The Preakness Stakes will be commencing at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. On Wednesday, May 18, postpositions for the race will be pronounced.

Derby winner Animal Kingdom’s handlers did not authenticate that he would make the trip to Maryland until Monday afternoon, while it is generally considered given that the Kentucky Derby winner will take a shot at the Triple Crown by running the Preakness. In Preakness, Animal Kingdom is currently at 3-1 Odds.

This Maryland colt should have strong support and it will be running close to home. He will possibly have a full field to compete for the second time in as many races when the postpositions are pronounced.

Animal Kingdom will obviously be the favorite in spite of that odd hesitation and prime Preakness contender when he takes its shot at History at Pimlico. As attrition persists to zap probable 2011 Preakness contenders, the same cannot be said for at least 10 and of the horses that A.K. beat at Churchill Downs last weekend.

In the last 25 years, the average number of Derby horses in the Preakness is 5.4 and the average for the last 10 years is 5.0. In the last 25 years, the highest number of Derby horses in the Preakness was 10 in 1999 when the Charismatic won the Derby at odds of 31-1. In 2005, just two weeks after Giacomo won the Derby at 50-1.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, trampled Derby favorite Dialed In returned to the track at Churchill Downs and jogged once around the track. As per trainer Nick Zito, the horse came out of the race in good shape, the one who finished eighth last Saturday.