Improbable 5-2 Morning Line Favorite in Preakness

With the first four finishers across the wire in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) passing the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1), Improbable, the fourth-place finisher (fifth before the disqualification of Maximum Security) was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Improbable drew post four for the $1.5 million Preakness May 15 at Power Plant Live! In downtown Baltimore. Second on the morning line is Gary Barber's War of Will (4-1), who drew the rail in a field of 13.

Elliott Walden, president of WinStar Farm, said he was "happy" with post four for Improbable, a son of City Zip who is owned by WinStar, China Horse Club International, and Starlight Racing and trained by seven-time Preakness winner Bob Baffert.

"We're fine," Walden said. "Posts are usually anti-climactic in the Preakness because there are no more than 12-14 horses and there's a long stretch. We have Mike Smith riding him and he'll know what to do."

Improbable, who was bred by Ian Banwell's St. George Farm and G. Watts Humphrey Jr. in Kentucky, was second in the second division of the Rebel Stakes (G2) and second in the Arkansas Derby (G1) before the Run for the Roses.

For Mark Casse, who trains the multiple graded stake- winning War of Will, déjà vu was not a pleasant experience. After landing the rail in the Kentucky Derby, Gary Barber's 3-year-old son of War Front  will once again break from post one.

"The odds of getting post one in the Derby and Preakness are 260-1," Casse said. "Nothing is ever easy. I would have preferred to draw outside, but it is what is and we have to deal with it."

In the Derby, War of Will broke from post 2 after drawing the one hole with the scratches of Omaha Beach and Haikal.

War of Will was bumped by Maximum Security in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby and was elevated from eighth to seventh. He was bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Limited.

Peter Redekop B.C.'s Anothertwistafate wound up with post 12 in the field of 13, but trainer Blaine Wright saw a silver lining in it.

"He's a big, long-striding horse so we wanted to get him outside," Wright said about the son of Scat Daddy. "It's OK. We wanted somewhere between 7-9 but we'll be fine."

Anothertwistafate, who was third most recently in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3), was bred by Pursuit of Success in Kentucky. He was pegged at 6-1 in the morning line.

Runnymede Racing's Alwaysmining, a winner of six straight, drew post seven and will be ridden by Daniel Centeno. The Stay Thirsty  gelding, bred in Maryland by Avla Pitts, will attempt to become the first Maryland-bred Preakness winner since the Bill Boniface-trained Deputed Testamony in 1983.

"It's our first time we've been through something like this," said Runnymede's Greg Bentley. "We drew number seven. Our son, Andrew, when he was young always rooted for number seven. Wouldn't it be great for this horse to win his seventh in a row as number seven."

Alwaysmining, a private purchase last summer, won Laurel Park's Federico Tesio Stakes in his last outing on April 20. He is trained by Kelly Rubley, who will saddle her first Preakness starter and hopes to become the first female to condition a classic winner.

Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable's Bourbon War, second in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and fourth in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1), drew post 2. Trained by Mark Hennig, the son of Tapit  will  be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and will be equipped with blinkers for the first time.

"At least we aren't going to get hung out wide and he'll be a little more tractable with the blinkers, Hennig said. "He can fall in behind the pacesetter and save some ground.

"The blinkers are to put him a little more into the bridle," Hennig continued. "We tried breezing him in them and they seemed to make him a little more aggressive. We're not looking for him to be on the lead, but like in the Florida Derby Code of Honor started his run before we did and we ended up having to around him. Going wide cost us some ground. We just want to get first run on some horses. We've been getting second and third run on some horses and it has cost a placing a time or two."

Hennig is saddling his first runner in the Preakness in 15 years. He sent out Personal Hope to a fourth-place finish in 1993 and Eddington finished third in 2004.

Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables' Warrior's Charge is 12-1 on the morning line and will break from post 3 under Javier Castellano. He's one of two runners for trainer Brad Cox, who also will send out Lexington Stakes winner Owendale for Jim Rupp's Rupp Racing. The two will be the first classic starters for Cox.

"We're near the rail and hopefully we'll break well and get a good trip on or right off the lead," said Ten Strike Racing's Marshall Graham. "We put up the supplemental payment, so sure, I've handicapped the race and we fit numbers-wise. It will be interesting to see what the pace is, and if we can be out there under a favorable pace scenario, we have a big shot."

Warrior's Charge, by Munnings , has won his last two but the Preakness will be his first against stakes company.

Bob Ehalt contributed to this article.

The full draw with morning line odds:

(Post, Horse, Jockey, Odds)

1. War of Will, Tyler Gaffalione, 4-1

2. Bourbon War, Irad Ortiz Jr., 12-1

3. Warrior's Charge, Javier Castellano, 12-1

4. Improbable, Mike Smith, 5-2

5. Owendale, Florent Geroux, 10-1

6. Market King, Jon Court, 30-1

7. Alwaysmining, Daniel Centeno, 8-1

8. Signalman, Brian Hernandez Jr., 30-1

9. Bodexpress, John Velazquez, 20-1

10. Everfast, Joel Rosario, 50-1

11. Laughing Fox, Ricardo Santana Jr., 20-1

12. Anothertwistafate, Jose Ortiz, 6-1

13. Win Win Win, Julian Pimentel, 15-1

This story will be updated.