Painting the Sky, a Thoroughbred filly whose markings resemble those of a Paint, was supposed to make her turf debut in Thursday night’s eighth race at Evangeline Downs, but due to inclement weather, the seventh through ninth races on the card were canceled.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fred Bradley, who in recent years bred and campaigned Brass Hat and Groupie Doll in partnership with his son, Buff, died early Friday after a lengthy illness in Wilmore, Ky. He was 85.

Fred Bradley was born in Evansville, Ind., and raised in rural western Kentucky before becoming immersed in a variety of successful endeavors that included business, politics, law, and horses. He was a Kentucky state representative from 1981-2000.

BALTIMORE – Less than a week after announcing the creation of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup – the world’s richest horse race, where owners purchase their spot in the starting gate for $1 million – officials with The Stronach Group announced Thursday that all spots have sold out.

According to officials, a dozen individuals or groups – including Paul Reddam, the owner of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist – have each put up $1 million to purchase a spot in the starting gate for the race, scheduled for Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park in south Florida.

Just like we did for the Kentucky Derby, let’s look at a few contenders for this Preakness and see how they relate to other horses in recent Preakness Stakes history. Caveat emptor: These stats are mostly intended to be fun, playful, silly, or just interesting discussion starters, so use them at your own risk when upgrading or downgrading who you’re likely to bet in the Preakness.

The Derby winner

BALTIMORE – Owner Fred Brei and trainer Stanley Gold enjoyed a lot of success during a decade-long association together, including winning an Eclipse Award with Awesome Feather, the 2-year-old champion filly of 2010.

But that relationship ended in early April, with Brei moving about 30 horses to trainer Mark Casse. Neither Brei nor Gold would go into detail about the cause of their breakup, but it is clear that both have moved on.

“Stanley wished to change his operation, I wished not to go with the change,” Brei said this week. “It’s that simple.”

BALTIMORE – Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner, drew post 3 when a field of 11 was assigned their stalls Wednesday night for the 141st Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico.

Nyquist has won all eight of his starts and will be a prohibitive favorite in the Preakness. Both Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, and Keith Feustle, who makes the line at Pimlico, installed Nyquist as the odds-on favorite at 3-5. If that holds, it will mark the fourth time that Nyquist has been odds-on.

Otabek Umarov, the owner and trainer of Looks to Spare, the longshot third-place finisher in last year’s Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs after a rapid rise through the claiming ranks, has been ejected from Churchill and suspended by state stewards, according to rulings and local officials.

BALTIMORE – As the colt Collected made his way back to the stakes barn at Pimlico on Wednesday morning, his trainer, Bob Baffert, came walking up, trailed by a media throng of exactly one, a journalist who is working on a book on Baffert.

Trainer John Servis laid out a likely schedule for Cathryn Sophia, the Kentucky Oaks winner, beginning with the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park on June 11.

Cathryn Sophia is in training at Monmouth Park. Servis said that the Acorn, a one-turn mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard, would be followed by the Grade 1 Test at seven furlongs on Aug. 6 at Saratoga.

Servis said the Test would lead to a start in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes, at 1 1/16 miles at Parx on Sept. 24. Following that would be the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita in early November.

Stradivari will be giving up both significant experience and months of age to his competitors when he enters the Preakness Stakes as a new shooter, but the colt, who has won his past two starts by a combined 25 3/4 lengths, sure doesn’t behave like it.

“I hope his maturity will enable him to be able to handle it and run beyond his experience,” said Tanya Gunther, who, with father John Gunther, bred the colt and co-owns him with Coolmore. “If he didn’t have as good of a mind, we might be taking a different track.”