PREAKNESS STAKES: THE LINEUP

Times staff writer Bill Christine takes a look at the eight-horse field, in post-position order, for today’s $1-million Preakness at Pimlico. Distance of race: 1 3/16 miles. Weights: 126 pounds. Post time: 2:25 p.m. PDT. Television: Ch. 7 (coverage starts at 1:30 p.m.).

1. HUGH HEFNER

Black with red and black checks

Odds: 20-1

Jockey: Victor Espinoza

Trainer: Marty Jones

Owner: Eddie Nahem

Record: 6 starts, 2 wins,

2 seconds, 0 thirds

Earnings: $167,855

COMMENT: Nahem manages the career of this colt’s sire, Bertrando, and owns his dam, Personal Victory, so he figures even hitting the board in one of the classics will be rewarding on the breeding side. The last time Hugh Hefner--named after the Playboy legend, a friend of Nahem’s for about 30 years--tried the big leagues, he beat only one horse in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November. He was a tiring second in a minor stake for California-breds at Hollywood Park in his last race.

2. SNUCK IN

Black with orange diamond

Odds: 12-1

Jockey: Cash Asmussen

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Owner: Robert and Leland

Ackerley.

Record: 9 starts, 5-3-1

Earnings: $519,820

COMMENT: This $130,000 2-year-old purchase is trying to become the first non-Derby starter to win the Preakness in 17 years. His consistently run nine races have been over four tracks, an indication that the Pimlico surface shouldn’t be a problem. The trainer and the jockey are brothers, the first such tandem to have a horse in the race. Snuck In, like Red Bullet, runs in the Preakness after a 34-day break between races. His last start was a second to Graeme Hall in the Arkansas Derby.

3. IMPEACHMENT

Green with yellow dots

Odds: 8-1

Jockey: Craig Perret

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Dogwood Stable,

Bob and Beverly Lewis

Record: 7 starts, 1-1-2

Earnings: $180,450

COMMENT: The only horse in the field with a six-race losing streak, Impeachment earned his way into the Preakness when he made up more than 16 lengths in the Derby before finishing third, 5 1/2 lengths behind Fusaichi Pegasus. He’ll be far behind again today, not a good early spot for the Preakness, which is 110 yards shorter than the Derby. However, Charismatic came from 10th place last year to win. “There’s nothing we can do about his running style,” Todd Pletcher said. “That’s just the way he runs.”

4. RED BULLET

Black with orange logo

Odds: 9-2

Jockey: Jerry Bailey

Trainer: Joe Orseno

Owner: Frank Stronach

Record: 4 starts, 3-1-0

Earnings: $313,800

COMMENT: Under Alex Solis, Red Bullet was too close to a fast pace in the Wood Memorial and wound up a tired second, 4 1/4 lengths behind Fusaichi Pegaus. “I’m not blaming Alex,” said Orseno, who has hired Bailey because Solis, who rides Aptitude, won’t be available if Red Bullet goes on to the Belmont Stakes. Red Bullet was undefeated in three starts before the Wood. “We probably would have been the third choice [behind Fusaichi Pegasus and The Deputy] if we’d run in the Derby,” Orseno said. “But the Derby [would have taken] too much out of him.”

5. HIGH YIELD

Green with yellow stripes

Odds: 10-1

Jockey: Pat Day

Trainer: Wayne Lukas

Owner: Bob, Beverly Lewis,

Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier

Record: 13 starts, 4-4-3

Earnings: $1,170,196

COMMENT: Lukas and Day have been successful in all three Triple Crown races, but the Preakness is their meat and potatoes. Day has won five times--three times on Lukas horses--and has been second four times. Another win today and Day matches Eddie Arcaro for most Preakness victories. Lukas also has five Preakness wins, the first by Codex 20 years ago and the last by Charismatic last year. Robert Wyndham Walden is the winningest Preakness trainer with seven wins, the last in 1888. High Yield finished 15th in the Derby.

6. CAPTAIN STEVE

Red and yellow

Odds: 8-1

Jockey: Robby Albarado

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner: Mike Pegram

Record: 12 starts, 4-0-5

Earnings: $960,256

COMMENT: He might have been fourth in the Derby, but Wheelaway slammed into him in the stretch, Albarado quit riding and Captain Steve finished eighth. Captain Steve finished third in three races before the Derby. His post-Derby workout, at Churchill Downs last Monday, was a corker: five furlongs in 58 1/5 seconds. Baffert, who won the Preakness in 1997-98 with Silver Charm and Real Quiet, knows how daunting this test is. “To win, my horse will have to step up like he’s never stepped before,” he said.

7. FUSAICHI PEGASUS

Red and yellow

Odds: 3-5

Jockey: Kent Desormeaux

Trainer: Neil Drysdale

Owner: Fusao Sekiguchi

Record: 6 starts, 5-1-0

Earnings: $1,704,400

COMMENT: He continues to train erratically, marching to his own drummer, but when they put him in the gate, Fusaichi Pegasus seems to know it’s time to focus. A career-opening loss has been followed by five consecutive wins, the last a 1 1/2-length victory over Aptitude in the Derby. Even a wet track--there’s a 50% chance of rain--wouldn’t hurt Fusaichi Pegasus’ chances. “He’s run well over a wet surface [in the Wood],” Drysdale said. “He’s bred to run on off-tracks.” Already the $4-million yearling is estimated to be worth $30-40 million.

8. HAL’S HOPE

Pink and grey

Odds: 20-1

Jockey: Roger Velez

Trainer: Harold Rose

Owner: Harold Rose

Record: 10 starts, 4-1-0

Earnings: $582,160

COMMENT: After winning the Florida Derby, the bubble burst for Rose, about a month from his 89th birthday. His namesake beat only three horses in the Blue Grass and Derby. Said Rose: “In the Derby, he ran the first six furlongs in 1:09 4/5. You can’t run that fast and expect to finish going a mile and a quarter.” The horses with early speed in this Preakness are book-ended: Hugh Hefner inside and Hal’s Hope outside. “This is still a good horse,” Velez said of Hal’s Hope. “He’s earned $500,000, and it’s not like he hit the Lotto--he’s earned it.”