Analysis (by Jim Kachulis)

Strengths: With only one off-the-board finish in his career (and that race involved legitimate excuses), this colt is one of the more consistent performers in the field. He arrives to the Preakness after earning his best lifetime Beyer Speed Figure, and it involved a wide trip and difficult post position. He has shown the ability to rally effectively in races with various pace setups and the reintroduction of blinkers in the Grade 2 Lexington helped him move forward.

Weaknesses: A son of Harlan’s Holiday, he is a newcomer to Grade 1 competition, and recent workouts at his Belmont headquarters are on the dull side. Despite being well bet in the Grade 1 Southwest in February, he was clearly no match for Denis of Cork (the eventual third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby). The most dramatic shortcoming is that he has yet to win beyond a mile.

Strategy: Riley Tucker will benefit by what appears to be a modest pace in the Preakness, where Big Brown will likely use Giant Moon as a target pacesetter. It is possible with some deep closers in the field, Riley Tucker will be able to track the heavy favorite, make a middle move, and perhaps gain a minor share.

Value: Despite the ascending Beyer pattern, Riley Tucker will likely go off at the biggest price of his career. His odds will be inflated based on his loss to Behindatthebar in the Lexington, but in that race he was fairly close to the strong fractions and held on well. He seems worth inclusion on the tail end of trifecta and superfecta tickets.