Velazquez Stays Aboard Animal Kingdom for 2011 Preakness Stakes

Team Valor International spokesman Barry Irwin told post-race Kentucky Derby interviewers that replacing injured Robby Albarado with John Velazquez on Animal Kingdom was a difficult decision, one made for the best interests of the Team Valor partnership. Animal Kingdom, a 20-1 longshot, beat his rivals to the Derby wire by 2-3/4 lengths May 7, 2011.

Velazquez and Albarado Man-Up

Albarado was injured in a racing accident the Wednesday before the Derby, breaking his nose and later requiring cosmetic surgery. However, he raced two days later in a man-up performance to convince Team Valor that he could get Animal Kingdom to the Derby gate.

In the meantime, five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, trying to get 2010 Juvenile Male Champion Uncle Mo to the starting gate, determined the colt hadn't recovered well enough from a gastrointestinal tract infection to compete. He scratched Uncle Mo on Friday, cutting the starting lineup to 19 and nipping Sway Away off the "also-eligible" list. Velazquez lost the ride on Uncle Mo. Pletcher called Irwin and suggested Velazquez was available to ride Animal Kingdom if Albarado could not.

Velazquez got the ride and his first ever Kentucky Derby victory. Then he gave half his Derby winnings of $141,180 to Albarado, a good friend, because he was so distraught with the turn of events that put him on his first Derby winner. Both jockeys were 0 for 12 with previous Derby mounts.

Preakness Stakes 2011 Lineup

Albarado will be back in action May 21, 2011, Saturday, in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland for the 136th running of the race. But he won't be on Animal Kingdom. It appears that Velazquez has inherited that ride for at least as long as Animal Kingdom continues to win in the remainder of the Triple Crown series, which would next include the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, June 11.

Only five Kentucky Derby starters return for the Preakness, second leg of the American Triple Crown. Besides Animal Kingdom, Shackleford, Midnight Interlude, Mucho Macho Man, and Dialed In will compete once again.

Albarado will ride King Congie from Gate Three. King Congie enters from a third place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes to Brilliant Speed, who went seventh in the Derby. Badge of Silver sired King Congie. Albarado rode Preakness winner Curlin, eventual two-time Horse of the Year, in 2007.

Sway Away, who was cut off from the Derby eligible list when Uncle Mo scratched, will get his chance in the Preakness, breaking from Gate Six. "Also-eligible" lists are not used for the Kentucky Derby, although they are in daily racing. Garrett Gomez, 0 for five in Derby competition, rides Sway Away, an Afleet Alex son who last finished fourth in the Arkansas Derby to winner Archarcharch, who went 15th in the Derby.

Preakness Gate One will be occupied by A.P. Indy son Astrology, a second place finisher in The Jerome and in the Sunland Derby, where he lost to Twice The Appeal. Three-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel (Street Sense 2007, Mine That Bird 2009, and Super Saver 2010) rode Twice The Appeal in the 2011 Derby, finishing 10th. (Borel is also a Preakness winner, scoring in 2009 aboard filly Rachel Alexandra, who went unbeaten on the year and was later voted Horse of the Year.) Mike Smith is up on Astrology, trying for his second Preakness victory. He scored in 1993 on Prairie Bayou.

In Gate Two, Norman Asbjornson, ridden by Julian Pimentel, enters from his fourth place finish to Toby's Corner in the Wood Memorial. Toby's Corner sustained an injury and didn't compete in the Derby. Norman Asbjornson is a Real Quiet progeny. Real Quiet won the Derby and the Preakness in 1998.

Flashpoint, a Pomeroy son, breaks from Gate Four, and will be guided by Cornelio Velasquez (0-3), entering from his fourth place effort behind Dialed In in the Florida Derby. Dialed In finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby.

Forestry son Shackleford, fourth in the Derby, breaks from Gate Five. His rider is Jesus Castanon.

Bob Baffert-trained Midnight Interlude, only 16th in the Derby, will get a second shot from Preakness Gate Seven. Martin Garcia will attempt a two-for-two in the race, having brought home Lookin At Lucky last year in his first Preakness ride. War Chant sired Midnight Interlude.

Gate Eight will house Dance City, a City Zip son ridden by Ramon Dominguez, 0 for 8 in the event. Dance City enters from a third place finish in the Arkansas.

In Gate Nine, Mucha Macho Man, third in the Derby, will attempt to get a woman trainer, Kathy Ritvo, to the winner's circle. The Macho Uno son is piloted by Rajiv Maragh.

Dialed In launches from Gate Ten. Eighth in the Derby, Dialed In is the charge of top trainer Nick Zito. His jockey is Julien Leparoux, who triumphed in the race in 2008 with another Macho progeny, Macho Again.

Breaking from Gate Eleven is Animal Kingdon, son of Leroidesanimaux. Velazquez will try for the fourth time to get to the Preakness winner's circle.

Gate Twelve features an Edgar Prado mount, Isn't He perfect, and a Pleasantly Perfect son. Prado won the Derby on Barbaro in 2006, but has not captured a Preakness win in 13 attempts. Isn't He Perfect went fifth in The Jerome.

Concealed Identity, a Smarty Jones son, occupies Gate Thirteen. Smarty Jones won the Preakness in 2004, as well as the Derby. Sheldon Russell is aboard Concealed Identity, who enters from his victory in the Federico Tesio Stakes.

Victor Espinoza won the Black-Eyed Susans of the Preakness in 2002 with the great War Emblem. He tries for a second win from Gate Fourteen with Mr. Commons, an Artie Schiller son entering from his third place finish to Midnight Interlude in the Santa Anita Derby.

Jockeys Making Preakness Debuts

Pimentel (Norman Asbjornson), Castanon (Shackleford), Maragh (Mucho Macho Man), and Russell (Concealed Identity) will debut with first rides in the Preakness.

Post time for the 2011 Preakness is set for 6:20 p.m. ET under sunny skies and 82 degrees. The winner's share of the $1M purse is $600,000. NBC will broadcast the race, beginning with pre-race coverage at 4:30 p.m. ET.