Withers Stakes Winner Uncle Heavy to Run in Preakness

The Preakness Stakes (G1) picked up a new entrant May 8 as trainer Butch Reid said Withers Stakes (G3) winner Uncle Heavy  will run in the May 18 second leg of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course.

Reid also was considering entering Uncle Heavy in the May 11 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"The horse was the motivating factor. He was doing so well. He's training lights out. We couldn't be happier with him. If there was ever a time to take a chance and run in a Triple Crown race, this is it," Reid said.

A Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion, Uncle Heavy has won three of five starts for owners Michael Milam and LC Racing and most recently finished fifth in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at the Big A.

Also Wednesday, trainer Chad Brown said he would enter Tuscan Gold  in the Peter Pan but was still considering opting for the Preakness instead.

A son of Medaglia d'Oro  , Tuscan Gold was third in the Louisiana Derby (G2), losing by a little less than two lengths in his third career start.

Besides Uncle Heavy, the probable Preakness starters include Muth  and Imagination  for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas' duo of Just Steel  and Seize the Grey , and Kentucky Derby also-eligible Mugatu . The possible entrants are topped by Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan  and also include Tuscan Gold, Federico Tesio Stakes winner Copper Tax , and Bathhouse Row Stakes winner Informed Patriot .