One would easily have assumed that Nehro, the runner-up to Animal Kingdom in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, would again be the top challenger in the 2011 Preakness Stakes. As of right now, though, there's a chance Nehro will not even race. Earlier in the week, owner Ahmed Zayat was leaning toward holding him out, but those odds have improved.
Via Ed Fountaine of the New York Post:
"I was 70-30 to run in the Belmont, but now I'm 51-50 to run in the Preakness. My heart says one thing, my mind says another. It's a tough decision, but a horse is only a 3-year-old once, and only gets one chance to run in the Derby and Preakness."
Given his runner-up finish in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness is essentially just another race for Nehro. Still, it's the Preakness.
To get caught up, check out SB Nation's 2011 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. Also, our horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come has two must-read resources for Derby and Preakness fans: A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.