Authentic Draws Post Nine; 11 Entered In 2020 Preakness Stakes

Kentucky Derby winner Authentic will be the 9-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, and drew post nine of 11 in the 1 3/16-mile contest. Hall of Famers John Velazquez and Bob Baffert will team up again to try to win two of three legs of this unique 2020 edition of the Triple Crown.

Second choice on the morning line at 5-2 will be Blue Grass Stakes winner Art Collector, who missed the Kentucky Derby with a minor cut to his hoof suffered on Monday of Derby week. The talented colt is fully healed, according to trainer Tommy Drury, and will break from post position three under regular jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr.

Trainer Ken McPeek will send out the Kentucky Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver from post position four in the Preakness Stakes, and the filly will get a new pilot in jockey Robby Albarado. She was tabbed at 6-1 on the morning line.

Baffert will also enter Kentucky Derby late scratch Thousand Words, who flipped over in the paddock and broke the wrist of assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. The difficult colt will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post position five, and is 6-1 on the morning line.

Kentucky Derby runner-up Tiz the Law decided to skip the Preakness, but third-place finisher Mr. Big News will enter the classic for trainer Bret Calhoun. The late-running colt will break from post two and is 12-1 on the morning line.

Additionally, trainer Steve Asmussen will send out three entrants in the 2020 Preakness Stakes: Excession (Post 1, 30-1), Max Player (Post 8, 15-1), and Pnuematic (Post 10, 20-1).

The full field, with jockey, trainer, and morning-line odds, is as follows:

1. Excession – Sheldon Russell – Steve Asmussen (30-1)
2. Mr. Big News – Gabriel Saez – Bret Calhoun (12-1)
3. Art Collector – Brian Hernandez, Jr. – Tommy Drury (5-2)
4. Swiss Skydiver – Robby Albarado – Ken McPeek (6-1)
5. Thousand Words – Florent Geroux – Bob Baffert (6-1)
6. Jesus’ Team – Jevian Toldeo – Jose D’Angelo (30-1)
7. Ny Traffic – Horacio Karamanos – Saffie Joseph, Jr. (15-1)
8. Max Player – Paco Lopez – Steve Asmussen (15-1)
9. Authentic – John Velazquez – Bob Baffert (9-5)
10. Pneumatic – Joe Bravo – Steve Asmussen (20-1)
11. Liveyourbeastlife – Trevor McCarthy – Jorge Abreu (30-1)

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