Divining Rod on Target for Preakness, Pletcher Considering Trio

Divining Rod, above winning the Coolmore Lexington Stakes, was confirmed on Wednesday for the Preakness Stakes (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
The field for the 2015 Preakness Stakes is beginning to take shape around the top three finishers of the Kentucky Derby.
Derby victor American Pharoah, runner-up Firing Line and third-place finisher Dortmund are on target for the Preakness on Saturday, May 16 at Pimlico Race Course, and on Wednesday Coolmore Lexington Stakes winner Divining Rod was confirmed for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Trainer Todd Pletcher also said that three of his runners are under consideration, including Kentucky Derby sixth-place finisher Materiality.
Trainer Arnaud Delacour said Divining Rod, by top sire Tapit, is scheduled for his final workout in preparation for the Preakness on Saturday at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.
Divining Rod was on the bubble for the Kentucky Derby with 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard after the Lexington Stakes but Delacour and owner-breeder Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables opted target the Preakness.
“We weren’t sure we had enough points,” Delacour said. “It’s very hard to train a horse to a race like the Derby not knowing if you’re going to get in. That puts some pressure on. Also, we would have been coming back in three weeks after a good effort in the Lexington and shipping. We thought that maybe it was coming back a little bit too quick. And also, the Jacksons saw statistics that showed horses that won the Lexington and came back in the Derby ran a little flat.          
“They were the first ones to say that if we didn’t think that the horse was really going to be at his best that they would rather wait another two weeks,” Delacour said of the Jacksons, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2006 with homebred Barbaro. “I was completely fine with that.”
Delacour said the additional time off has benefitted Divining Rod since returning to his home base at Fair Hill.
“We gave him two easy weeks where we trained him lightly and let him get his level of energy back. That worked out great,” he said. “He’s had two breezes since – one easy breeze and last week was a more significant breeze. I was pleased with both, really. 
“I think he’s really fit now and is ready to go. We just need to keep him doing well all the way to the Preakness.”
KENTUCKY DERBY TOP THREE FINISHERS IN STRETCH

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Meanwhile, at Belmont Park, Pletcher began assessing the trio of horses he is considering for the Preakness.
Materiality closed willingly for sixth after some trouble at the start of the Kentucky Derby while Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Carpe Diem faded to 10th after stalking the early pace. Competitive Edge improved to four wins in as many starts with a dominant 4 ½-length romp in the Pat Day Mile Stakes for Pletcher on the Kentucky Derby undercard. All three jogged on Wednesday at Belmont.
“They’ll go back to galloping tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes,” Pletcher said. “Of the 3-year-olds we ran on Derby day, the only one that we’ve definitely excluded from consideration for the Preakness is Itsaknockout. That would leave Competitive Edge, Materiality and Carpe Diem.”
“I wouldn’t say they’re probable, possible, unlikely or likely. We haven’t excluded them from consideration.”
Pletcher said he thought Materiality, by 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex, ran well to advance from 17th with a quarter-mile remaining to sixth at the finish line.
“I was very pleased with the way he finished. I was obviously disappointed with the start of the race. It kind of left him in a position where he had too much to do turning for home,” Pletcher said. “It’s kind of frustrating to think what may have been had he gotten off to a better start. But he came out of it very well. He proved his class anyway.”
Possible Preakness Contenders

Horse

Trainer

Most Recent Race

American Pharoah

Bob Baffert

Won Kentucky Derby

Bodhisattva

Jose Corrales

Won Federico Tesio Stakes

Carpe Diem

Todd Pletcher

10th in Kentucky Derby

Competitive Edge

Todd Pletcher

Won Pat Day Mile Stakes

Danzig Moon

Mark Casse

Fifth in Kentucky Derby

Divining Rod

Arnaud Delacour

Won Coolmore Lexington Stakes

Dortmund

Bob Baffert

Third in Kentucky Derby

Firing Line

Simon Callaghan

Second in Kentucky Derby

Materiality

Todd Pletcher

Sixth in Kentucky Derby

Mr. Z

D. Wayne Lukas

13th in Kentucky Derby