BALTIMORE – As far as jockey Gary Stevens is concerned, the post-position draw for Saturday’s $1.5 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico couldn’t have gone any better if he was allowed to conduct the draw himself.

Stevens was not only happy to have his mount, Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line, draw the outside post in the eight-horse field, but he seemed downright giddy that his major competition, Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah and Derby third-place finisher Dortmund, drew posts 1 and 2.

The Maryland Jockey Club is guaranteeing the size of a number of wagering pools on Friday and Saturday at Pimlico.

There is also a daily double linking Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan and the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. Last year, the wager was on the Pimlico Special – rather than the Black-Eyed Susan – and the Preakness. It handled $495,000.

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All of the pick fives at Pimlico on Friday and Saturday will have a 12 percent takeout.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Wesley Ward spent Tuesday morning preparing for excursions to Pimlico, Belmont, and Royal Ascot, putting some of his better turf horses through workouts on the Churchill Downs grass course.

Supermason, who racked up his second blowout stakes win last Saturday night at Lone Star Park, has no immediate race plans but long term could be a candidate for the $50,000 Assault on July 11 at Lone Star Park and the $100,000 Prelude on Aug. 8 at Louisiana Downs, said trainer Bret Calhoun.

Erica Murray’s journey to becoming a jockey started as a toddler, when her mother took her to Louisiana Downs to watch morning training. It came full circle at the Bossier City track last Saturday, when the 17-year-old Murray won with her first career mount, Broussard. Following the race, a celebration coordinated by her fellow riders closed out a day to remember.

“I got ice water, baby powder, ketchup [thrown] all over me,” Murray said. “I’ve never been so ready for that my whole life!”

Minutes after winning the Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert was being interviewed on NBC when he dedicated American Pharoah’s victory “to a friend of mine, Bob Adair, who isn’t doing too good right now.”

The comment undoubtedly went over the heads of the vast majority of Derby viewers because Robert Adair, while a Quarter Horse legend, is not well known in Thoroughbred circles.

Edison was named the 2014 Alberta Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old at the annual Night of Champions dinner at the Matrix Hotel in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, last Saturday.

Trained by Robertino Diodoro, Edison raced just once in Alberta in 2014, but his 11-length romp in the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby clearly was the most impressive performance at Northlands last year.

BALTIMORE – Neil Howard, here at Pimlico for Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes with a filly named Ahh Chocolate, needs no reminder that it has been 25 years since he saddled Summer Squall to win the Preakness.

“I don’t like thinking how long it’s been,” Howard said with a grin.

Owned by Dogwood Stable and ridden by Pat Day, Summer Squall ($6.80) defeated Unbridled by 2 1/4 lengths in the 1990 Preakness after having finished second to that rival in the Kentucky Derby. Mister Frisky was another nine lengths back in third in a field of nine.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Stakes winner Mischief Clem has been turned out and will miss the $200,000 Snow Chief Stakes next Saturday, May 23. Nominations close today for the Snow Chief, a mile and one-eighth turf race for 3-year-olds that is among five stakes that day for California-bred or -sired horses.

Mischief Clem finished seventh in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 14 at Golden Gate Fields, after which the colt did not train forwardly. After post-race tests came back clean, the decision was made to give him a break.

Down Town Allen, a favorite at Charles Town where she won 24 of 38 starts dating back to 2009, was euthanized Monday due to injuries she suffered during the Original Gold Stakes on the April 18 Charles Town Classic card.

Down Town Allen is the only West Virginia-bred filly or mare to earn more than $1 million. She was pulled up midway through the seven-furlong race as the 2-5 favorite with torn suspensory ligaments. She had been under the care of William Riddle at the Cecil Veterinary Clinic in Port Deposit, Md., since her injury.