GII Wood Memorial Stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic) will not run in the 150th GI Preakness Stakes May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, trainer Bob Baffert said Friday. Scratched from last weekend's GI Kentucky Derby due to a minor foot bruise, Rodriguez had remained at Churchill Downs to prepare for the Preakness.
Baffert will still be represented in the Preakness starting gate by undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time) who ran on the Derby undercard in an allowance race.
Baffert told Pimlico media Friday morning that Goal Oriented's appearance in the Preakness will hinge on a workout this upcoming Sunday.
“We're going to see how he works,” Baffert said after Goal Oriented had a routine gallop Friday. “I've always had (the Preakness) in the back of mind, maybe. But after what I've seen, the way he came out of the race, he's a big strong horse that looks like he could handle it.”
Baffert continued: “He's really come into himself. The race the other day, he won that with so much to spare. I'm watching these horses closely. I don't want to go there unless he has a chance to win. He's going to breeze this weekend and then I'll know more, for sure.”
After two days of jogging at Churchill Downs, GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism (Curlin) galloped for the first time.
“He looked great, showed good energy,” said Justin Curran, the assistant trainer who oversees California-based trainer Michael McCarthy's Churchill Downs division.
The Preakness decision is still pending for Journalism. Curran said McCarthy will be at Churchill Downs Sunday.
Journalism was focused, smooth & strong galloping this am @ChurchillDowns for @mwmracing. We'll continue to monitor his condition & mindset thru the weekend in order to arrive at a decision on his status for the @PreaknessStakes which is in Journalism's best interest. #BelieveBig pic.twitter.com/tmyFsjLCU3
— Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (@EclipseTBP) May 9, 2025
Virginia Derby winner American Promise (Justify) galloped as soon as the Churchill Downs track opened Friday morning for D. Wayne Lukas.
“He's doing exceptionally well,” said the Coach. “He's back in the feed tub, no worse for wear, almost like he didn't participate the other day. So, we feel pretty good about him. That's all you can ask. But his energy level is really good.”
Lukas said he plans to ship six horses to Pimlico for the weekend including fillies Princess Aliyah (Into Mischief) and Lemon Muffin (Collected) while the colts will van to Pimlico Tuesday.
Federico Tesio Stakes winner Pay Billy (Improbable) had a walk day Friday following his final work for the Preakness Thursday at Delaware Park for trainer Mike Gorham. He'll ship to Pimlico Tuesday after another local prep day Saturday.
“Today he's great,” Gorham said. “He felt good, bright and alert. No worse for the wear after his breeze. He'll gallop tomorrow. Usually after a breeze like that we give them one day off and then gallop, and then just kind of gallop into the race. Maybe get a strong gallop one or two days and that's about it.”
Clever Again (American Pharoah), winner of the Hot Springs Stakes, was scheduled to school in the starting gate on a light-training Friday morning at Churchill Downs. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the colt is scheduled to work a half-mile Monday and ship to Baltimore Tuesday.
At Keeneland, GIII Lexington Stakes winner Gosger (Nyquist) had a routine gallop and is scheduled to work Saturday.
'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music) will also join the Saturday work tab for trainer Todd Pletcher.
On the international front, Heart of Honor (Honor A.P.) is scheduled to quarantine at Churchill Downs until Monday following a trans-Atlantic flight from Great Britain Thursday. Trainer Jamie Osborne plans to van the G2 UAE Derby runner-up to Pimlico Monday.
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