Free: Only knock on 'Chrome' is price

California Chrome, a winner of five straight, including blowout victories in the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby, enters with one major knock – price. The flashy chestnut is expected to be odds-on, wheeling back two weeks after a perfect-trip Derby win.

California Chrome always gets a good trip. It is not luck. He creates perfect trips. His tactical speed allows him to be forwardly placed, yet he does not require the lead. Although the pace of the Preakness is expected to be considerably faster than the Derby, California Chrome has adapted to different scenarios.

The Preakness was won six times by the Derby winner from 1997 to 2004 but only twice since 2005 (I’ll Have Another, Big Brown).

Ride On Curlin ran well in the Derby, seventh with a compromising trip. The slow pace negated his late run, and he steadied at the quarter pole. He finished well once clear, and the likelihood of a faster pace in the Preakness favors his closing style. He is a major threat from off the pace.

The gradually improving late runner Kid Cruz would benefit from a pace meltdown. He crushed the Federico Tesio Stakes last out, and though that ungraded stakes race has not been productive with regards to the Preakness, the closer would benefit from fast fractions.

Social Inclusion, Bayern, and Pablo Del Monte are new shooters with one thing in common – speed. Social Inclusion might be the quickest. The front-runner finished third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial in just his third start. That was six weeks ago. He subsequently missed a start May 3 due to a bruised foot. Lightly raced, he has a chance to steal it, depending upon how much pressure is applied by the other speeds and the favorite.

General a Rod might be ranked too low by this handicapper. He had a tough trip in the Derby. A pace-presser, he was shuffled back early, never got close, and finished 11th. He was good all winter in Florida and might be forgiven for one subpar race. With a clean trip pressing the pace against a smaller field, he will be in the thick of it all the way.

Bayern, a front-runner, will remove blinkers. He wired the one-mile, one-turn Derby Trial last out but was disqualified for interference. His distance ability is a question, but he is fast and will keep the pace honest. Pablo Del Monte skipped the Derby to wait for this. He also has speed.

Dynamic Impact has improved with each successive route. Ring Weekend lost the Calder Derby by nearly 10 lengths; the horse who beat him returned to lose the Peter Pan Stakes by 20. The filly Ria Antonia is not fast enough, according to the speed figures.