BALTIMORE – Authentic was assigned post 9 as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 11 3-year-olds entered Monday for the 145th Preakness Stakes, to be run Saturday at historic Pimlico Race Course as the final leg of the 2020 Triple Crown.

Authentic, the Kentucky Derby winner, completed his preparation for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday with a workout Monday morning at Churchill Downs that was officially credited as a half-mile in 47.60 seconds, but included a gallop out of another quarter-mile.

Authentic's half-mile time was the fastest of 37 at the distance on Monday.

Working alone, Authentic clicked off fractions of 12.20 seconds and 24. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:00, and six furlongs in 1:13.40.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With Tyler Gaffalione otherwise occupied at Keeneland, trainer Kenny McPeek has turned to veteran jockey Robby Albarado to ride Swiss Skydiver on Saturday in Preakness 145 at Pimlico in Baltimore.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed several hours after Swiss Skydiver breezed Saturday morning at Churchill Downs that the star filly will run against male rivals in the Preakness Stakes next Saturday (Oct. 3) at Pimlico in Baltimore as the final jewel of the 2020 Triple Crown.

“Two horses in there look pretty formidable,” said McPeek, referring to Authentic and Art Collector, the likely favorites for the $1 million Preakness. “Beyond that, we ought to be tough. The filly sure is doing good.”

ELMONT, N.Y. - Country Grammer, winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Saratoga, will run in next Saturday’s $1 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, trainer Chad Brown said Saturday.

Country Grammer, a son of Tonalist owned by Paul Pompa Jr., is coming off a fifth-place finish behind Tiz the Law in the Travers Stakes on Aug. 8. That race was run just 23 days after Country Grammer beat Caracaro in the Peter Pan, a 1 1/8-mile race typically run in May at Belmont that this year was run at Saratoga on July 16.

Sheldon Russell had been out of sight and out of mind since mid-July, so he was bowled over when he learned that Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will give him a leg up on longshot Excession when the 145th Preakness is run at Pimlico in Baltimore.

“Very surprised,” said Russell. “Pleasantly so.”

A third horse exiting the Kentucky Derby, Max Player, has joined the prospective field for the 145th Preakness.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has confirmed that Max Player, fifth in the Sept. 5 Derby, will be on a Tuesday equine charter flight to Baltimore for the $1 million Preakness, which will be run Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course. Max Player will join the Derby winner, Authentic, and the third-place finisher, Mr. Big News, in traveling from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Even with official word having come down Tuesday that Tiz the Law will not run in the Oct. 3 Preakness, trainer Ken McPeek said the following morning that “we’re not in any hurry” in deciding whether Swiss Skydiver will contest the final leg of the 2020 Triple Crown.

“I’m still probably going to wait until Monday morning to decide,” McPeek said.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Making official what had been widely expected, Tiz the Law, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, will skip the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3 and point to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7, trainer Barclay Tagg said Tuesday.

Jesus’ Team has been confirmed as a supplemental entry for the Oct. 3 Preakness at Pimlico following his latest workout.

Trainer Jose D’Angelo said the half-mile breeze in 47.80 seconds Saturday at Monmouth Park was enough to convince him to commit to the final leg of the 2020 Triple Crown.

“He’s very, very good right now, and the Preakness is a great race for us,” said D’Angelo, a Venezuela native.

:: Preakness 2020: Contenders, news, past performances, and more