Kentucky Derby winner Mage will run in the Preakness at Pimlico on May 20

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Derby winner Mage will run in the 148th Preakness following an encouraging workout at Churchill Downs, its co-owner said.

Mage galloped about 1 1/2 miles at a brisk pace with exercise rider J.J. Delgado aboard on a cloudy but mild Friday morning at the track. Co-owner and bloodstock agent Ramiro Restrepo said the chestnut colt was “thriving” with good energy levels after his latest training session since winning the 149th Derby, paving the way for the horse to enter the Triple Crown’s second jewel at Pimlico in Baltimore.

“He’s had a magnificent week of training,” Restrepo said with co-owner Chase Chamberlin, co-founder and racing director of partner CMNWLTH. “[Trainer] Gustavo Delgado [Jr.] was just really pleased and over the moon of how he’s come back. He’s shown all the positive signs. So, it’s on to Baltimore and crab cakes, here we come.”

Mage is coming off a one-length victory over Two Phil’s in the Derby at 15-1 odds after charging into contention entering the stretch. The son of Good Magic and Puca by 2008 Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown earned a signature win after running second and fourth in the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth, respectively. He didn’t run as a 2-year-old but won his debut at Gulfstream by nearly four lengths.

Mage will run in the 1 3/16th mile Preakness on May 20, just two weeks after covering 1 1/4 miles in the Derby in 2:01.57. Restrepo said the horse has done everything he did before the Derby, with his recovery being monitored after his longest trip.

He will train again on Saturday morning before being driven to Baltimore with another workout planned on Monday. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who won his first Derby in 16 attempts, will again have the mount.

“We’ve been just monitoring that situation with all the love that he’s shown us on the racetrack,” Restrepo added. “We’re trying to bestow that upon him and give him the time to show us what’s up and everything that he did prior to the Derby.

“It’s continued all the way through, so that type of consistency merits a shot at the Preakness.”

At least three other runners are primed to join the Preakness field, the Maryland Jockey Club said Friday, including Bob Baffert trainee National Treasure.

Baffert, who is still serving a suspension at Churchill Downs, had previously transferred the colt to his former assistant Tim Yakteen for Kentucky Derby consideration, according to a report in The Courier-Journal out of Louisville. But the horse did not garner enough points to join the field, even after finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and third in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes as a 3-year-old, and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and second in the American Pharoah Stakes as a 2-year-old.

Now, the son of Quality Road will give the Hall of Fame trainer a shot at his record eighth Preakness win.

Perform, trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey III, earned a spot in the Preakness field by winning Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park last month. The colt has had two timed workouts at Belmont Park since then, breezing four furlongs and five furlongs.

And trainer Brad Cox is pointing First Mission, winner of the Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland last month, toward the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

Two Derby horses, fourth-place finisher Disarm and 10th-place finisher Confidence Game, are also under consideration, the Maryland Jockey Club said.

Disarm’s trainer, Steven Asmussen, is also working out Red Route One, who earned a free spot in the Preakness by winning the Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Baltimore Banner editor Brandon Weigel contributed to this report.

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