Trainer Phil Marino withdrew Lead Em Home as a Preakness horse yesterday and entered him instead in Saturday's $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes, assuring Torrid Sand his place in the field.

"The owner left it up to me. I think I was using my better judgment by taking him out," Marino said. "I may drop-kick myself by doing it. Believe me, he could have done all right in the Preakness.

"The Sir Barton is going to be almost as tough as the Preakness. This is my horse's home track and he loves it."