Top three from Kentucky Derby in Preakness

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo will face 13

rivals in Saturday's 130th edition of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse.

 This year's Preakness has a guaranteed purse of $1 million.

While Giacomo captured the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, it is third place finisher

Afleet Alex who has been made the 5-2 morning line favorite. Giacomo is the just

the fourth choice at 6-1.

Afleet Alex went off as the second choice in the Kentucky Derby at 9-2 and was the

 highest rated horse to hit the board. The Arkansas Derby winner will break from

 post 12 Saturday with Jeremy Rose again in the saddle. Afleet Alex is owned by

 Cash is King Stable and trained by Tim Ritchey. The colt has won six of 10 starts

 for more than $1.5 million. Rose is making his first appearance in the Preakness

Stakes while Ritchey had one previous starter.

Giacomo's win in the Kentucky Derby was just the second of his career and the

first in a stakes race. On Saturday he will attempt to become the fourth straight

 three-year-old to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown. In the Preakness the

 gray colt will start from post 13 with Mike Smith riding. Giacomo has earned better

than $1.8 million for owners Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss and trainer John Shirreffs.

Trainer Nick Zito had entered five horses in the Kentucky Derby and came up

empty. For the Preakness Stakes he has three colts going to the starting gate.

Tampa Bay Derby winner Sun King, Noble Causeway and and Florida Derby

winner High Fly will try to giver Zito his second win in the Preakness.

High Fly has been made the 9-2 second pick in the program even though he was

 10tth in the Kentucky Derby. The chestnut colt has earned $897,300 for

Live Oak Plantation. High Fly will again be ridden by Jerry Bailey and start from post 2.

Noble Causeway and Sun King finished 14th and 15th, respectively, two weeks ago.

 This Saturday Noble Causeway will start from post 3 and is 10-1 in the morning line.

Sun King is 15-1 in the morning line and will break from post 10.

Closing Argument's second place finish in the Kentucky Derby brings him in at 5-1

 in the morning line for the Preakness. He will start from post 7 with Cornelio Velasquez

 riding. Owned by Philip and Marcia Cohen, Closing Argument has won three of eight

 starts for $986,984. His lone victory this year was in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February. The colt is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.

Here is the complete field for the Preakness Stakes with odds and riders:

1 Malibu Moonshine 20-1 Steve Hamilton

2 High Fly 9-2 Jerry Bailey

3 Noble Causeway 10-1 Gary Stevens

4 Greeley's Galaxy 15-1 David Flores

5 Scrappy T 20-1 Ramon Dominguez

6 Hal's Image 50-1 Jose Santos

7 Closing Argument 5-1 Cornelio Velasquez

8 Galloping Grocer 30-1 Joe Bravo

9 Wilko 10-1 Corey Nakatani

10 Sun King 15-1 Rafael Bejarano

11 High Limit 12-1 Edgar Prado

12 Afleet Alex 5-2 Jeremy Rose

13 Giacomo 6-1 Mike Smith

14 Going Wild 30-1 Robby Albarado

The weather forecast for Saturday at Pimlico calls for partly cloudy skies with a post-time temperature around 70. Post-time is set for 6:09 (et).