Preakness Stakes Capsules

Order of horses: By saddlecloth numbers. Odds: Adjusted morning line (in parenthesis). Scratched: 4. The Cliff’s Edge.

Post time: Today, 3:15 p.m. PDT. TV: Channel 4 (coverage begins at 2 p.m. PDT)

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1. LION HEART (3-1)

Owner: Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Trainer: Patrick Biancone. Jockey: Mike Smith.

Post: 1. Sire: Tale Of The Cat. Dam: Satin Sunrise. Record: 6-3-3-0. Earnings: $670,800.

Comment: Led most of the way in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby, but was no match for Smarty Jones in the final eighth of a mile.... A winner of all three of his starts as a 2-year-old, the $1.4-million purchase has been the runner-up in three races in 2004 -- leading in the stretch each time.... The shorter Preakness distance should work in his favor.... He won the Hollywood Prevue Nov. 15 three weeks after he broke his maiden in his career debut at Santa Anita.

2. BORREGO (15-1)

Owner: Brad Scott, Jon Kelly & Ralls and Foster LLC. Trainer: Beau Greely. Jockey: Victor Espinoza.

Post: 2. Sire: El Prado. Dam: Sweet As Honey. Record: 8-2-3-0. Earnings: $399,580.

Comment: Was the longshot pick of many so-called experts for the Derby, but the Kentucky-bred never got going and finished 10th of 18....Still without a stakes win.... His wins came against maidens at Santa Anita Oct. 26 and in an optional claimer at the same track on Dec. 27.... Espinoza won the Preakness with War Emblem two years ago before that one’s Triple Crown hopes were extinguished in the Belmont Stakes.... Pimlico will be the sixth track over which this colt has run.

3. LITTLE MATTH MAN (50-1)

Owner: Vincent Papandrea. Trainer: Martin Ciresa. Jockey: Richard Migliore.

Post: 3. Sire: Matty G. Dam: Lady’s Legacy. Record: 12-3-1-2. Earnings: $185,355.

Comment: The longest shot in the field and with good reason.... Two of his three victories have come against New York breds and his only stakes win came against a weak field in the Whirlaway on Aqueduct’s inner track on Feb. 7.... He finished third in the longshot-dominated Lane’s End but followed that performance with a seventh in the Wood Memorial.... Migliore gets the mount after riding also-ran Friends Lake, also a New York bred, in the Derby.

5. SONG OF THE SWORD (30-1)

Owner: Paraneck Stable. Trainer: Jennifer Pedersen. Jockey: Jorge Chavez.

Post: 4. Sire: Unbridled’s Song. Dam: Appealing Ms Sword. Record: 6-3-1-1. Earnings: $211,100.

Comment: Didn’t understand why he was in the Derby and after finishing 11th, beaten by 17 1/2 lengths; it’s even more puzzling why he’s in the Preakness....A son of a beaten Derby favorite, the Florida-bred has lost three in a row since beginning his career with three victories over the Aqueduct inner track earlier in the year....This will be his first collaboration with Chavez....No matter what happens today, he’ll probably show up in the Belmont.

6. SIR SHACKLETON (30-1)

Owner: Tracy Farmer. Trainer: Nick Zito. Jockey: Rafael Bejarano.

Post: 5. Sire: Miswaki. Dam: Naskra Colors. Record: 4-3-1-0. Earnings: $127,427.

Comment: Second in his debut on Feb. 14 at Gulfstream Park, he has rattled off three victories in a row, including a 1 3/4-length win over Courageous Act in the Derby Trial a week before the Derby.... This will be his first race around two turns.... Bejarano, an aggressive rider who has done very well in Kentucky since arriving from South America, will be making his first appearance in the Preakness....He has won both of his races aboard this colt.

7. SMARTY JONES (6-5)

Owner: Someday Farm. Trainer: John Servis. Jockey: Stewart Elliott.

Post: 6. Sire: Elusive Quality. Dam: I’ll Get Along. Record: 7-7-0-0. Earnings: $6,763,155.

Comment: A win today and in three weeks in the Belmont would result in another $5 million bonus, which would make him the all-time leading money earner among thoroughbreds ....Got an impeccable ride in the Derby from Elliott, who was making his first appearance in the race.... If he wins the Triple Crown, he’ll have the the same nine-for-nine record Seattle Slew had after he completed the sweep in 1977....Seattle Slew lost his 10th race, finishing fourth in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park.

8. IMPERIALISM (5-1)

Owner: Steve Taub. Trainer: Kristin Mulhall. Jockey: Kent Desormeaux.

Post: 7. Sire: Langfuhr. Dam: Bodhavista. Record: 16-5-4-2. Earnings: $522,605.

Comment: Finished full of run as the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby once he was able to get clear sailing.... Was originally going to skip the Preakness and wait for the Belmont.... Was first or third in all four of his starts in California since being purchased privately by Taub, a Santa Monica car dealer and longtime horse owner.... His first win came against $25,000 maidens July 19 at Calder.

9. EDDINGTON (8-1)

Owner: Wilmott Stables, Inc. Trainer: Mark Hennig. Jockey: Jerry Bailey.

Post: 8. Sire: Unbridled. Dam: Fashion Star. Record: 6-2-2-2. Earnings: $149,560.

Comment: Missed out on running in the Derby because he didn’t have enough graded stakes earnings.... Could have solved that problem by winning the Wood Memorial but couldn’t take advantage of a perfect trip and had to settle for third behind Tapit and Master David....Bailey, who missed the Derby when Wimbledon had to be scratched the day before the race because of a tendon problem, has been aboard for both of this guy’s victories.

10. ROCK HARD TEN (5-1)

Owner: Mercedes Stables and Madeleine Paulson. Trainer: Jason Orman. Jockey: Gary Stevens.

Post: 9. Sire: Kris S. Dam: Tersa. Record: 3-2-0-1. Earnings: $147,600.

Comment: Like Eddington, he didn’t make the Derby field because he lacked enough graded stakes earnings.... Making his first start since he was disqualified from second and placed third after a bumping incident with Imperialism in the Santa Anita Derby on April 3.... Stevens, who has been riding for trainer Andre Fabre in France, is making the trip over to ride the colt with which he won twice in as many starts with this winter at Santa Anita.

11. WATER CANNON (30-1)

Owner: Nonsequitur Stable LLC. Trainer: Linda Albert. Jockey: Ryan Fogelsonger.

Post: 10. Sire: Waquoit. Dam: Crying In The Rain. Record: 11-5-2-1. Earnings: $166,750.

Comment: The only member of the field who has raced at Pimlico.... He has a win and a third in three starts over the track....His victory came in the Tesio on April 17, when he defeated Pawyne Princess, a filly, by a neck....A winner of his last five starts, the Maryland-bred hasn’t lost since he was beaten by a head in a maiden race on Dec. 7 at Laurel....Purchased for $37,000 as a 2-year-old....Fogelsonger is back riding full time in Maryland after a brief stay in Southern California.