Nyquist returning to work on Wednesday

As the field for the 141st Preakness continues to take shape, plans were confirmed for Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist to return to light training Wednesday morning at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, where the colt arrived Monday evening following a flight from Churchill Downs along with six other horses from the Doug O’Neill stable.

Nyquist will make his first visit to the track at about 8:30 a.m. Eastern, according to a Tuesday afternoon news release from Pimlico. Assistant Jack Sisterson is overseeing the colt while O’Neill is home in California.

According to the Pimlico release, Sisterson said O’Neill intends to continue alternating days of galloping and jogging Nyquist. He said he doesn’t expect that O’Neill, who is scheduled to arrive Thursday in Baltimore, will send the colt out for a work between the two races.

“We didn’t work I’ll Have Another, so I don’t think we’ll work Nyquist,” Sisterson said, referring to the 2012 Derby and Preakness winner.

The 1 3/16-mile Preakness is set for May 21.

Meanwhile, trainer Alan Goldberg confirmed Awesome Speed for the Preakness after the colt breezed six furlongs Tuesday at Colt Neck Stables in New Jersey.

Goldberg reported Awesome Speed went in 1:13, “which is pretty good out here," he said.

"He seemed to come back good and he might do an easy half-mile next week," Goldberg said.

Awesome Speed earned a fees-paid entry into the Preakness by winning the April 9 Tesio at Laurel Park by disqualification.

Meanwhile, back at Churchill, Derby runner-up Exaggerator returned to training Tuesday, galloping a mile, while Suddenbreakingnews, fifth in the Derby, was out for an easy jog of a little more than a mile.

Also at Churchill, trainer Dale Romans is considering Preakness runs for Cherry Wine, who jogged two miles Tuesday, and Brody’s Cause, who is scheduled to return to light training Wednesday after finishing seventh in the Derby.

As many as 14 3-year-olds are under consideration for the Preakness, which is limited to 14. The full list, in alphabetical order: Awesome Speed, Cherry Wine, Collected, Dazzling Gem, Exaggerator, Fellowship, Gun Runner, Lani, Laoban, Nyquist, Sharp Azteca, Stradivari, Suddenbreakingnews, and Uncle Lino.