Preakness Field to Include Zito's CP West

Trainer Nick Zito has confirmed that the CP West, runner-up in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes, will run in the 2007 Preakness this Saturday at Pimlico. This now brings to eight the number of horses expected to start in the middle jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown.

Zito made the decision after the colt breezed four furlongs in 0:47.24 at Belmont Park -- the second-fastest time of 105 timed workouts at that distance.

In other Preakness Contender news...

While Domenico Zannino's Xchanger missed the Derby, he will be at the post at Pimlico. While Zannino acknowledged the competition Xchanger faces from Curlin, Street Sense and Hard Spun, he expects some advantage from the fact that Xchanger has had a four-week layoff, rather than two.
Jockey Mario Pino will be the local favorite as he again rides Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun in the Preakness.
Frozen out in yet another Derby, Todd Pletcher will make an appearance at Preakness 132 in the form of King of the Roxy, who came in second in the Santa Anita Derby. This will not be King's first race with Street Sense; the two horses shared the track at the Breeders' Cup. Street Sense, of course, won by a record-breaking 10 lengths, while King of the Roxy finished eight (can someone say "longshot"?).
Untested Mint Slewlep will be appearing in the Preakness Stakes. The 3-year-old son of Slew City Slew has run three times this year, posting a fifth in the Gotham and fourth in the Withers (both Grade 3).

In all, something in the range of 11 horses are expected to meet for this year's big race at Pimlico. Street Sense remains the Preakness odds favorite after his astonishing come-from-behind victory in the Derby.

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