The Preakness field swelled to 12 horses yesterday with the additions of Allied Forces and In Contention.
Allied Forces, who won Pimlico's Woodlawn Stakes on the grass May 4, will bring trainer Kiaran McLaughlin back to Maryland for the third straight Saturday.
McLaughlin said he will take the same Saturday flight from New York that he took for Allied Forces' win two weeks ago and Key of Luck's second in the Pimlico Special last Saturday.
"We're entered to run and we're going to be there," said McLaughlin, who persuaded owner Ahmed al Tayer to take the horse off the turf once Unbridled's Song decided to bypass the Preakness.
"If we're going to try the dirt, we have to do it now and not September," said the trainer. "There is everything to gain and nothing to lose. We can always go back to grass. There's only one Preakness."
Richard Migliore will ride Allied Forces.
In Contention, the 15th finisher in the Kentucky Derby, has seven victories in 15 tries and was second to Unbridled's Song in the Wood Memorial.
Assistant trainer Joe Evans said the horse probably will be shipped to Pimlico on race day because "we're not that far away [Philadelphia Park]."
No jockey has been named. Tony Black has ridden the Devil's Bag colt in his last eight starts.
Meanwhile, Nick Zito decided to start only Louis Quatorze, reserving Diligence for the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park May 26 and Saratoga Dandy for the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard.
Zito continued to show enthusiasm over gaining Pat Day to ride Louis Quatorze.
"He's one of the greatest jockeys of all time," said Zito. "He's the Sermon on the Mount. It's an honor to have a great jockey like that on your horse for the Preakness."
Day rode Star Standard, trained by Zito, to a front-running victory in last Saturday's $600,000 Pimlico Special.
Jockeys named
Two more jockeys were named to Preakness mounts yesterday.
D. Wayne Lukas has chosen Rene Douglas to handle Victory Speech, owned by Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier.
On the other Lukas entries, Jerry Bailey succeeded Day on Prince of Thieves and Gary Stevens rides Editor's Note.
Trainer Angel Cordero selected Jorge Velasquez to pilot Feather Box after Migliore took off to ride Allied Forces.
Cara Rafaela favored
The Lukas-trained filly Cara Rafaela has been made the early-line 2-to-1 favorite for tomorrow's $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.
A field of eight 3-year-old females is lined up for the Grade 2 race over 1 1/8 miles. Lukas won last year's Black-Eyed Susan with the great Serena's Song.
Cara Rafaela has tested the best fillies in the country during a 14-race career that includes three victories, seven seconds and earnings approaching $800,000.
She was third in the Kentucky Oaks to Pike Place Dancer in her most recent outing.
Ginny Lynn, an impressive winner of the National Jockey Club Oaks at Sportsman's Park April 28, is listed the 7-to-2 second choice followed by Birr -- sixth in Kentucky -- at 4-to-1.
New York-based Little Miss Fast is rated 5-to-1 followed by local runners Hay Let's Dance and Silent Greeting at 6-to-1.
The Ruler's Sister and Mesabi Maiden complete the field.
2-year-old sale Monday
Fasig-Tipton, Midatlantic, Inc., will conduct its annual 2-year-olds-in-training sale Monday at the Timonium sales pavilion.
Nearly 400 catalogued horses will be up for bid beginning at 10 a.m. with the sale to continue through the evening.
"Looking at the sire lines, I would judge this to be our best ever 2-year-olds-in-training sale," said auctioneer T. Mason Grasty.
Prospective buyers can get a close-up look at the stock at an under tack show Sunday at the Timonium track starting at 10 a.m. Approximately 90 percent of the horses in the sale will be breezed and timed by an official clocker.
Faster and Farther wins
Faster and Farther, a 30-to-1 long shot, scored a front-running victory under Mario Verge in yesterday's feature, the $30,000-added Gala Lil Stakes.
Majora and Edgar Prado survived a foul claim to finish second over Aileen's Countess and Frank Douglas during a roughly run stretch.
Pub Date: 5/16/96
