Animal Kingdom may arrive at Preakness on Saturday
May 16, 2011ELKTON, Md. (AP) - The trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom is strongly considering shipping his horse to Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, hours before the running of the Preakness.
After watching Animal Kingdom gallop a mile-and-a-half Monday at the rustic Fair Hill Training Center, trainer Graham Motion said he was ``leaning toward'' staying put until the day of the Preakness.
Motion says Fair Hill, with its small paddocks and vast green pastures, provides Animal Kingdom a ``much more natural environment'' for training.
That means Stall 40 at Pimlico, which traditionally houses the Derby winner, could remain empty until Saturday.
Motion was born in England, but has been based in Maryland for much of his career and has a full stable of horses at Fair Hill.
Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby at odds of 20-1.