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Diabolical confirmed for Preakness

Trainer Steve Klesaris confirmed Monday that DIABOLICAL (Artax) will be entered for Saturday's $1 million Preakness S. (G1). The chestnut colt walked the shedrow under tack Monday, one day after breezing four furlongs in :48 3/5 at Fair Hill Training Center.

"He came out of the work in good shape," Klesaris said. "We're going ahead and enter him."

Diabolical captured a one-mile, first-level allowance race by 8 1/4 lengths on April 25 at Delaware Park. In his previous start, he finished a close second to Exclusive Quality (Elusive Quality) in the Spectacular Bid S. at Gulfstream Park.

As a two-year-old, Diabolical finished a distant second to Kentucky Derby (G1) hero BARBARO (Dynaformer) in the Laurel Futurity after running third to Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat) in the Nashua S. (G3).

"Obviously, Barbaro's a tremendous horse, but I think some of the other colts might be vulnerable," Klesaris said.

Ramon Dominguez, who was aboard Kentucky Derby runner-up Bluegrass Cat, has the call.

Meanwhile, undefeated classic winner Barbaro galloped 1 1/2 miles at Fair Hill Training Center on Monday under assistant trainer Peter Brette.

Brother Derek will arrive at Pimlico on Wednesday  (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner BROTHER DEREK (Benchmark) galloped one mile at Churchill Downs for the first time since finishing a dead-heat fourth in the Run for the Roses. The Dan Hendricks-trained colt jogged with a pony on Sunday and is scheduled to fly from Louisville to Baltimore on Wednesday. Illinois Derby (G2) winner SWEETNORTHERNSAINT (Sweetsouthernsaint), who finished seventh as the favorite in the Derby, will likely remain at Laurel Park before vanning to Pimlico on Preakness Day. "He's comfortable there; we're comfortable there," trainer Michael Trombetta said. "I've got all the confidence in the world in my horse. Any horse can be beat, but it's going to be hard work to beat that horse (Barbaro)." Sweetnorthernsaint will be the first Preakness starter for Trombetta, who is a Baltimore native. Trainer Tom Albertrani said Withers S. (G3) winner BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) is slated to breeze five furlongs at Belmont Park on Tuesday, weather permitting. The bay colt is scheduled to be vanned to Pimlico on Friday. Javier Castellano will ride Bernardini in the Preakness. Trainer Nick Zito indicated that he will take the blinkers off HEMINGWAY'S KEY (Notebook) after the colt finished eighth in the Lexington S. (G2) at Keeneland. The colt, who has yet to hit the board in four starts this season, will be ridden by Jeremy Rose. In other Preakness news: Trainer George Weaver told Daily Racing Form Monday that GREELEY'S LEGACY (Mr. Greeley) is under consideration for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, although he is leaning toward running the dark bay in the $100,000 Sir Barton S. on the Preakness undercard.

In his most recent start, Greeley's Legacy finished fourth in the Lexington S. He previously ran a distant seventh in the Wood Memorial (G1) and a good fourth in the Gotham S. (G3).

Pimlico Stakes Coordinator Wendy Pensivy was informed that PLATINUM COUPLE (Tale of the Cat) is being "considered" for the Preakness following a four-furlong workout in :51 1/5 Monday morning at Belmont Park. The restricted Damon Runyon S. winner most recently finished fifth in the April 8 Wood Memorial.

Trainer King Leatherbury said Federico Tesio S. winner AH DAY (Malibu Moon) remains a possible starter for the Preakness. Leatherbury will decide by Wednesday whether to run the gelding in the Sir Barton or pay a supplemental entry fee of $100,000 for the Preakness.

Trainer Richard Violette reported Monday that he deemed the Preakness to be "too ambitious" for HIGH FINANCE (Talk Is Money), a winner of his last two starts.

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