Lightly raced Florida Derby runner-up has made only 3 starts, but his 13-length defeat vs. Fierceness at Gulfstream got him the necessary points to try the Kentucky Derby. Lone victory came in a 6-1/2 furlong sprint in October at Gulfstream.

Rallied from 11th and last to win the Louisiana Derby over 1-3/16 miles, the same distance as the Preakness Stakes. Champion trainer Cox has won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, seeking his first Preakness.

Maryland's top locally based Triple Crown prospect won the automatic Preakness qualifier via Laurel's Federico Tesio Stakes. Four-time stakes winner overall at Laurel and Delaware Park. Bargain $45K buy races for trainer whose Captain Bodgit was 2nd in '97 Derby and 3rd in Preakness.

Tampa Bay Derby winner also outfinished Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness when running second in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream. Two-time Preakness-winning trainer Brown seeks his first Derby, Belmont titles and also has Sierra Leone in this class.

Full-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness third-place finisher Mage. Won Aqueduct's Remsen and Gulfstream's Fountain of Youth before a 4th-place finish in Keeneland's Blue Grass.

A neck away from perfection, he's won the John Battaglia Memorial on synthetic at Turfway and Keeneland's Lexington on dirt in his last 2 starts. Son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness third-place finisher Nyquist. Trainer Cox has a Derby and Belmont win to his credit.

Top synthetic surface and turf performer has won the El Camino Real Derby and Jeff Ruby in recent starts. Earned automatic Preakness berth by winning the El Camino Real Derby at Pimlico sister-track Golden Gate Fields in February, a path successful from '21 Preakness champ Rombauer for same trainer. Has yet to race on dirt.

Blue Grass Stakes third-place finisher was runner-up in Turfway's John Battaglia Memorial. First Triple Crown foray for trainer John Ennis. Son of 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame, who won that year at Churchill and earlier in the year won Pimlico's Schaefer on the Preakness undercard.

Champion 2-Year-Old and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner of 2023, he announced likely Kentucky Derby favoritism with a record 13-length victory margin in the Florida Derby. Trainer Pletcher has won Derby, Belmont and seeks his first Preakness.

Japanese-based globetrotter won the Saudi Derby and UAE Derby en route to America. One of the highest-earning horses ($2M-plus) to ever race in the US Triple Crown. Japan seeks its first American Triple Crown race winner.

Third-place finisher in the Florida Derby, Tampa Bay Derby, Swale and Zuma Beach, racing multiple distances and surfaces on both coasts. Both career wins came on Gulfstream's synthetic surface in sprint races. Sire Uncle Mo sired '22 Belmont winner Mo Donegal and '16 Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness third-place finisher Nyquist..

Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November, he's since run fifth in the Risen Star Stakes and second in the Louisiana Derby, both at Fair Grounds. First Triple Crown starter for trainer Whit Beckman, a former assistant to Todd Pletcher & Chad Brown.

Santa Anita Derby runner-up and San Felipe winner was ineligible to compete in the Kentucky Derby due to Churchill Downs' ban of trainer Baffert (who has won a record 8 Preakness editions). Has been within a neck of victory in all but his career debut.

Runner-up to stablemate Informed Patriot in the $200K Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. Has raced exclusively in Arkansas in his 5 starts, finishing 7th in the Arkansas Derby in his biggest test. Son of Breeders' Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup winner Gun Runner. Trainer Asmussen is a 2-time Preakness winner ('07, '09).

Automatic qualifier to the Preakness via his victory in Oaklawn Park's Bath House Row Stakes on April 20. Arkansas Derby 5th-place finisher competes for 2-time Preakness winner Asmussen, who won this race in 2007 and 2009 with Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. Sire Hard Spun was 3rd in the '07 Preakness after his Derby 2nd.

Gotham and Blue Grass runner-up seeks his first stakes victory. Son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, who also was a late debut runner in his sophomore year before exploding onto the scene. Trainer Cox has won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont to date. PHOTO: Fair Grounds/Hodges

Runner-up in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones, Southwest and Arkansas Derby brings 88-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas back to the Triple Crown - where he's won 14 times - and 24-year-old jockey Keith Asmussen (son of trainer Steve) to his first. Colt is a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.

Fountain of Youth Stakes runner-up took a step backward when finishing ninth in the Florida Derby. Also finished second sprinting in the Swale, his lone win in a Saratoga 6-furlong maiden last August.

Ineligible to race in the Kentucky Derby due to Churchill Downs' ban of trainer Bob Baffert. Winner of the Arkansas Derby, as well as Santa Anita's American Pharoah and San Vicente. Runner-up to Fierceness in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile over that track. Baffert has won a record 8 Preakness editions.

Arkansas Derby third-place finisher was brilliant on a wet track in his prior start, an 8-length win in Oaklawn's Southwest. Son of 2-time Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents. Trainer McPeek has a Belmont Stakes title on his resume.

Not nominated to the Triple Crown, he would require a $150,000 supplemental entry fee to compete in the Preakness. Stretched out successfully in distance to win the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne on April 20. Top prior success came in the 7-furlong Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs. Son of Florida Derby winner Constitution.

Earned his way to the Triple Crown series winning Aqueduct's Wood Memorial for his first stakes victory. That followed his fourth-place effort in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, but seeks his first Preakness.

Third-place finisher in Turfway's Jeff Ruby mustered only a seventh-place effort in his Lexington Stakes bid to garner Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Can get 88-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas back to the Triple Crown, where he's won 14 races. Hall of Fame sire Arrogate missed the '16 Triple Crown, but won the Travers/Breeders' Cup Classic.

Top point-earner in the Kentucky Derby qualifying races this year, he won the Risen Star at Fair Grounds and the Blue Grass at Keeneland. A nose short of perfection in 4 starts when runner-up in Aqueduct's Remsen in November. Late runner's trainer won Preakness in 2017 and 2022.

The most inexperienced Triple Crown prospect in this year's crop hails from Japan and won that nation's Road to the Kentucky Derby points chase by winning the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama. Has won both races at 1-1/8 miles distances on dirt. Japan seeks its first American Triple Crown race glory. PHOTO: Yuki Shimono

Veteran of New Orleans' Fair Grounds, he won the Gun Runner and Lecomte Stakes before a second in the Risen Star and fourth in the Louisiana Derby. Trainer Steve Asmussen's all-time record wins total of more than 10,000 includes Preakness and Belmont wins, but no Kentucky Derby.

Aqueduct's Withers winner exits a wide-trip fifth in the Wood Memorial in his second trip from his greater Philadelphia base. Sire Social Inclusion also exited the Wood before finishing third in the 2014 Preakness.

$11K bargain buy was Jeff Ruby runner-up and 2-time stakes-placed on dirt this winter at Tampa Bay Downs. Won Iroquois at Churchill Downs at age 2. Son of '16 Derby runner-up and Preakness winner Exaggerator. Trainer Demeritte, Bahamas native, bids first Triple Crown while battling cancer.