Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Confirmed Preakness Starter

As Ramiro Restrepo, a co-owner of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage  put it, "It's on to Baltimore. Crab cakes here we come."

After four years in which the Derby winner has skipped the Preakness Stakes (G1), or the Derby winner was not clear going into the Preakness, or the Triple Crown race order was changed, Mage will fully return the traditional draw of the Triple Crown's second jewel: a Derby winner looking to take the second step.

Kentucky Derby winner Mage is officially Preakness bound. pic.twitter.com/nh5JeoTj5l

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) May 12, 2023

The connections of the son of Good Magic   had said they wanted to contest the Preakness but noted that they would wait until as late as May 12 before officially committing to the 1 3/16-mile race May 20 at Pimlico Race Course. They made it official Friday morning on the Churchill Downs backstretch after Mage completed an easy gallop there.

"We're very excited," Restrepo said told Jennie Rees, publicist for the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, and other media gathered at Churchill. "He's had a magnificent week of training. (Trainer Gustavo Delgado) is pleased and over the moon about how he's come back. He's shown all of the positive signs."

Mage is scheduled to train again May 13 at Churchill before vanning that afternoon to Baltimore with his stablemates, the filly Isabel Alexandra , who is scheduled to run in a Pimlico allowance race May 14, and O Captain , who ran fifth in an allowance race May 11 at Churchill. Restrepo said the horses should arrive early Sunday morning at Old Hilltop, with Mage likely to train May 15, the date of the post position draw.

National Treasure  was also confirmed for the Preakness by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert after that colt worked a half-mile in :47 2/5 Friday at Santa Anita Park.

Other horses that could be among the top public choices in the second leg of the Triple Crown include First Mission , Confidence Game , Perform , Red Route One , Disarm , and Blazing Sevens . Their training over the next few days will determine their participation status.

It has been a challenging few years for the Preakness. Last year the connections of longshot Derby winner Rich Strike  opted to skip the Preakness with their colt and rest for the Belmont Stakes (G1), where Rich Strike would finish sixth.

In 2021, eight days after Medina Spirit reached the wire first in the Derby, his trainer Bob Baffert announced that his runner had failed a post-race drug test. Six days later Medina Spirit would finish third in the Preakness. Medina Spirit eventually would be disqualified from his Derby win—a decision still under regulatory appeal. Mandaloun  , the currently recognized winner of the Derby, did not start in the Preakness.

In 2020, the race order of the Triple Crown was altered because of COVID-19 and protocols in place to slow its spread. The Belmont Stakes (G1) was contested first, with Tiz the Law   winning a shortened version of that race in June. The Derby was conducted on the first Saturday in September, with Authentic   holding off Tiz the Law in the stretch to win. On the first Saturday of October, Authentic finished second to filly Swiss Skydiver  in the Preakness.

In 2019, Maximum Security   reached the wire first in the Derby but was demoted to 17th for interference. He did not race in the Preakness, nor did Country House  , who reached the wire second in the Derby but was placed first after Maximum Security's demotion.

This four-year run followed the Triple Crown sweep by Justify   in 2018.