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As if Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown wasn't already a lock in Saturday's Preakness, a key defection yesterday makes his task even easier. Recapturetheglory, a bang-up fifth in the Derby, was declared out of the Preakness after spiking a fever at Churchill Downs.
Recapturetheglory, gate-to-wire winner of the Illinois Derby, was one of the few speed horses pointing for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Among the remaining dozen taking a shot at Big Brown, only Tres Borrachos and Giant Moon have early lick, and neither of them has Big Brown's speed.
"They don't want to leave Brown alone on the lead in the Preakness," warned trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.
Even with Recapturetheglory out, the field size for the Preakness remained steady at 12 definite starters. Macho Again, withdrawn from consideration Friday to run instead in the Ohio Derby, is back in, trainer Dallas Stewart said yesterday after the Derby Trial winner breezed a half-mile at Churchill Downs in :49.4.
"We feel we have an excellent shot of beating a lot of horses in the race," Stewart said. "If Big Brown does not perform, you have a chance to win."
Big Brown galloped over a fast track yesterday at Churchill for the first time since his Derby victory.
"I was looking for what I saw," said Dutrow, who believes his colt came out of the Derby as good as he went in, or better.
Big Brown is odds-on to become the seventh horse in the last 12 years to head for the Belmont Stakes, run on June 7, with a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. If you're looking for a Triple Crown omen: For the first time since Citation in 1948, the Derby winner will not face in the Preakness any of the horses he beat in Kentucky.
In other workouts yesterday, Racecar Rhapsody drilled five furlongs in 1:01 at Churchill, while Kentucky Bear, the only Preakness horse on the grounds at Pimlico, went five furlongs in 1:01 over the sloppy strip.
"He's peaking at the right time," jockey Jamie Theriot said. "I wouldn't change mounts with anyone."
A decision on unbeaten Harlem Rocker's status will be made after the colt works this morning for Todd Pletcher at Belmont Park.
ed.fountaine@nypost.com
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