Nehro, the runner-up in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, is still questionable to race in the 2011 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico next Saturday. Owner Ahmad Zayat said that Nehro was still uncertain after he went through a half-mile workout at Churchill Downs on Monday morning.
"It is such a tough decision," Zayat said after returning to the Steve Asmussen barn shortly after the workout. "I know what I saw. I saw a significantly better work than what I saw before the Derby. He looked beautiful out there - his leads, his head. I saw what I wanted to see. I will talk to my team and I will weigh the benefits, and then we will make a decision."
Nehro ran the half-mile in just over 50 seconds. If the horse does indeed race, it would be its fourth race in eight weeks, a large workload for a three-year old. Zayat had not planned on entering Nehro into the Preakness field, but a strong Kentucky Derby performance caused him to reevaluate.
The 2011 Preakness Stakes gets underway on May 21 at Pimlico. Stay with our Preakness Stakes StoryStream for more on the race. To look back at the Derby, check out SB Nation's2011 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.