Also being considered are New York Hero, winner of the Lane's End Stakes, and Foufa's Warrior, third in the Illinois Derby and Crown Royal American Turf.
The field for the 128th Preakness Stakes in back up to 10 with the addition of Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Ten Cents a Shine, who is coming off an eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby at odds of 37-1.The son of Devil His Due had shown great promise at two under the care of Kenny McPeek, finishing second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. After dead-heating for win with Senor Swinger in a Gulfstream allowance race in his 3-year-old debut, the colt fell apart, turning in dismal efforts in the Fountain of Youth, San Felipe, and Blue Grass Stakes, in which he was beaten an average of 27 lengths, including a 43-length drubbing in the Blue Grass.Following the Fountain of Youth he was turned over to D. Wayne Lukas, who has been trying to straighten the colt out mentally, while also dealing with a tooth problem. He promised Ramsey he would not be embarrassed in the Kentucky Derby, and he was right. Beating half the field, while being forced to go extremely wide turning for home, was a big step in the right direction, considering he was beaten only 7 1/2 lengths."I was told that, taking into consideration the ground he lost, he ran the fastest final half-mile in the Derby," Lukas said. "We've been looking at the Preakness all along. He's had a good 10 days. He's not perfect by any means, and will still be a better horse later on, but he's made great headway, and his style will suit the Preakness, with all the speed in there."Lukas said Pat Valenzuela will ride Ten Cents a Shine, who will ship to Pimlico on Wednesday with Lukas' other Preakness starter, Scrimshaw, who finished 11th in the Derby after capturing the Coolmore Lexington Stakes.William S. Farish's Midway Road, an 11 3/4-length allowance winner at Keeneland in his last start, has been confirmed a definite starter by trainer Neil Howard.
