Sunday Silence, Hawkster Recovering

Sunday Silence and Hawkster, who have been doubtful starters because of hoof problems for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico, had long gallops in the mud Tuesday morning and appear to be ready to run in the second race of the Triple Crown series.

Sunday Silence, going to the track for the first time since Saturday, had a 1 1/2-mile gallop, and today the Kentucky Derby winner is scheduled to have his first workout since he arrived here from Churchill Downs a week ago.

“We’re in good shape,” said Charlie Whittingham, who trains Sunday Silence. “If nothing else happens, I think we’re actually ahead of where we expected to be in getting him ready for the race.”

Sunday Silence is going to continue to be tubbed in Epsom salts for treatment of a bruised right front hoof.

Hawkster, who ran fifth in the Derby, has a sore left front hoof. Trainer Ron McAnally sent the colt on a 1 1/4-mile gallop Tuesday and if a workout on Thursday goes well, Hawkster will run in the Preakness.

“He looked super galloping,” McAnally said. “I was very satisfied.”

Easy Goer, the Derby favorite who finished second, 2 1/2 lengths behind Sunday Silence, worked five furlongs in a lively :59 1/5 Tuesday morning over a Belmont Park track that was playing fast. Easy Goer was vanned the 200 miles from Belmont to Pimlico after the workout.

Five other starters are definite for the Preakness, bringing the field to eight. The others are Dansil, who worked a half-mile in the slop here Tuesday in :49 2/5; Pulverizing, who worked five furlongs Tuesday over a sloppy track at Bowie in 1:00 1/5; Houston; Northern Wolf, and Rock Point. Another possibility for the 1 3/16-mile race is Triple Buck, who ran ninth in the Derby after delaying the start nine minutes because of a loose shoe.

Chris Antley will ride Rock Point. Billy Fox had been riding the colt and they finished second, three lengths behind Easy Goer, in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 22.

Tuesday marked the 12th consecutive day that it rained in Baltimore. Saturday’s forecast is for clearing, with temperatures in the 70s.