Preakness Stakes: Workout for Itsmyluckyday postponed

Preakness Stakes contender Itsmyluckyday had a training session postponed due to a hard surface and will look to hit the racetrack tomorrow in preparation for the 138th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Itsmyluckyday trained well coming into the Kentucky Derby, and, according to his trainer and co-owner, Eddie Plesa Jr., he’s been just as good coming out. It’s what happened in between, though, that mattered most, and, unfortunately for those connected to him, Itsmyluckyday did not run to his potential at Churchill Downs, finishing 15th.

Plesa immediately sent Itsmyluckyday to Monmouth Park, where Plesa – who is based in south Florida – keeps a string of runners for the summer. It was there on Saturday where Plesa hoped to give Itsmyluckyday his final workout before next Saturday’s 138th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, but wet weather caused Plesa to postpone the work.

“It rained all night, and I think the track was a little on the hard side,” Plesa said Saturday morning by telephone from New Jersey. “I’m hoping to do it tomorrow, or Monday, before we ship out to Pimlico on Tuesday. Or he won’t work, if the weather stays bad.”

Itsmyluckyday did have a routine gallop, but Plesa did not want to do more than that with Itsmyluckyday.

“When it gets wet here, it gets hard,” Plesa said.

Itsmyluckyday had a terrific prep season in South Florida, including a runner-up finish behind Orb – the subsequent Kentucky Derby winner – in the Florida Derby. He made a positive appearance in his gallops leading up to the Derby, looking better as the week progressed. But on the sloppy, sealed track at Churchill Downs, he never got closer than sixth, and steadily faded the final half of the race, finishing 22 1/4 lengths behind Orb.

“He trained too good to run that badly,” Plesa said. “He’s been training the same way here as at Churchill Downs.”

The Preakness field currently numbers 11. Street Spice, fifth in the Illinois Derby, will not run, trainer Greg Geier informed Pimlico officials on Saturday, but the field will include Mylute, whom trainer Tom Amoss confirmed as a starter after the gray colt went through a routine gallop well before dawn Saturday over a muddy and harrowed track at Churchill Downs.

Governor Charlie, as well as three D. Wayne Lukas-trained Preakness contenders – Oxbow, Titletown Five, and Will Take Charge – also could work Monday at Churchill. Departing was scheduled to work there on Sunday.

Orb, who beat runner-up Golden Soul by 2 1/2 lengths in the Derby, is expected to be made a solid favorite for the Preakness when entries are taken, and post positions drawn, on Wednesday.

Both Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Derby fourth-place finisher Normandy Invasion galloped 1 1/2 miles Saturday at Belmont.

Orb galloped over a sealed, muddy main track shortly after 6 a.m. and again looked happy under exercise rider Jennifer Patterson.

Orb was scheduled to work Monday morning and van to Pimlico later that day.

Four hours later, Normandy Invasion made another good appearance galloping a strong 1 1/2 miles over the back-raked muddy training track under exercise rider Javier Herrera.

For the second time this week, Normandy Invasion made it back to his barn just before heavy rains began to fall.

Trainer Chad Brown has still not decided whether to run or not, but has said the colt would not have a workout even if he decided to run.