Preakness Contenders Warm Up at Pimlico

Be it for fatigue, poor performances, or an aversion to the two-week turnaround, the Preakness Stakes (G1) usually faces a formidable foe in attrition.

While the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) can attract 19 or 20 starters without trouble, no more than a handful of those runners generally move on to Pimlico Race Course to compete in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

This year's crop of starters for the May 18 Preakness is no exception to the rule with four Kentucky Derby starters among the field of 13.

Included in that foursome are Improbable and Gary Barber's War of Will, the top two choices on the morning line. Mark Casse, who trains War of Will, said he was fortunate to have a horse who recovered quickly from sore feet caused by the grind of the 1 1/4-mile Run of the Roses and came away from a bumping incident with the disqualified winner Maximum Security with little more than superficial cuts.

"It's a tough grind under normal circumstances," Casse said. "A lot have fallen by the wayside, and we've been lucky given the circumstances. He's a tough horse. We're extremely fortunate that nothing happened (in the Kentucky Derby) because it would have been the biggest disaster in horse racing history. So for that, I feel we didn't get a fair shot. But I'm OK with that because we have our horse and there's horse racing."

After watching War of Will gallop around Pimlico Wednesday morning, Casse said he was pleased with the son of War Front 's conditioning.

"Right now it's about being happy. It's not about any level of fitness. We're just letting him get over the track and regain some of his energy that was used in the Derby. He looked good today. He's relaxing more here than he did in Kentucky," Casse said. "Anyone who knows anything about horses and watches this horse train would see his energy level is very good, and that's what we're looking for. I said all along if I didn't see that he wouldn't run and unless something changes in the next few days, we're going to be extremely tough. I wouldn't be here if I didn't expect a big performance."

Casse's main concern was finding a lucky horseshoe for the post position draw after landing the rail in the Kentucky Derby, but War of Will was assigned post 1 for the Preakness as well.

"The one hole hurt us as much as anything because we had to come away from there so we didn't get squeezed out," the trainer said. "(Jockey Tyler Gaffalione) got him rolling, and he didn't want to shut off."

War of Will, bred by Flaxman Holdings out of the Sadler's Wells mare Visions of Clarity, moved up from eighth to seventh in the Kentucky Derby while finishing 4 1/2 lengths behind the disqualified winner. Two of War of Will's three wins in nine starts came in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) and Lecomte Stakes (G3), both at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

While War of Will spent a second morning at the track, Market King logged his first trip around the track for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

"I thought the track was a little more glib than it had been," Lukas said. "Usually you come in here and it has a little bit of looseness and deepness to it, but I thought it was firmer, and I like that. It could change between now and Saturday, but I thought the horse and the track complemented each other."

Owned by Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack, Market King owns only a maiden win Feb. 9 at Oaklawn Park. He was third in the second division of the Rebel Stakes (G2) but was then 11th, beaten by 37 1/4 lengths, in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), his last start.

Pointing to six weeks of rest and some sharp recent works, Lukas expects a much-improved effort from the son of Into Mischief  Saturday.

"He's had two good works at Churchill Downs since his last start," said Lukas, who owns six Preakness wins. "Looking at how it shook out in the Derby, having a fresh horse might be a good idea."

Market King, out of the A.P. Indy mare Divine Presence, was bred in Kentucky, also by Flaxman Holdings. He was a $550,000 purchase from the Lane's End consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Top Racing, Global Thoroughbreds, and GDS Racing Stable's Bodexpress, the lone maiden in the field, took to the track after the renovation break. The leg-stretcher was observed by trainer Gustavo Delgado and his son, Gustavo Delgado Jr.

Bodexpress, by Bodemeister—Pied a Terre, by City Zip, was 13th (elevated from 14th) in the Derby after having to take up on the turn. Prior to that he was second, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Maximum Security in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1).

"We have confidence in him from the way he ran in the Florida Derby, and the way Code of Honor ran in the Derby. Code of Honor was behind us in the Florida Derby, 3 1/4 lengths, and he ran third in the Derby (elevated to second)," said Gustavo Delgado Jr.

"He's acted like a million bucks today. He's full of energy. Hopefully he'll go back to the track tomorrow," he said.

In a rider switch, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will replace Chris Landeros in the Preakness.

"Johnny V is a plus. We have a good relationship with Johnny and (agent) Angel Cordero Jr.," Delgado Jr. said. "It was Johnny who asked us, 'Who's riding your horse?' When you have someone like that call, then you have a shot."

The senior Delgado is also confident in the horse and likened the surface at Pimlico to the one at Gulfstream Park.

Six maidens have won the Preakness, but none since Refund in 1888.

"But you don't know … so far this Triple Crown has been crazy," Delgado Jr. said.

Delgado won the Triple Crown three times in his native Venezuela and is a three-time winner of the Clasico Internacional del Caribe.

Bred in Kentucky by Martha Jane Mulholland, Bodexpress was an RNA at both the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.

Several other Preakness contenders arrived at Pimlico Wednesday afternoon, led by Improbable.

Accompanied by fillies Fighting Mad and The Aurelia Factor, both entered on Friday's Black-Eyed Susan Day program, Improbable was led off the van by assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes shortly before 4:00 p.m. following a five-hour trip from Churchill Downs.

"He shipped very well. He settled right in. It's a short trip, so that shouldn't be any factor for him," Barnes said. "He's a good shipper. It's only an hour flight. The van rides to and from the airport and from airport are almost as long as the plane trip, so it's really nothing."

Improbable ran fifth and was placed fourth in the Kentucky Derby. The son of City Zip is winless in three starts this year, also finishing second in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Rebel.

"He came out of the race in good shape. It was horrible conditions. The track was just a sloppy mess," Barnes said. "My feelings on the race (are) maybe he needed to be a little closer. He just got behind horses and was getting hit with a lot of dirt. But, that race is behind us and we've moved on to Baltimore now. We look forward to capturing this race if we can."

Barnes said Improbable will get his first look at Pimlico's main track Thursday morning. Baffert is expected to arrive later in the day.

"He'll just have his normal gallop routine. He'll gallop a mile and a half probably," Barnes said. "I'll discuss it with Bob. We brought a few other horses here so they'll probably go out first and he'll probably go out first after the break."

Laughing Fox, Owendale, and Warrior's Charge, also on the flight from Louisville, Ky. to Baltimore, arrived in a second van immediately after Improbable.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen was on hand to watch the colt walk and settle into Pimlico's stakes barn.

"He made it in in good shape. He's got a very good attitude and the weather couldn't be any nicer than it is right now, so hopefully we'll have a good week," Asmussen said. "Laughing Fox will go to the track in the morning when it's warm enough where we can give him a bath."

Earlier in the afternoon, Bourbon War, who most recently finished fourth in the March 30 Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, arrived at Pimlico by van from Belmont Park.

Alwaysmining and Win Win Win will join the mix at Pimlico May 16.

Evan Hammonds contributed to this article.