Everfast Added to Preakness Cast

The theme for the 144th Preakness Stakes (G1) is apparently the more the merrier.

Brad Kelley's Calumet Farms' Everfast was announced May 15 as a starter in the May 18 second leg of the Triple Crown, bringing the expected number of probable entrants to 13 and making it the largest Preakness field since 2011 when 14 broke from the gate at Pimlico Race Course.

The post position draw for the Preakness will be held later Wednesday in downtown Baltimore.

Everfast, trained by Dale Romans, is winless in five starts at 3 and was fifth most recently in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG and E and KU (G3) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) undercard. Everfast's lone win in 10 starts came in his career debut Aug. 12 at Ellis Park. His best effort since then was a second in the Feb. 2 Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

"It's a wide-open field; we'll take a shot," trainer Dale Romans said by phone from Louisville.

"He jumped up and ran big in the Holy Bull," Romans said. "When he runs big, he runs big. We're hoping he throws in one of those big races. Some of the top contenders are missing, so we'll take a chance. He's training like he did before the Holy Bull. We're going to try to wheel him back off the sprint and see if we can get a piece of it. You've got a future Hall of Fame rider, so we might as well take a shot."

Joel Rosario has been named to ride.

Bred by Extern Developments, Everfast is a son of Take Charge Indy out of the Awesome Again  mare Awesome Surprise. He has run in seven graded stakes. He was a $47,000 short yearling purchase at the 2017 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale from the Frankfort Park Farm consignment of Brendan and Olive Gallagher.

Historic Calumet Farm has eight Preakness wins dating back to 1941. Under Kelley's ownership (he purchased the farm in 2012) Calumet won the 2013 Preakness with Oxbow  and trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Romans won the 2011 Preakness with Shackleford . Everfast will be Romans sixth starter in the Preakness. He ran second with First Dude  in 2010 and Cherry Wine in 2016.

Evan Hammonds contributed to this article.