Kentucky Derby winner Justify drew the No. 7 post position for Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Justify, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, is a 1-to-2 favorite at the event despite a bruised heel suffered when running in the rain-soaked, muddy conditions while winning the Kentucky Derby earlier this month. Justify galloped 1 1/2 miles at Churchill Downs last Thursday to test out the injury and appears to be good to go.
"He went great," Elliott Walden, president and racing manager of Justify co-owner WinStar Farms, told reporters after the test run. "The last couple of days he's looked good. You never know until you go to the track, but he looked super out there."
Similar conditions are expected at the Preakness, with heavy rain pounding the Baltimore area this week.
"You can't control it," Justify trainer Bob Baffert said. "We're not going to do a lot with him. The track is pretty wet, but we're all in the same boat."
Baffert said the eight-horse field for the Preakness, compared to 20 for the Kentucky Derby, lessens concerns with post position. Justify is undefeated in four starts, and Baffert has won the Preakness six times.
Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic is 3-to-1 out of the No. 5 post position, followed by Quip at 12-to-1 out of the No. 1 post.
Lone Sailor is 15-to-1 out of the No. 2 post, while Tenfold (No. 6) and Bravazo (No. 8) are 20-to-1. Sporting Chance (No. 3) and Diamond King (No. 4) round out the pack at 30-to-1.
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