The connections of Chip Honcho are that rare breed that didn’t succumb to the sometimes dreaded disease known as Derby fever. Though Chip Honcho had the necessary points to quality for entry in the May 2 Kentucky Derby, and had a couple of good races on his résumé to make a case for running, trainer Steve Asmussen felt it best to take a pass and point to Saturday’s Preakness. Asmussen felt that Chip Honcho may not have handled the circumstances of the Kentucky Derby, most notably the large crowd that might have made the occasionally aggressive horse more so in the run down the lane the first time. Asmussen noted that in the Lecomte Stakes, after getting away a step slow, Chip Honcho got aggressive with jockey Paco Lopez and may have used himself too much in the race where he ultimately finishing fourth. :: Get ready for Preakness with DRF past performances, picks, and betting strategies! With the Preakness being held this year at Laurel Park due to the renovation project at Pimlico, and the crowd being capped at 4,800, Asmussen felt that would be a better atmosphere to allow Chip Honcho to perform at his peak. “Limited attendance at Laurel as opposed to what they get in that run to the first turn for the Derby, this gives him a way better chance to show who he was,” Asmussen said. Chip Honcho showed who he was in winning the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds in December and running a gallant second to Paladin, beaten a half-length, in the Grade 2 Risen Star. Chip Honcho finished 5 1/2 lengths in front of eventual Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo in the Risen Star. In the Louisiana Derby, however, Chip Honcho disappointed again, chasing the pace and backing up to fifth, beaten 11 1/2 lengths behind Emerging Market. Golden Tempo finished third in the Louisiana Derby and came back to upset the Kentucky Derby at 23-1. “How disappointed with how he ran in the Louisiana Derby when I feel he’s capable of way better has everything to do with the decision,” said Asmussen, who trains Chip Honcho for a partnership that includes Lee Ackerley, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe, and John Cilia. “The circumstances of the day set him off and make him hard for a rider to handle. Obviously, we’ve seen him not respond to what the rider was asking him to do on more than one occasion.” The Preakness will have an almost entirely different field than the Kentucky Derby. Only Ocelli, a maiden who finished third at 70-1, and Robusta, who finished 14th after drawing in from the also-eligible list, are Derby runners coming back in the Preakness. The rest of the expected 14-horse Preakness field includes just three graded stakes winners – Grade 1 Champagne winner Napoleon Solo, Grade 3 Southwest winner Silent Tactic, and Grade 3 Gotham winner Iron Honor. “It’s feeling like the correct move, but it’s not the correct move unless we run great in the Preakness,” Asmussen said. Chip Honcho completed his preparations for the Preakness on Sunday, working an easy half-mile in 50.20 seconds at Churchill Downs. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.60 and pulled up six furlongs in 1:15.20, according to Churchill clockers. Chip Honcho, a son of Connect, will be ridden in the Preakness by Jose Ortiz, who was aboard Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby and also won the Kentucky Oaks with Always a Runner. “The hottest rider in the world riding him? I kind of like that,” Asmussen said. Where at one time it looked as though the Preakness was going to attract an overflow field, it now looks as though the field will top out at 14, the maximum number of horses that can run. On Sunday, trainer Justin Evans said Express Kid is no longer under consideration for the race. His withdrawal follows that of Crude Velocity on Friday and Smoovin Saturday on Saturday. Barring any changes by Monday, Pretty Boy Miah will get into the field. Pretty Boy Miah, a son of Beau Liam, has won his last two starts after losing his first two. His wins have come in a maiden and a starter allowance, both run around one turn. Both have come with the addition of blinkers. Pretty Boy Miah will be Englehart’s first starter in a Triple Crown race. “You only get a shot at these races once a year,” Englehart said. “I feel like I could have done more to try and get horses there. The ownership group is excited to take that chance and I’m all for it. Whether or not it’s the smart answer, it doesn’t matter. If we can get in we feel we want to take a shot.” ◗ As of Sunday, the Preakness field, with riders, was: Bull by the Horns (no rider), Chip Honcho (Jose Ortiz), Corona de Oro (John Velazquez), Crupper (Junior Alvarado), Great White (Alex Achard), Iron Honor (Flavien Prat), Napoleon Solo (Paco Lopez), Ocelli (Tyler Gaffalione), Pretty Boy Miah (Ricardo Santana Jr.), Robusta (Rafael Bejarano), Silent Tactic (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Taj Mahal (Sheldon Russell),  Talkin (Kendrick Carmouche), and The Hell We Did (Luis Saez). :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.