Two join Preakness field

Hey Byrn, Icabad Crane latest confirmed starters; Harlem Rocker probable

The Associated Press
5:26 PM EDT, May 9, 2008

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Big Brown has not scared off all the 3-year-old horses with his overpowering victory in the Kentucky Derby.

The probable field for next Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico grew to 13 today, with only fifth-place Derby finisher Recapturetheglory taking another shot at the unbeaten colt trained by Rick Dutrow Jr.

Hey Byrn and Icabad Crane were the latest confirmed starters today, joining fellow new shooters Behindatthebar, Giant Moon, Kentucky Bear, Racecar Rhapsody, Riley Tucker, Stevil, Tres Borrachos and Yankee Bravo. Harlem Rocker remained a possible starter.

Hey Byrn comes into the 1 3/16th-mile Preakness off a victory in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., but did not have enough graded stakes earnings to make the Derby field.

Icabad Crane won the Frederico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico on April 19.

Big Brown ran away from 19 rivals in the Derby, and a Preakness win would set up a Triple Crown attempt at the Belmont Stakes on June 7. It's been 30 years since Affirmed became the 11th and last Triple Crown champion. Since then, there have been 10 horses to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown and fail in the Belmont, including six in the past 11 years.

Big Brown, ridden by three-time Derby winner Kent Desormeaux, will be the heavy favorite in the race that comes two weeks after the Derby. The short turnaround has given others hope.

"Let's not get Big Brown in the Hall of Fame too soon here," Kentucky Bear trainer Reade Baker said. "He certainly was the best of those horses (in the Derby). What I'd be more concerned with, where Big Brown is vulnerable, if we were handicapping any other race, the handicapper would say there's a horse that carried 126 and he's going to run back in two weeks off a peak effort. The wise guys would say he's going to bounce. How come he can't bounce now?"

Even if Big Brown is by far the best, there's a decent payoff for running second or third in the $1 million Preakness. The winner's share is $600,000, with $200,000 for second and $100,000 for third.

"If Big Brown runs back to the Derby or his race in Florida, I don't think anyone can beat him," said Aaron Cohen, racing manager for Icabad Crane owner Earle I. Mack. "But based on the other horses running, I think we have a chance; and second- or third-place money in the Preakness isn't bad."

Behindatthebar and Harlem Rocker, both trained by Todd Pletcher, are coming off victories. Behindatthebar won the Lexington Stakes, while Harlem Rocker is 3-0 after winning the Withers at Aqueduct on April 26.

Big Brown went for a mile jog this morning at rainy Churchill Downs, the third day in a row the colt was unable to gallop because of the wet conditions.

Plans call for Big Brown to be shipped to Pimlico on Wednesday, the day of the post position draw. After the Preakness, Big Brown is scheduled to ship to Belmont Park.

Also at Churchill, Racecar Rhapsody is scheduled for a five-furlong workout Saturday; Stevil galloped 1½ miles two days prior to his final Preakness tuneup Monday; Recapturetheglory is set to be vanned to Baltimore on Saturday night, and Tres Borrachos will have a final workout Tuesday before being shipped out the next day.

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Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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