HORSE RACING

• Preakness decision soon for Mine That Bird

  
  

  Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - A decision is expected soon regarding Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird's entry into the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday, May 16.

  "The Preakness was not on our radar leading up to the Derby but we are absolutely going to look at it," trainer Bennie "Chip" Woolley said. "We are still trying to grasp what happened (Saturday). First time in the Derby and to win it at 50-1, it is a humbling experience." Owned by Double Eagle Farm and Bueno Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird shocked the racing world as a 50-1 longshot victor of Saturday's 135th Run for the Roses. He covered the 1 1/4 miles on a sloppy track in 2:02.66 with jockey Calvin Borel duplicating his 2007 Kentucky Derby winning ride aboard Street Sense.

  "The one-run was definitely the plan and we had talked about being eight-to-10 (lengths) from the lead," Woolley said. "I had felt all along that's where the horse needed to be, but we had just never gotten that trip. When he got annihilated leaving there (starting gate), this is a little horse, he's not very big, and when he got banged around leaving there, we were really concerned right away about that. I had told the press before that he couldn't take a bunch of beating, so when he got shuffled that far back, I actually wasn't too high on my chances when he came by me at the grandstand way last. But the horse responded and Calvin did a super job of riding the horse. So we're just lucky to have been there." Trainer Gary Stute announced that Papa Clem, who finished fourth at Churchill Downs, is a definite Preakness starter. The Arkansas Derby winner is scheduled to arrive at the Pimlico stakes barn next Wednesday, May 13.

  "I looked at the charts and I was only beaten a nose and a head for second," Stute said. "To be honest Baffert's horse (Pioneerof the Nile) came over and bumped me. If it were a normal race there might have been an inquiry. With any luck we could have been second." Other possible Preakness starters from the Kentucky Derby include runner-up Pioneerof the Nile, third place finisher Musket Man, Join in the Dance (7th), General Quarters (10th) and betting favorite Friesan Fire (18th).

  05/04 10:06:03 ET