
The Preakness Stakes will feature 14 3-year-olds, including three Kentucky Derby runners: Ocelli, Incredibolt, and Robusta. The favorite is Iron Honor at 9-2 odds, while Derby winner Golden Tempo is not participating.
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Incredibolt, who is entered in Saturday's Preakness Stakes, made up significant ground in the stretch run in the Kentucky Derby, rallying to finish sixth, beaten by just 4 lengths after encountering his fair share of traffic. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI
May 12 (UPI) -- After some last minute maneuvering, 14 3-year-olds are set for Saturday's 151st running of the Preakness Stakes, middle jewel of the Triple Crown, including three who contested the first leg -- the Kentucky Derby.
With Derby winner Golden Tempo sitting it out to prepare for the Belmont Stakes, only Ocelli, Incredibolt and Robusta move along from the Derby to the Preakness. And none of them is the favorite.
That honor, at generous odds of 9-2, goes to Iron Honor. The Nyquist colt, trained by Chad Brown, won his first two starts, including the Grade II Gotham in February, but then finished seventh in the Grade II Wood Memorial, missing the Run for the Roses. He drew the No. 9 gate for the 14-horse Preakness.
Posted at 5-1 on the morning line are Incredibolt, Chip Honcho and Taj Mahal.
Incredibolt made up significant ground in the stretch run in the Kentucky Derby, rallying to finish sixth, beaten by just 4 lengths after encountering his fair share of traffic. The Riley Mott trainee earned his way into the Derby with a victory in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.
Taj Mahal is the top local hope, handled by trainer Brittany Russell and ridden by her husband, Sheldon Russell. The Florida-bred Nyquist colt is undefeated after three starts, all at Laurel Park, including the Miracle Wood and the Federico Tesio. He drew the dreaded No. 1 gate.
Chip Honcho, last seen fifth in the Grade II Louisiana Derby, drew much better, landing stall No. 6.
The morning line has Ocelli at 6-1, exiting gate No. 2. On the plus side, the Connect colt finished third in the Kentucky Derby, making up almost as much ground as the last-to-first winner and beaten only 1 length.
On the flip side, he has yet to win a race and finished sixth in the Virginia Derby and third in the Wood Memorial. The shorter stretch at Laurel also might not play to his late-running style.
The final makeup of the Preakness field came into focus only hours before the draw, as Arkansas Derby runner-up Silent Tactic withdrew. Trainer Mark Casse said the bruised foot that caused him to scratch out of the Derby field hadn't healed enough to get him into the Preakness.
Ocelli, Incredibolt, and Robusta are the three horses from the Kentucky Derby competing in the Preakness Stakes.
The favorite for the Preakness Stakes is Iron Honor, with odds of 9-2.
Golden Tempo is not participating in the Preakness Stakes as he is preparing for the Belmont Stakes.
The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown, making it a key race for 3-year-old thoroughbreds.


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The scratch before the Derby made room for Great White, but that colt flipped behind the gate and was scratched. Trainer John Ennis had been watching and waiting, postponing a decision on the Preakness until the last day. Oddly, it was only after Silent Tactic was declared out that he gave the go-ahead.
The 1 3/16-mile Preakness is being run this year at Laurel Park, northeast of Washington, D.C., while its traditional home at Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt as part of a total overhaul of Maryland racing. The race will be broadcast on NBC-TV and its Peacock affiliate. Post time is 7:01 p.m. EDT.
The National Weather Service predicts mostly sunny skies and a high in the low 80s.
The field for the Preakness, by post position, with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
Taj Mahal, Brittany Russell, Sheldon Russell, 5-1
Ocelli, Whit Beckman, Tyler Gaffalione, 6-1
Crupper, Donnie Van Hemel, Junior Alvarado, 30-1
Robusta, Doug O'Neill, Rafael Bejarano, 30-1
Talkin, Danny Gargin, Irad Ortiz Jr., 20-1
Chip Honcho, Steve Asmussen, Jose Ortiz, 5-1
The Hell We Did, Todd Fincher, Luis Saez, 15-1
Bull By the Horns, Saffie Joseph Jr., Micah Husbands, 30-1
Iron Honor, Chad Brown, Flavien Prat, 9-2 (favorite)
Napoleon Solo, Chad Summers, Paco Lopez, 8-1
Corona de Oro, Dallas Stewart, John Velazquez, 30-1
Incredibolt, Riley Mott, Jaime Torres, 5-1
Great White, John Ennis, Alex Achard, 15-1
Pretty Boy Miah, Jeremiah Englehart, Ricardo Santana Jr., 15-1