Always Dreaming, Royal Mo Continue Training at Pimlico

A sloppy track forced trainer Todd Pletcher to cancel his plan to gallop Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming May 12 at Pimlico Race Course.

Instead of doing one circuit jogging over the sloppy track, the animated son of Bodemeister  , ridden by Nick Bush, was allowed to make a second lap and covered two miles in the company of a pony.

"He was full of himself—feeling great," Pletcher said. "I'm really happy where he is energy level-wise. We'll just sit around and worry about the forecast and go from there."

The dreary Baltimore weather report calls for more rain Friday afternoon and evening, and all day May 13 with temperatures on the 50s. Conditions are expected to improve dramatically May 14, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 70s. The long-range forecast for the week leading up to the Preakness Stakes (G1) calls for dry and warmer weather.

Always Dreaming was still a handful for Bush when they completed their first clockwise trip around the track and Pletcher chose to give his star some more exercise.

"I told Nick before we went out, 'Let's see how he's doing,'" Pletcher said. "He was pretty energetic, so we felt like going two miles would be better. He's razor sharp and that's what we're hoping for."

Even with more rain in the forecast, Pletcher said he might let Always Dreaming gallop Saturday morning.  

"I'll play it by ear. The main thing is that I don't want him to get too fresh," Pletcher said. "If the track is the same tomorrow as it was today, I'd probably opt to gallop. We're flexible. We'll inspect the track in the morning and do what we think is best for him."

Since Pletcher already decided that he would not give the colt a timed workout in Baltimore, the likelihood of two mornings of sloppy tracks is an inconvenience and doesn't impact preparations for the race.

"This whole two weeks in between the Derby and the Preakness is all about just refueling and keeping him healthy and happy," Pletcher said. "Right now he looks like he's very, very happy.

Also at Pimlico Jerry and Ann Moss' Royal Mo galloped a little more than a mile Friday morning with local exercise rider Taylor Leatherman aboard.

The son of Uncle Mo   has been scheduled to breeze Saturday, but with rain in the forecast, trainer John Shirreffs is likely to postpone the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) winner's final serious prep for the Preakness.

"I was planning on working him on Saturday, but I think I'll put it off another day or two," Shirreffs said. "Being an Uncle Mo, he gets over wet surfaces OK. He got over it really well this morning and galloped a little over a mile today and handled it."

Royal Mo, who topped the also-eligible list for the Kentucky Derby but didn't draw into the 20-horse field, arrived at Pimlico May 9 after accompanying Always Dreaming on a flight from Louisville, Ky.

"We got here early, so he could get a chance to get used to his surroundings and the racetrack. He's handled the track very well. He's getting happier every day," Shirreffs said. "It's kind of a unique opportunity coming here early. There's not a lot of traffic on the racetrack, so it's a good time to let a horse adjust to it."

Gary Stevens is scheduled to ride Royal Mo in the Preakness without any instructions from Shirreffs.

"I'm going to leave that up to Gary. He's a Hall of Famer," Shirreffs said. "He's really excited about riding Royal Mo. He was probably the most disappointed that he didn't get into the Kentucky Derby. Royal Mo is a horse that likes to match strides, so I'd imagine he'll let him roll a little bit and get him in a good position and go from there."