Shakis skimmed the hedge to take the Bernard Baruch (Mathea Kelley/Horsephotos.com)

Grade 2 stars SHAKIS (Ire) (Machiavellian) and VALBENNY (Ire) (Val Royal [Fr]) will try to recapture their sparkling form of 2007 when lining up in their respective turf contests at Pimlico on Preakness Day. Shakis rates as the 3-2 morning-line favorite in the $250,000 Dixie S. (G2), while Valbenny boasts the same early odds for the $100,000 Gallorette H. (G3).

Shakis will be stretching back out to 1 1/8 grassy miles for the first time since his course record-setting victory in the Bernard Baruch H. (G2) at Saratoga. The Shadwell Stable colorbearer has only two subsequent starts to his credit, both coming over a mile at Keeneland. A creditable third in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) last fall, the Kiaran McLaughlin charge did not reappear until the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) in April, where he closed ground well to finish sixth to Kip Deville (Kipling). The eight-year-old dark bay figures to appreciate the extra furlong here as he reunites with jockey Alan Garcia.

His most dangerous opponent could be DISTORTED REALITY (Distorted Humor), a solid allowance/optional claiming winner in his 2008 bow for Todd Pletcher. During his sophomore campaign last year, the chestnut ran consistently well without managing to score at the graded level. Distorted Reality landed the Lexington S. at Belmont and placed in such notable events as the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2), the Hill Prince S. (G3), the Saranac S. (G3) and the Bryan Station S. John Velazquez, who was his regular rider for most of last season, will get re-acquainted with the four-year-old.

Valbenny outdueled her rivals in the stretch of the Honeymoon (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com)

In the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette, Valbenny will be making her seasonal reappearance, as well as her first start for trainer Michael Matz. One of the leading lights in California in 2007, the bay filly won the Honeymoon H. (G2) and Senorita S. (G3) and placed second in the American Oaks Invitational S. (G1) and Del Mar Oaks (G1). Last November, Valbenny was sold to Lael Stables of Barbaro fame for $1.2 million at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Appropriately, Barbaro's pilot Edgar Prado picks up the mount on the 121-pound highweight.

Only six distaffers will oppose Valbenny, and two of them are exiting strong efforts in the super-tough Jenny Wiley S. (G2) at Keeneland. The Bill Mott-trained STORMY WEST (Gone West) finished energetically between rivals to garner runner-up honors, beaten a neck by Rutherienne (Pulpit). Pletcher's ROSHANI (Fantastic Light), a Grade 3 victress last summer at Monmouth, secured a narrow lead in the stretch of the Jenny Wiley before being outkicked and relegated to fourth. Kent Desormeaux will stick with Stormy West, and Velazquez will be back aboard Roshani.

Motion will be represented by LADY DIGBY (Grand Slam), who scored a hard-fought victory in the Dahlia S. at Laurel in her latest venture. Two back, she finished a distant second to champion Dreaming of Anna (Rahy) in the Hillsborough H. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

Rounding out the turf stakes on the Preakness S. (G1) undercard is the $100,000 Turf Sprint S. at five furlongs. Defending champion HEROS REWARD (Partner's Hero) has been installed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line as he takes on a boisterous group of 13 challengers. Also noteworthy are HESA BIG STAR (Hesabull) and TRUE TO TRADITION (Rahy), the respective top two from the recent Dream Big S. at Atlantic City, and Saratoga course record holder SILVER TIMBER (Prime Timber), who just missed in the Music Prince S. last time out.