The picture of the field for the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico is beginning to become clear as the post position draw looms on Wednesday. The second jewel of the Triple Crown is scheduled to run on Saturday, May 21 and will feature the undefeated champion Nyquist.
Among his challengers will be Abiding Star who was questionable for the race due to the quarantine at his home base, Parx Racing, due to an equine herpsevirus outbreak. The quarantine was lifted on Tuesday and the colt was given the go-ahead to ship to Pimlico. Trained by Ned Allard, the bay colt is a homebred for longtime owner Gilbert Campbell’s Stonehedge Farm and is by Uncle Mo, the same sire as Nyquist.
Abiding Star has won five of his eleven starts and is undefeated so far this year. He has never faced graded stakes competition and was last seen defeating four rivals in a front-running victory in the Parx Derby. The colt was supplemented to the Triple Crown after winning the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park in March. The forecast is calling for rain and Abiding Star has already proven himself on an off track.
In other Preakness Stakes (G1) news, it was announced that multiple graded stakes winner Gun Runner, the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby (G1), would sit out the next leg of the Triple Crown and be freshened for the prestigious summer races for three-year-olds. He will continue to train at Churchill Downs for trainer Steve Asmussen as they map out the next portion of his sophomore campaign.
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