The excitement is building for Saturday's Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, but one notable name will be missing from the starting gate. The draw for the 14-horse field was announced Monday, and as previously confirmed, Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo will not be running.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux made the difficult decision to give Golden Tempo a breather after his stunning Derby victory earlier this month. "Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time," DeVaux explained. "His health, happiness and long-term future will always remain our top priority."
While Preakness fans won't see the Derby champ on Saturday, there's still hope for a Triple Crown showdown. DeVaux confirmed plans to run Golden Tempo at the Belmont Stakes on June 6, giving the star colt roughly a month to recover between races.
This year's Preakness is being called a wide-open affair, with no clear favorite dominating the conversation. The 14-horse field will break from the gate at 7:01 p.m. ET, and here's how they'll line up:
1. Taj Mahal (Sheldon Russell)
2. Ocelli (Tyler Gaffalione)
3. Crupper (Junior Alvarado)
4. Robusta (Rafael Bejarano)
5. Talkin (Irad Ortiz Jr.)
6. Chip Honcho (Jose Ortiz)
7. The Hell We Did (Luis Saez)
8. Bull By The Horns (Micah Husbands)
9. Iron Honor (Flavien Prat)
10. Napoleon Solo (Paco Lopez)
11. Corona de Oro (John Velazquez)
12. Incredibolt (Jaime Torres)
13. Great White (Alex Achard)
14. Pretty Boy Miah (Ricardo Santana Jr.)
The post positions were determined by random draw, adding another layer of intrigue to what promises to be an unpredictable race. Whether you're cheering for a longshot or a contender, this Preakness is shaping up to be one for the history books.