Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) will bid to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive when he lines up in the second leg of the US Triple Crown, the Gr1 Preakness Stakes, at Pimlico this Saturday.

The 2017 Gr1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner, whose other victories include this year’s Gr1 Florida Derby, will be looking to land his fifth win, from just seven outings, when he lines up in Saturday’s $1.5 million race.

Trainer Todd Pletcher was pleased with his colt’s draw of four, saying, “Like I said before, I wasn’t overly concerned about where we drew. He was 4 in the Florida Derby, 5 in the Kentucky Derby. He’s generally a very alert horse away from the gate. He’s a good horse standing in the gate. I guess if you were hand selecting wherever you drew maybe you’d like to be outside of Conquest Mo Money. As we know, in a lot of races things change as soon as the gates open. We’ll just let him run his race. I don’t think [Classic Empire being in Post 5] matters, as long as everybody breaks cleanly. I would imagine that Classic Empire is going to keep an eye on where we are. The first and second choices are side by side.”

Pletcher is yet to win the Preakness.

Always Dreaming will once again be re-opposed by Lookin At Lee (Lookin At Lucky), who was second (at odds of 33-1) in the Kentucky Derby, as well as 2016 US Champion 2YO Colt Classic Empire.  The latter, who shares his sire Pioneerof The Nile with American Pharoah –the last horse to sweep the Triple Crown, had a rough trip when fourth in the Kentucky Derby and looks to have a big chance here. 

Two other Kentucky Derby contenders, the also-rans Gunnevera (Dialed In) and Hence (Street Boss) also re-oppose Always Dreaming on Saturday, while newcomers to the classic include Gr3 Gotham Stakes runner up and Gr2 Wood Memorial Stakes third Cloud Computing (Maclean’s Music), Gr1 Arkansas Derby runner up Conquest Mo Money (Uncle Mo), Gr3 Lexington Stakes winner Senior Investment (Discreetly Mine), and Gr3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes winner Term Of Art (Tiznow), who was third in the Gr2 San Felipe Stakes to now retired Gr1 winner Mastery (Candy Ride).

Interestingly, Gr3 Illinois Derby winner and Preakness starter Multiplier (The Factor) is out of a mare by reigning champion South African sire Trippi (End Sweep).