Giacomo breezes; High Fly ready for rematch

Giacomo hopes to silence his critics in the Preakness  (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

GIACOMO (Holy Bull), the surprise 50-1 winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1),

breezed four furlongs in :51 4/5 over a fast track at Churchill Downs on

Tuesday.

"I was kind of debating whether to breeze him, but he's doing so good, I went

ahead and breezed him," trainer John Shirreffs said. "I trained him very hard

for the Derby, so I didn't want to do too much with him."

The gray colt was timed in fractions of :13 1/5, :26 1/5 and :39 before

galloping out five furlongs in 1:05 4/5 under a strong hold by exercise rider

Frankie Herrarte.

"This was just a maintenance drill," Shirreffs said. "He got a little breeze

-- we didn't ask anything of him. We just let him extend his legs and blow a

little."

Giacomo is expected to face a full field of 14 in Saturday's $1 million

Preakness S. (G1). Post positions for the middle jewel of the Triple

Crown will be drawn on Wednesday at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore, Maryland. The

event will be televised live on ESPN's "SportsCenter at the Preakness,"

beginning at 5 p.m. (EDT).

In most press coverage, Giacomo is being given very little respect to win the

Preakness due to his improbable, come-from-behind, half-length victory in the

Derby.

"I understand what the press is saying and some people are saying, I guess,"

Shirreffs said. "But, that being said, they were all in the gate, and Giacomo

won the race."

A victory by Giacomo in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness would give the colt a shot

at becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. However, in

six of the last eight years, Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, War Emblem,

Funny Cide and Smarty Jones all won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before

being denied a sweep of the Triple Crown in the Belmont S. (G1).

Wilko is expected to arrive at Pimlico on Wednesday  (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner WILKO (Awesome Again) breezed four

furlongs in :50 3/5 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. The chestnut colt galloped

out strongly under jockey Joe Deegan, which pleased trainer Craig Dollase.

"When the boy (Deegan) pulled on him, he took off again," Dollase said. "We

were very pleased with the way he did it. It looked like he picked it up the

last part, and he finished well. He came out of it in great shape, too, and

we're ready to go."

Wilko bled slightly when he finishing a closing sixth in the Kentucky Derby. He

is scheduled to be aboard the second flight from Louisville on Wednesday. Corey Nakatani has the call.

GOLDEN MAN (Suave Prospect), who is 15th on the list of Preakness probables,

breezed four furlongs in :48 1/5 over a fast track at Aqueduct on Tuesday. If

all 15 enter, Golden Man will be excluded from the field since only 14 horses

can run in the Preakness.

Should Golden Man draw into the field, trainer Richard Dutrow will be forced

to select a new rider. Rafael Bejarano, who was originally named, is committed

to ride Sun King.

In other Preakness news:

Withers S. (G3) winner SCRAPPY T (Fit to Fight) arrived at Old Hilltop on

Monday afternoon after a van ride from Delaware Park. Trainer Robert Bailes said

the colt will breeze three furlongs on Wednesday.

"He likes to look around a bit," Bailes said. "It's nice to give him a couple

of days to do that. Hopefully, by Friday or Saturday, he'll be settled in."

Ramon Dominguez has picked up the mount on Scrappy T.

Holy Bull S. (G3) winner CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal), who came

within a half-length of Kentucky Derby glory, walked at Belmont Park on Tuesday,

one day after breezing four furlongs in :49.