Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed May 7 that Titletown Five will be entered in the May 18 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Race Course. This would give Lukas three starters in the race for the second time in his career. Oxbow , sixth in the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr.I), and Will Take Charge , eighth, are also scheduled to compete in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
Lukas decided to add Titletown Five to the roster of Preakness candidates after the Tiznow colt worked four furlongs in :47 3/5 the morning of May 7 at Churchill Downs, fifth fastest of 35 moves recorded at the distance. Titletown Five has a record of 1-2-1 from seven starts for a partnership group that includes Lukas, Paul Hornung, Ed Martin, and William Davis. In his most recent outing, he was fourth in Churchill's Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III) April 27.
"We flirted with the idea of going into the Kentucky Derby and late additions bumped us from that," Lukas said. "He has been doing so well lately and today just highlighted that. It was a brilliant work and a great gallop out. I just thought that it was a good spot maybe to try him. He's an exceptional horse. He's very talented with good tactical speed. He'll make some noise there."
Lukas saddled Editor's Note (third), Victory Speech (fifth), and Prince of Thieves (seventh) in the 1996 Preakness. If all three starters go to the post this year, it will extend his Preakness record to 40 competitors, including winners Codex (1980), Tank's Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995), and Charismatic (1999).
