode the colt in the Blue Grass. Todd Pletcher could have two runners in the Preakness for the second consecutive year. The reigning Eclipse Award-winning conditioner will be represented by Behindatthebar, who won the Lexington S. (G2) on April 19 at Keeneland. The bay colt drilled five furlongs in a bullet :59 on Saturday at Keeneland before shipping up to Pletcher's Belmont Park barn where he will train. David Flores, who has been aboard the colt in four of his five previous starts, has the riding assignment. "He came out of the work in good shape," Pletcher said. "We decided to wait for the Preakness because he had run in California 16 days before the Lexington. We just felt like three races in a 30-day period were squeezing his races a little too closely together." Pletcher said a decision on Harlem Rocker, who captured the Withers S. (G3) on April 26 at Aqueduct, will be made after the horse breezes this weekend. The unbeaten Ontario-bred is owned by Stronach Stables, who won the 2000 Preakness with Red Bullet. "I am very pleased with what he has done up to this point," Pletcher said. "We'll just have to see if we feel like he is ready to take as big a step as it would be to go from the Withers to the Preakness." Stevil walked the shedrow at trainer Nick Zito's barn at Churchill Downs, one day after breezing a half-mile in :48 3/5. Heather Stark, assistant to Zito, reported the gray colt came out of the work in good order. Zito plans to work Stevil at Churchill Downs next week before shipping to Pimlico on Tuesday. Giant Moon is scheduled to arrive at Pimlico on Thursday. Trainer Richard Schosberg said Ramon Dominguez, who won a pair of riding titles at Pimlico in 2001, has the call. Giant Moon won his first four starts, including two stakes races with Dominguez aboard. He most recently finished fourth in the Wood Memorial (G1) on April 5 at Aqueduct. The bay colt is scheduled to work five furlongs at Belmont Park on Wednesday. "The horse has matured enough and has enough natural and tactical speed that he would be comfortable making the lead or racing off the pace if he had to," Schosberg said. "He showed speed in the Wood, and had no problems while he was covered up in fifth, and he was able to make a run up and finish strong." Meanwhile in Southern California, trainer Patrick Gallagher said that California Derby winner Yankee Bravo would work either Wednesday or Thursday. After capturing the California Derby on January 27, Yankee Bravo finished third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Alex Solis, who won Preakness in 1986 aboard Snow Chief, has the mount. "He's doing fine. He galloped today," Gallagher said. "He raced in Europe as a two-year-old and one of the owners, Richard Duggan, showed me a video of him. I liked what I saw and that is how we came to own him." Yankee Bravo is slated to arrive in Baltimore next Wednesday. There is no decision regarding Illinois Derby (G2) winner RECAPTURETHEGLORY (Cherokee Run), who finished fifth in the Derby. The bay colt appears to be the only runner other than Big Brown from the 1 1/4-mile classic under consideration for the Preakness. Co-owner Ronnie Lamarque said from New Orleans on Tuesday afternoon that he and trainer and co-owner Louie Roussel III were "still thinking about the Preakness." Lamarque's main concern is the potential size of the field and had Pimlico stakes coordinator Coleman Blind fax him past performances of all the contenders. Lara Van Deren, assistant trainer and exercise rider for Recapturetheglory, said the colt is doing well and would return to the track on Wednesday to jog. Recapturetheglory will remain at Churchill Downs until a decision is made on the colt's next start. The Roussel and Lamarque team captured the Preakness 20 years ago with Risen Star. Terry Finley, founder and President of West Point Thoroughbreds, announced Tuesday that San Rafael S. (G3) winner EL GATO MALO (El Corredor) will not run in the Preakness but instead will go in Saturday's $400,000 Lone Star Derby (G3) at Lone Star Park. "The decision certainly had to do with Big Brown's performance," Finley said. "We are probably going to be 8-5 in Texas and 15-1 at Pimlico. He is a gelding and we are really focused on earnings with this horse so that worked into the decision. If he were a colt and eventually a stallion, we probably would be headed to the Preakness." Finley did say that Derby Trial S. winner MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) is now possible for the Preakness, depending on field size. The gray colt galloped at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. The other option for Macho Again is the $300,000 Ohio Derby (G2) on May 31 at Thistledown. "We'll see how he trains but he seems to have come out of the Derby Trial in fine fashion," Finley said. "It is not out of the question. We'll keep track of the Preakness field." A potential new shooter for the Preakness is Transylvania S. (G3) runner-up RILEY TUCKER (Harlan's Holiday), who finished third to Behindatthebar in the Lexington. The Bill Mott trainee has finished in the money six times from seven starts. Edgar Prado, who was scheduled to ride El Gato Malo, would have the mount on Riley Tucker. The post position draw for the Preakness will be held on May 14 at 5 p.m. at the ESPN Zone in downtown Baltimore. The event will be televised live on ESPN. The Preakness is limited to 14 starters. The 133rd running of the Preakness on May 17 will be televised by NBC. Post time is 6:15 p.m.
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