The last time a Florida-bred won the Preakness was in 2005, when Afleet Alex overcame a horrendous stumble at the top of the stretch with rider Jeremy Rose, and, incredibly, came again with a tremendous rush to win by a mile. Under the circumstances, it semed like a mile, although it was "only" 4 3/4 lengths. The son of the Florida stallion Northern Afleet, who stood at Double Diamond Farm at the time, was coming off a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby behind 50-1 Giacomo and 71-1 Florida-bred Closing Argument. The $2 trifecta paid $133,134.

     

    Despite the Louisville result, Afleet Alex, who had lost it all by a length, won it as the 3-1 favorite at Pimlico while Giacomo finished third at 6-1, and Closing Argument tired late to wind up ninth at 7-1. Afleet Alex went on to the Belmont Stakes and won by seven lengths; so only the length between him and Giacomo on the first Saturday in May prevented him from ending the Triple Crown drought 10 years before American Pharoah. 

    The previous year, Double Diamond's Don Dizney almost had a winner of his own when First Dude, at odds of 23-1, led from the start only to be run down late by 2-1 shot Lookin At Lucky. The third-place finisher, at 11-1, was Fred Brei's Jackson Bend, from Ocala's Jacks or Better Farm.

    Brei will be represented in Baltimore again Saturday by Fellowship, who will be making his second start for Ocalan Mark Casse after recently moving from the barn of long-time Jacks or Better trainer Stanley Gold, along with the rest of the Jacks or Better horses. In his first start for many-time Sovereign Award winner Casse, in the $250,000, Gr. III Pat Day Mile at Churchill on Derby day, the late-running colt by Brei's Awesome of Course tired to finish fourth after having moved into second in mid-stretch. He has compiled a record of 2-3-3 in 12 starts with earnings of $574,715, and will go from post 10 in the 11-horse field with Jose Lezcano, who will be aboard for the fourth straight time.   

    There's one other Florida-bred in the Preakness, Gilbert Campbell's (Stonehedge Farm South) Abiding Star, a colt by red-hot Uncle Mo who hasn't been to the big time yet, but has won five in a row this year after a dull 0-1-1 in six starts as a juvenile. Included in the streak are victories in the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel and the $100,000 Parx Derby, in which he went wire-to-wire at odds of 3/5, scoring by nearly two lengths in 1:41.22 for the mile and 70 yards. Abiding Star, who has compiled earnings of $202,385, drew post 9 with J. D. Acosta aboard.

    Both Florida horses are 30-1 in the morning line, while Derby winner Nyquist is listed at 3/5 from post 3 with Mario Gutierrez. Second choice is Derby runner-up Exaggerator, who's 3-1 from post 5 with Kent Desormeaux. 

    Abiding Star and Fellowship will be looking to add their names to a long list of Florida colts who have finished in the top three in the Preakness, dating back to Needles' second behind Fabius in 1956. Carry Back won in 1961, as did Affirmed as part of his Triple Crown run in 1978, and Codex in the controversial edition against the filly Genuine Risk in 1980. Also, Aloma's Ruler in 1982 and popular Gate Dancer two years later, along with Silver Charm in 1997. Runners-up include In Reality, My Dad George, Foolish Pleasure, Iron Constitution, Unbridled, Cherokee Run, Oliver's Twist, Skip Away, Sweetnorthernsaint, and First Dude. Lots of tradition on the line, albeit against an unbeaten champion. 

    

    

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