American Pharoah Draws Post 1 for Preakness

Zayat Stable's American Pharoah drew the rail and was installed the 4-5 morning-line favorite in a field of eight for the $1.5 million Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.

The Bob Baffert-trained American Pharoah, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), will again face Firing Line and stablemate Dortmund, second and third in the Kentucky Derby, in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness. Firing Line drew post 8 at 4-1, while Dortmund drew post 2 at 7-2 on the morning line.

"I can't believe I drew the 1-2 (posts) again," Baffert said. "I don't love it. I never like the one-hole because sometimes they don't break well. But it's the luck of the draw. If (American Pharoah) is the best horse, we'll find out."

Simon Callaghan, who trains Firing Line, said post 8 gives his colt options.

"It is perfect," Callaghan said. "We are really looking forward to the rematch with American Pharoah. (Firing Line) has never run on a wet track before, but he has run well on many different tracks."

The forecast for Saturday in Baltimore calls for a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Firing Line, owned by Arnold Zetcher, never has finished worse than second in six starts. He won the Sunland Derby (gr. III) in late March under Gary Stevens, who rode him in the Derby and has the mount in the Preakness.

"I think (six weeks between the Sunland Derby and the Kentucky Derby) helps him," Stevens said. "That's one thing Simon, Mr. Zetcher, and myself talked about before. For a guy that has never been through the Triple Crown before, Simon was sorting this stuff out prior to (this). He knew just what he was getting into and how tough it was going to be on him, and he felt that the six weeks would be to our benefit.

"We had the freshest horse going into the Derby and you've got to think that (of the top three finishers in the Derby), we may have come out of the race with the freshest horse going into the Preakness."

Stevens said he likes his colt's post position given the draws of others in the field. He said he expects the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Mr. Z to show much more speed in the Preakness.

"Wayne's going out for the kill," Stevens said. "That's going to make those guys make some decisions earlier in the race that they didn't have the benefit of having in the Kentucky Derby. Now I've got that benefit of being on the outside."

Mr. Z, just purchased by Calumet Farm from Zayat Stables, was entered in the Preakness off a 13th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Mr. Z, who has the most starts of any Preakness entrant with 13, drew post 3 and is listed at 20-1 on the morning line.

Jose Corrales, who owns and trains Bodhisattva, a local runner who is 20-1 on the morning line, said he likes the fact American Pharoah had a tough race in the Derby less than two weeks ago.

"He just ran two weeks ago," Corrales said. "(Bodhisattva) has been improving every day that I have had him."