Pletcher considering Circular Quay for Preakness

Circular Quay used his lethal closing kick to take the Louisiana Derby (Fair Grounds/Lou Hodges Photo)

Hopeful S. (G1) winner CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch), who finished a closing

sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is being considered for a possible start in

Saturday's Preakness S. (G1), trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Michael and Doreen Tabor's Circular Quay won the Louisiana Derby (G2) by 2

1/4 lengths on March 10 and came into the 1 1/4-mile Derby off an eight-week

layoff.

The flashy chestnut breezed four furlongs in :48 2/5 on a fast track at

Belmont Park on Monday in company with Skip Away H. (G3) winner A. P. Arrow

(A.P. Indy), who was awarded the same time.

"I worked him this morning with the Preakness in the back of my mind,"

Pletcher said. "I'll talk to Mr. Tabor and we'll make a decision tomorrow

morning."

Pletcher had already confirmed KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations) for the

132nd running of the Preakness. The dark bay colt won the Hutcheson S. (G2) in

March before finishing second, beaten one-half length, in the Santa Anita Derby

(G1) on April 7.

Circular Quay was ridden in the Derby by John Velazquez, who had been

expected to ride King of the Roxy in the Preakness, but some suspicions were

aroused about Pletcher's plans for both horses when Garrett Gomez worked King of

the Roxy over the weekend at Belmont Park.