Preakness Stakes Entries: Nehro Out, Isn't He Perfect In

Written by Jake Thompson
Tuesday, 17 May 2011 17:41

Kentucky Derby 2nd place finisher Nehro is officially out of the 2011 Preakness Stakes.

I’ve been hearing for the past week or so that Nehro was unlikely to be amongst the horses in the gate at Pimlico Race Course for the 2011 Preakness Stakes, and today trainer Ahmed Zayat confirmed the news.  The Preakness Stakes distance is shorter than ideal for Nehro and the horse has been so busy lately that giving him some rest before the longer Belmont Stakes was the only logical conclusion for the impressive 3-year-old runner.

The good news for the Preakness Stakes field is that Nehro’s defection allows in another horse that otherwise wouldn’t have made the starting gate, and it appears that right now the lucky new entry will be Isn’t He Perfect.  Sired by Breeders’ Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup winner Plesantly Perfect, Isn’t He Perfect will look to finally live up to his pedigree with 13 other horses in the May 21st Preakness Stakes.

Isn’t He Perfect is coming off 5th place finishes in the Jerome Handicap and the Wood Memorial, but that pedigree suggests that we might see an improving run in the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown.  The Jerome Handicap was over a sloppy track and the horse simply tired in the Wood Memorial, but some additional seasoning could be just what the doctor ordered.  Isn’t He Perfect has more experience than many of the other Preakness Stakes horses and could prove to be a spoiler if the pace is to his liking.

As it stands now, Saratoga Red is on the outside looking in with the other 13 Preakness Stakes entries likely to be Animal Kingdom, Dialed In, Midnight Interlude, Mucho Macho Man, Shackleford, Astrology, King Congie, Flashpoint, Mr. Commons, Sway Away, Norman Asbjornson, Dance City, and Concealed Identity.

The Preakness field is limited to a total of 14 runners and it will take a defection for Saratoga Red to get a spot in the starting gate.  The long shot makes for an interesting wager in the Preakness because of some bad luck in recent races.  We’ll talk more about that horse if he finds his way into the field, and make sure to check back regularly for all your news, horse racing tips, and wagering information on the 2011 Preakness Stakes.