2023 Preakness Stakes Probable Starters
2023 Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Probable For Preakness
Gustavo Delgado Jr., son of and assistant to trainer Gustavo Delgado, said Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage has shown all the right signs following his thrilling victory in Saturday's first leg of the Triple Crown and will run in the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) at historic Pimlico Race Course May 20 as long as everything continues to go well.
OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH's Derby hero walked around the barn shedrow at Churchill Downs Monday morning, two days after the chestnut colt won the Kentucky Derby by a length over Two Phil's.
The Good Magic colt is expected to jog around the racetrack on Tuesday morning shortly after the Churchill Downs track opens at 5:30 a.m. ET.
"He ate up everything, his feed, he's feeling good," Delgado Jr. said.
Mage finished a close second in Gulfstream Park's Curlin Florida Derby (G1) in his third career start, five weeks before taking the 149th Kentucky Derby.
"It's amazing. We're still digesting it," Delgado Jr. said. "I'm still playing text messages from two days ago. It's a very good feeling."
Forte `Looked Very Good' in Monday Morning Gallop
UPDATE: May 8 - Forte, the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby who was scratched the morning of the race, was placed on a 14-day veterinarian's list due to the scratch and, as a result, will be unable to start in the Preakness Stakes on May 20.
Forte, last year's 2-year-old champion who beat Mage in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) and Fountain of Youth (G2), galloped at Churchill Downs Monday morning for an anticipated run in Preakness Stakes 148 at Pimlico Race Course May 20. Forte was scratched the morning of Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1), for which he was favored, with the remnants of a foot bruise sustained earlier in the week.
"He looked very good," Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. "He galloped a mile and three-eighths very comfortably. Seemed happy like he normally is. He'll work probably Friday or Saturday."
Asked if there was any sign left of the bruise, Pletcher said, "No, I think that's completely subsided now. Right now, I'd say we're looking good to breeze for the Preakness. If we're happy with that, that's what we're thinking."
Of being scratched from the Derby, "I'm mostly disappointed for the Violas and the Repoles and the horse himself," Pletcher said, referencing owners Vinnie Viola and Mike Repole and their families. "As we know, you've got to be good on the one particular day, and there are no makeups. We've just got to adjust, move on and focus on trying to prepare him the best we can for the Preakness."
Pletcher, who has won the Kentucky Derby twice and the Belmont Stakes four times, will be seeking his first success in the Preakness should Forte be entered as expected.
Rivelli: Two Phil's `Back at Home Chilling'
UPDATE: May 9 - Two Phil's, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, will skip the Preakness, according to his trainer Larry Rivelli, who said the two-week turnaround from the Derby to the Preakness was "way too soon."
Trainer Larry Rivelli said via text Monday afternoon that Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Two Phil's has exited his strong performance Saturday in the first leg of the Triple Crown in good order.
"He's back home and chilling," reported Rivelli from his home base at Hawthorne Park.
A firm decision has yet to me made a Preakness start.
Baffert: National Treasure `Probable' for Preakness
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Monday morning that he had not finalized his plans, but that National Treasure could be considered as a probable starter in the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20 at Pimlico Race Course.
National Treasure, most recently fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 8, is co-owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan. He broke his maiden in his first career start and prior to the Santa Anita Derby he finished second in the American Pharaoh (G1), third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), and third in the Sham Stakes (G3).
Baffert is tied with 19th century horseman and Hall of Famer R. Wyndham Walden for the Preakness record by a trainer with seven wins. He pulled even with Walden in 2018 with eventual Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's first Preakness runner was in 1996 when Kentucky Derby runner-up Cavonnier was fourth.
Desormeaux Has `More Respect' for Confidence Game Than Ever
Trainer Keith Desormeaux said a decision will be made by Sunday whether to run Confidence Game in 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course May 20. Desormeaux won the 2016 running of the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown with Kentucky Derby runner-up Exaggerator.
With jockey James Graham aboard, Confidence Game finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby in his first start since winning Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes (G2) 10 weeks earlier.
"He's tired, as to be expected," Desormeaux said Monday morning at Churchill Downs. "He'll go back to the track tomorrow or Wednesday. We'll see how he does walking this afternoon. If he's showing some energy, we'll train tomorrow. If not, we'll wait until Wednesday. We'll make a decision by Sunday whether we're going to Baltimore or not. He'll tell us.
"His race in the Derby wasn't bad. I've got more respect for him now than ever, because he was close to a very fast pace. He was in hand. He looked like he was comfortable. But it was just a little too fast and that compromised his finish," Desormeaux added. "It's that simple. This is no fault of James, (but) if we're three or four lengths back - one more second, in other words - we have horse to finish and the whole outcome could be totally different. I don't blame James because I'm the one who trained him, and we were putting speed in his works. We were aggressive in his works, so that's my fault. I had him a little too keen, and that's why he didn't finish.
"But guess what? He went too fast and he still pushed to the wire.... He kept trying. He's such a good horse."
Brown: Blazing Sevens `As Good As I've Ever Seen Him'
If all goes well on Saturday - and trainer Chad Brown expects it to - Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens will be bound for the 148th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20 at Pimlico Race Course.
Blazing Sevens, a son of Good Magic, is scheduled to have his final pre-Preakness workout at Belmont Park on Saturday.
"If he comes out of the work good, we'll go down to Pimlico either Sunday or Monday," Brown said Tuesday morning after training horses at the Oklahoma Training Track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Last Saturday, Blazing Sevens worked five furlongs at Belmont in 1:00.99. That was his third work since his last start, a third-place finish in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland on April 21. After that race, Brown huddled with John and Carla Capek of Rodeo Creek Racing, and it was decided to skip the Kentucky Derby - even though the horse had enough qualifying points - and wait for the Preakness.
Brown has used that formula before and has ended up in the Preakness winner's circle. Last year, Early Voting did not run in the Derby and then won the Preakness. Same thing in 2017 when Cloud Computing followed that path.
The Preakness was the fourth career start for Early Voting and Cloud Computing. It will be the seventh for Blazing Sevens, who captured the Champagne (G1) during the Belmont meet at Aqueduct last year.
"(Blazing Sevens) is coming into the race fresh," Brown said. "He is coming in with a full tank of gas. Off his most recent work I see him moving forward off the Blue Grass. The horse is as good as I have ever seen him. I needed to see the horse really move forward and to see him at his very best. That is what I am seeing."
Brown said he hopes to have a jockey named to ride Blazing Sevens in the Preakness in the next 48 hours. He was ridden in the Blue Grass by Irad Ortiz Jr.
Chase the Chaos Confirmed for Preakness 148
Trainer Ed Moger Jr. confirmed Tuesday that Chase the Chaos is on course for a start in the 148th Preakness (G1) on May 20 at Pimlico.
Chase the Course earned an automatic fees-paid berth in the Preakness with his victory in the El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 11 on the home track at Golden Gate Fields. It was the first stakes victory for the Pennsylvania-bred gelding owned by Adam Ference and Bill Dory.
Moger said that Chase the Chaos, who will be his first Preakness starter, will work Saturday and ship to Baltimore on Tuesday.
McGaughey Planning Return to Preakness with Perform
For the first time since 2013, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey has a Preakness (G1) horse.
Perform, owned by Woodford Racing, Lane's End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward Hudson, will be in the field for the May 20 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course after being supplemented for $150,000.
Perform, a son of Good Magic - the same sire as Preakness runners Blazing Sevens and Kentucky Derby(G1) winner Mage - won the Federico Tesio at Laurel on April 15.
The 1 1/8-mile Tesio, was Perform's second-straight win and came in his seventh career start. Perform won the race by a head at odds of 10-1 and was ridden by Maryland veteran Feargal Lynch. Lynch is expected to ride Perform in the Preakness; it will be the first mount in the race for the 45-year-old jockey.
McGaughey's last Preakness horse was Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who finished fourth in 2013.
"It's been a while," McGaughey said. "Just haven't had the horse."
He also finished second in 1989 with Easy Goer and fifth in 1984 with Pine Circle.
After five failed tries in breaking his maiden, Perform broke through in his sixth start when he won at Tampa on March 1 going a mile and 40 yards.
"Two turns have helped him a lot," McGaughey said. "Things changed when we started going around two turns. If I didn't think he fit with these, I would not be running him. We will have to wait and see, but his last two races around two turns have been pretty good."
Perform is scheduled to work at Belmont Park on Sunday. He has had two works there since winning the Tesio, the most recent coming last Sunday when he worked five furlongs in 1:00.56.
First Mission `Sound, Happy Horse' for Preakness
Keeneland's Stonestreet Lexington (G3) winner First Mission continues to train well for the May 20 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. The Godolphin homebred is a son of 2007 Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Street Sense, who stands at Darley America, Godolphin's Kentucky breeding operation.
In his third lifetime start, First Mission wore down Arabian Lion to win the 1 1/16-mile Lexington by a half-length under Luis Saez on April 15. The dark bay colt worked five-eighths of a mile in 59.80 seconds last Saturday and will work again this Saturday at Churchill Downs.
"First Mission looked very good," said Jorje Abrego, trainer Brad Cox's top assistant at Churchill Downs. "He galloped a mile today. The track is sloppy, but he's a very sound, happy horse. I'm happy the way everything is going with the horse. He'll go an easy five-eighths on Saturday, like in 1:01.
"Honestly, I watched the Derby and I watched the way this horse ran in the Lexington. I'm not scared of anybody. I'm excited to watch this horse run. I think he'll put in a big effort in 10 more days," Abrego added. "He's a big horse, he covers a lot of ground and has good speed. He won't be too far behind, might be second or third."
Confidence Game Scheduled to Resume Training Wednesday
Confidence Game, 10th in the Kentucky Derby off a 10-week layoff following his victory in Oaklawn Park's Rebel (G2), got an extra walk day Tuesday and is expected to return to the track Wednesday at Churchill Downs for a possible start in the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.
"He slept a bunch (Monday) so I gave him one more day," trainer Keith Desormeaux said in a text.
Desormeaux, who won the 2016 Preakness with Derby runner-up Exaggerator, said on Monday that a decision on going to Baltimore will be made by Sunday, largely hinging upon Confidence Game's energy level.
Red Route One and/or Disarm Preakness Candidates
Red Route One, who earned a fees-paid berth in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness by virtue of winning Oaklawn Park's Bath House Row Stakes, galloped Tuesday after a walk day following Sunday's workout (five furlongs in 1:01.20) at Churchill Downs.
Red Route One was second in Oaklawn Park's Southwest Stakes (G3) and Rebel Stakes (G2) before checking in sixth in the Arkansas Derby (G1). He bounced back three weeks later to win the Bath House Row by a head under Joel Rosario.
Disarm, Red Route One's stablemate and the Kentucky Derby (G1) fourth-place finisher, will go back to the track Wednesday, said Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who trains both Gun Runner colts for owner Ron Winchell's Winchell Thoroughbreds. At least one of the pair is expected to contest the May 20 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.
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