Ocelli (Connect), third in the GI Kentucky Derby as a maiden and the biggest longshot in the field of 18 at odds of 70-1, is now under consideration for the 151st GI Preakness Stakes May 16 at Laurel Park.
Trainer Whit Beckman on Tuesday upgraded Ocelli's likelihood for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown from “extremely unlikely” on Sunday to “maybe” Tuesday.
“If you look at it from a pace perspective, it could go as fast as the Derby,” Beckman said. “He's doing great. That's the only reason I'm saying 'yeah, maybe.' The horse is doing fantastic. The horse is made of iron. Generally, I run a horse, they may not come to the front of their stall for a week. He was right there.”
Asked if there was any downside to running Ocelli in the Preakness, he said, “The only downside is if the horse is not ready to do it.” He noted that the Preakness winner usually is a horse that ran two weeks earlier in the Derby.
The upside, Beckman said, “is the chance to win a Triple Crown race.”
Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro), who was the lone remaining also-eligible for the Derby, is also under consideration for the Preakness with trainer Dallas Stewart saying, “We're thinking about it. We just have to see,” Stewart said. “I'm going to work him again Saturday. He's a very nice horse.”
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (Curlin) had his third walk day Tuesday and will return to the track for light training Wednesday at Keeneland. Trainer Cherie DeVaux, speaking at a media availability arranged by Keeneland's communications department, reiterated that the Preakness decision will be made toward the end of the week.
“He's doing great,” said DeVaux. “He'll return to the track tomorrow for a light jog. He'll do that for two days, and then he'll resume galloping.”
As far as running in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness at Laurel Park, she said, “We're going to see how much energy he has when he's on the track, see how he's moving, see his attitude and things of that nature…. I appreciate there's history with the Triple Crown. I appreciate everyone is excited about it. However, the horse comes first. So, any of that pressure is outside information from our decision-making.”
“We're gonna give Golden Tempo a couple of days and he's going to dictate the Preakness decision..
There's a lot of conversation right now and we're gonna do what's best for him” ~ @reredevaux #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Az1BJh04qs
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 5, 2026
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