MeB Racing, Brooklyn Boyz, Teresa Viola, St. Elias Stable, Siena Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds' GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) was tabbed as the 4-5 morning line favorite from post four when slots were drawn Wednesday afternoon for Saturday's GI Preakness S. The dark bay, who has shown good energy in his morning training at Pimlico this week, retains the services of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and will look to annex the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown on the heels of his triumph at Churchill Downs May 6. Always Dreaming has won four consecutive races, including the May 6 GI Florida Derby, since being transferred to the care of trainer Todd Pletcher.
“I think it's fine,” Pletcher said of the post draw. “He was four in the Florida Derby, five in the Kentucky Derby. He's generally a very good horse away from the gate, and we'll just try to come away and establish some position and see what some other horses are doing.”
2016 champion juvenile colt Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) was installed as the 3-1 second choice to Always Dreaming's immediate outside in post five, as he seeks to reverse his luck following a troubled fourth-place finish on the first Saturday in May. The Mark Casse trainee has won at the highest level three times, including the Apr. 15 GI Arkansas Derby.
“We want to just have a good break and see what happens,” Casse said. “Always Dreaming is a very, very good horse and we just want a fair shot at it.”
Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee (Lookin At Lucky) drew post nine at odds of 10-1–a spot that should be no issue for the late-running colt. Fellow Steve Asmussen trainee Hence (Street Boss)–11th in the Derby–will break from the three stall as a 20-1 proposition. GII Fountain of Youth S. hero Gunnevera (Dialed In), an even seventh in the Derby, returns for the Preakness as a 15-1 shot from post six.
The race attracts a slew of new shooters as well, including GI Arkansas Derby runner-up Conquest Mo Money (Uncle Mo) in post 10 and GII Wood Memorial S. third-place finisher Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music), who will break from post two.
GI PREAKNESS S., 3yo, 1 3/16m
1. Multiplier (The Factor), Rosario 30-1
2. Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music), Castellano 12-1
3. Hence (Street Boss), Geroux 20-1
4. Always Dreaming (Bodemeister), Velazquez 4-5
5. Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile), Leparoux 3-1
6. Gunnevera (Dialed In), Smith 15-1
7. Term of Art (Tiznow), Ortiz 30-1
8. Senior Investment (Discreetly Mine), Hill 30-1
9. Lookin At Lee (Lookin At Lucky), Lanerie 10-1
10. Conquest Mo Money (Uncle Mo), Carreno 15-1
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