Preakness | Street Sense no sure thing in tough field

BALTIMORE -- Calvin Borel had never in his quarter-century as a jockey ridden at Pimlico Race Course until Friday.

But the Louisville-based jockey expects to win Maryland's most famous race, as Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense strives to stay on course for a Triple Crown sweep in today's 132nd Preakness Stakes.

"Right now I don't think he can get beat," Borel said. "As good as he's doing, he'd have to fall, something happen bad, for him to get beat."

At Churchill Downs, Robby Albarado laughed when told of his buddy's comments.

"Wow," said Albarado, who will ride Derby third-place finisher Curlin in the field of nine 3-year-olds. "That's like a Joe Namath statement there, guaranteeing to win the Super Bowl."

But Albarado said he understands where Borel, with whom he shares a Cajun heritage, is coming from.

"I don't think it's a cocky statement," Albarado said. "He's just so confident in that horse. He can ride him backwards probably."

The Preakness is scheduled to run at 3:09 p.m. Pacific before at least 100,000 people and a national audience on NBC. The forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of showers and temperatures in the mid-60s.

The race forecast is not as cloudy: 7-5 favorite Street Sense -- the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to win the Derby and the first 2-year-old champion to wear the roses -- is the one to beat.

But don't count out his Derby rivals in the Triple Crown's 1-3/16-mile middle leg: Lane's End winner Hard Spun, who set a fast pace in the Derby but finished a clear second; Arkansas Derby winner Curlin, who was making only his fourth start after winning his first three by a combined 28 lengths; and sixth-place Circular Quay, who came into Churchill off an eight-week layoff since taking the Louisiana Derby.

The supporting cast includes Derby Trial winner Flying First Class, who could give trainer D. Wayne Lukas a sixth Preakness, and Santa Anita Derby runner-up King of the Roxy.

But the Derby quartet makes this one of the most intriguing Preaknesses since 1997. That year, Derby champ Silver Charm nipped Derby third-place finisher Free House and runner-up Captain Bodgit in a three-horse photo, with eventual Belmont winner Touch Gold a close fourth.

That sort of drama would be welcome after the horror of last year's Preakness, when unbeaten Derby winner Barbaro shattered his leg about 100 yards into the race.

Barbaro, who was euthanized this winter, looked like a good bet to become the first horse to sweep the Derby, Preakness and the Belmont Stakes since Affirmed in 1978. Though he's not undefeated, Street Sense also looks capable of pulling off racing's revered hat trick.

He's consistent and agile, ricocheting around horses while zipping up the rail. Racing only twice at 3 before the Derby -- considered by many a detriment -- he's now fresh for the rest of the Triple Crown.

Note

• Panty Raid charged to victory in the Black-Eyed Susan, providing jockey Edgar Prado with an anxious moment before outdistancing Baroness Thatcher and Winning Point to win by a length at Pimlico.

It was the second straight win for Panty Raid, who went off as the second favorite in the Grade 2 race for 3-year-old fillies. Winning Point edged Baroness Thatcher by a neck for third.

Panty Raid, who was in fourth at the far turn, ran 1:50.07 over 1-1/8 miles.