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NEW YORK (AP) — The Preakness is out for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Pletcher said Tuesday he will not enter any of the four horses he was considering for Saturday's Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.
Materiality is expected to run next in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 after finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby despite a troubled trip.
Pletcher's other Preakness possibilities were Derby 10th-place finisher Carpe Diem; Competitive Edge; and Stanford.
With the decision, the Preakness could be left with seven starters, the smallest field since 1986. Derby winner American Pharoah, and second- and third-place finishers Firing Line and Dortmund top the lineup. Others include Danzig Moon, Divining Rod, Bodhisattva and Tale of Verve.
"It came down to we just felt two weeks was a little bit risky," Pletcher said, adding that Carpe Diem also would likely return for the Belmont. "We felt five weeks to the Belmont would be an advantage for him (Materiality). He's been at Belmont since two days after the Derby and has been training well."
The post-position draw for the Preakness is Wednesday.
Javier Castellano, who rode Materiality in the Derby, picks up the mount on Divining Rod.
In other Preakness news:
— American Pharoah and Dortmund galloped 1 1/2 miles at Churchill Downs. Said trainer Bob Baffert: "American Pharoah, he is something to see out there. He just floats over the track. Dortmund looked like a happy horse out there today." The colts are set to ship to Pimlico on Wednesday.
—Firing Line galloped 1 1/2 miles at Churchill and also is scheduled to arrive Wednesday.
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Associated Press freelancer Mike Farrell in Baltimore contributed to this report.
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