Kentucky Derby champion Nyquist was made a 3-to-5 favorite Wednesday for the 141st Preakness, with the unbeaten bay colt starting third from the rail in Saturday's race.

"It's perfect," said Nyquist trainer Doug O'Neill of his horse's start gate in the 11-horse field at Pimlico.

Nyquist, 8-0, is trying to become the 13th horse to sweep US flat racing's Triple Crown by taking the Derby, Preakness and next month's Belmont Stakes.

American Pharoah won the Triple Crown last year to end a 37-year drought.

The 1 3/16ths-of-a-mile Preakness is the shortest event of the three.

Derby runner-up Exaggerator, who lost by 1 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs, was second in the eyes of oddsmakers at 3-1 and drew the fifth position with Stradivari, made the third choice at 8-1, starting on the outside.

Japanese-bred Lani, ninth in the Derby, will start sixth.

The field also includes Cherry Wine, Uncle Lino, Awesome Speed, Collected, Laoban, Fellowship and Abiding Star.

Nyquist jogged two miles Wednesday at Pimlico.

"He looked great," O'Neill said. "We're just looking for him to continue what he has been doing here since he's been in Baltimore -- keep his appetite up, stay injury-free and stay loose." 

Nyquist owner J. Paul Reddam, O'Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez also won the Derby in 2012 with I'll Have Another, which won the Derby and Preakness but scratched with a tendon injury the morning before the Belmont Stakes.

Nyquist is set to gallop Thursday morning and jog Friday at Pimlico.

Exaggerator trainer Keith Desormeaux is optimistic about his horse's chances.

"Exaggerator has much more racing experience, therefore fitness and the attribute of recovering quickly," Desormeaux said. "So I think I have the fitter horse and, to tell you the truth, the fresher horse going into Saturday."

Nyquist, a son of Uncle Mo and named after Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist, is seeking to become the second undefeated Triple Crown winner, joining Seattle Slew in 1977.

Source :AFP