And then there were 12.
The Preakness field jumped from nine to a dozen yesterday when three more starters confirmed their intentions to take on Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
Trainers for Icabad Crane, the winner of the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico; Hey Byrn, winner of the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park; and Riley Tucker, who has been in the money six times in seven lifetime starts, have declared plans to bring their horses to Baltimore.
Todd Pletcher said he will not make a decision on undefeated Harlem Rocker until later this weekend. If Pletcher decides to bring his colt, it will give the Preakness, once expecting as few as eight horses, a baker's dozen.
While none of the new entries are Maryland-bred, each has a Maryland connection. Icabad Crane is based at the Fair Hill Training Center and is trained by Graham Motion. Riley Tucker will be ridden by jockey Edgar Prado, who dominated Maryland racing in the 1990s. And Hey Byrn's trainer, Eddie Plesa, said he is bringing his horse because its owner, Beatrice Oxenberg, has relatives in Baltimore.
"She has family up in Baltimore and there's no reason why we shouldn't come," Plesa said. "She said she wants to come and taste the crab cakes."
Even Harlem Rocker has a Maryland connection: He is owned by Frank Stronach, head of Magna Entertainment Corp., which owns Pimlico and Laurel Park.
In other news, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, on the heels of The Jockey Club forming a committee to study equine health and safety, urged the industry to move "expeditiously" to adopt measures already suggested by the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.
"It is clear the status quo is not an option and we need to bring a renewed sense of urgency to these initiatives," NTRA president and CEO Alex Waldrop said.
sandra.mckee@baltsun.com
PREAKNESS FIELD
Confirmed starters
Horse ............Trainer .............Jockey .......................Last start
Big Brown Rick Dutrow Kent Desormeaux Kentucky Derby, 1st
Behindatthebar Todd Pletcher David Flores Lexington Stakes, 1st
Giant Moon Rick Schosberg Ramon Dominguez Wood Memorial, 4th
Hey Byrn Eddie Plesa TBA Holy Bull Stakes, 1st
Icabad Crane Graham Motion Jeremy Rose Tesio Stakes, 1st
Kentucky Bear Reade Baker Jamie Theriot Blue Grass Stakes, 3rd
