Midnight Bourbon breezed a half-mile Monday morning in his final move prior to the May 15 Preakness Stakes.
El Camino Real Derby winner Rombauer came out of his final pre-Preakness breeze in good order, his trainer said.
The Maryland Jockey Club has adopted a wait-and-see posture towards the possibility of Medina Spirit’s running in the Preakness.
Crowded Trade, Risk Taking, and Unbridled Honor – all New York-based runners from powerful barns – had their final pre-Preakness moves Saturday.
Midnight Bourbon, a rallying sixth in the Kentucky Derby, will face the starter in the May 15 Preakness, trainer Steve Asmussen said.
Trainer Brad Cox said today he would not start either Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun or Arkansas Derby runner-up Caddo River in the Preakness.
Keepmeinmind, who rallied from the rear to finish seventh in the Kentucky Derby, will likely run back in the Preakness, his trainer said.
Crowded Trade, in the money all three career starts but with just a maiden win, must “step up” to factor in the Preakness, his trainer says.
Two-year-old champion Essential Quality, a close-up fourth in the Kentucky Derby, will bypass the Preakness, as will Lexington winner King Fury.
Concert Tour, who skipped the Kentucky Derby after finishing third in the Arkansas Derby, will make his next start in the Preakness.