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Yankee Bravo preps for Preakness California Derby winner YANKEE BRAVO (Yankee Gentleman) worked seven furlongs in 1:24 1/5 under jockey Alex Solis at Hollywood Park on Thursday. The Paddy Gallagher trainee is one of nine three-year-olds who are confirmed for the $1 million Preakness S. (G1) on May 17 at Pimlico. "He didn't have enough earnings to try and get into the (Kentucky) Derby (G1). It wasn't meant to be so we'll just try it here in the next one," said Gallagher, who worked for Bill Shoemaker during the Hall of Fame rider's training career. After capturing the California Derby, Yankee Bravo finished third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Solis, who won the Preakness in 1986 aboard Snow Chief, has the mount. "The Santa Anita Derby was an exciting race to be in and a little disappointing," Gallagher said. "Alex Solis has great belief. He believes he can get a mile and an eighth and further, so that's why we're going to try the Preakness." Yankee Bravo is slated to arrive in Baltimore on Wednesday. At Churchill Downs, BIG BROWN (Boundary), the undefeated Kentucky Derby winner, jogged a mile under regular exercise rider Michelle Nevin. "It was drizzling and the track was sloppy, so he just jogged today," Nevin said. Heavy overnight rain in the Louisville, Kentucky, area left the track listed as muddy during Thursday morning training hours. Big Brown completed his activity well before heavier rain hit during the final hour of training. "Everything's good here," trainer Rick Dutrow said. The Preakness will be a homecoming for Dutrow, the son of legendary trainer Dick Dutrow, who was born in Maryland, and jockey Kent Desormeaux, who won the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice rider while based at Pimlico and Laurel Park in the late 1980s. "Every time Preakness would roll around Dad would win a race on Preakness Day," Dutrow said during an NTRA conference call on Thursday. "Naturally I would love to win a race like that. It's where I grew up. Most of the traits of the game are right there at Pimlico, Bowie, Laurel. I'm going to see a lot of my friends. I can't wait to get there." Big Brown, who has won his four career starts by a combined 33 3/4 lengths, will catch a flight to Baltimore on Wednesday. He is scheduled to land at Baltimore-Washington International airport at 5:45 p.m. (EDT). TRES BORRACHOS (Ecton Park) and RACECAR RHAPSODY (Tale of the Cat) will be on the same flight with Big Brown. Tres Borrachos walked the shedrow at Barn 41 at Churchill Downs on Thursday, one day after working five furlongs in :59 3/5. Trainer Beau Greely opted to keep the bay gelding at Churchill Downs and shoot for the Preakness rather than running in Saturday's $400,000 Lone Star Derby (G3). "We try to win big races," Greely said. "(The Preakness) is a million dollar race and it's not every day that you get a chance to try it." Tyler Baze, who never has had a Preakness mount, has the call on Tres Borrachos, who exits a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G2). Trainer Kenny McPeek sent Racecar Rhapsody out for a 1 1/2-mile gallop at Churchill Downs on Thursday. Racecar Rhapsody most recently finished fourth in the Lexington S. (G2) on April 19 at Keeneland, a performance that did not secure him enough graded stakes earnings to make the Kentucky Derby field. "The horse is doing well and the extra distance is an interesting factor," said McPeek, who has had two previous Preakness starters (Harlan's Holiday in 2002 and Tejano Run in 1995). Racecar Rhapsody is scheduled to work five furlongs under the Twin Spires on Saturday. Robby Albarado has the mount in the Preakness.
Illinois Derby (G2) winner RECAPTURETHEGLORY (Cherokee Run) jogged a mile and galloped a mile on a muddy track at Churchill Downs on Thursday. Lara Van Deren, assistant to trainer Louie Roussel III, was aboard Recapturetheglory, who finished fifth in last Saturday's Kentucky Derby. "He is leaving here Saturday night for Pimlico," Van Deren said. "He will train here the next two mornings." E.T. Baird, who never has ridden in the Preakness, retains the mount on Recapturetheglory. STEVIL (Maria's Mon), who finished fourth in the Blue Grass in his most recent start, galloped 1 1/2 miles under Dylan Armstrong at Churchill Downs on Thursday. Trainer Nick Zito plans to work Stevil under the Twin Spires on Monday and ship to Pimlico on Tuesday or Wednesday. John Velazquez has the Preakness mount on Stevil.
The 133rd running of the Preakness will be televised by NBC. Post time is 6:15 p.m. In other Preakness news: The Maryland Jockey Club announced Thursday that Maggie Wolfendale, a student at Towson University, is the 2008 Miss Preakness. The 21-year-old biology major will represent Pimlico at all of the Preakness Celebration activities, including the Preakness Parade and the post position draw for entries at the ESPN Zone. An aspiring reporter, Wolfendale, the daughter of top Maryland conditioner Howard Wolfendale, will be covering this year's Preakness for Towson University's television station.
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