Scratches and changes from Friday's day-before-Preakness card at Pimlico

BALTIMORE, Md. -- There were only a handful of scratches out of the main fields on Friday's stakes-loaded card Friday at Pimlico. The 14-race program begins at 10:30 a.m.

The most key of scratches out of the day's six stakes races as of 10 a.m. was Lil Kings Princess out of the Grade 3, $150,000 Allaire duPont Distaff. Not only does that leave a field of just five fillies set to contest the race, it removes a key pace opponent for morning-line favorite Super Quick.

Also in the duPont, Click to Confirm is a four-pound overweight.

Under the Stars and Sweet Solare were scratched from the Grade 3, $150,000 Miss Preakness, leaving a field of six 3-year-old fillies for that sprint.

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Dendrobia, Door Buster, and the main-track-only entrant Hey Mamaluke were scratched from the $100,000 The Very One.

Shooger Ray Too has been scratched from the Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special. That event goes as race 12, with the Grade 2, $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan race 13.

In other changes: Never Satisfied, Detroit City, and Mocephus are overweights in race 1. Swayin to and Fro, Tilted Tiara, and Miss Midnight have been scratched from race 2, while Run Raegan Run will receive Lasix. Spitball, Saint Marco, and Elusive Knight have been scratched from race 4. The main-track-only entrant Nottoway was scratched from race 5, with Radical Right an overweight and Comedy Town making his first start since being gelded. Belladora has been scratched from race 6. Mandate, Honor the Fleet, and Nathan Detroit were scratched from race 7, along with the main-track-only entrants Gentleman Joe and Benandjoe. Bali Dove and main-track entrant Fully Connected have scratched from race 14, while Peligroso is an overweight.

The main track is rated fast and the turf is firm to begin the card, and those conditions will certainly prevail over the next two days, with highs into the 90s predicted for Friday and Saturday.

Before the mercury began to soar, it was a light morning of training for most of the Preakness Stakes entrants. Favored Epicenter put the final touches on his prerace preparations, visiting the starting gate before going for a light gallop. He had paddock schooled during the races on Thursday.

Fellow Preakness entrants Armagnac, Creative Minister, Early Voting, Fenwick, and Simplification all galloped, while Secret Oath and Happy Jack merely jogged. Happy Jack was accompanied by a pony while wearing the blinkers he will don again on race day.

Skippylongstocking did not go to the track, with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. saying that he had planned to walk the colt.