Gayego, the Arkansas Derby winner who was 17th in the Kentucky Derby, will try Big Brown again in the Preakness, trainer Paulo Lobo confirmed today. With the slow break and early traffic, Lobo figures his colt didn't exert much energy two weeks ago and came out of it well, so why not try again? He may have been 18-1 in Louisivlle, but that was good enough for sixth among 20 horses.

With Gayego in, it will be the sixth time since Derby horses began running in the Preakness in 1918 that only one horse returned to face the Derby winner in Baltimore. The last time it happened was 1980, when Codex beat Derby-winning filly Genuine Risk, giving Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas his first victory in a Triple Crown race.

Reade Baker, outspoken Canadian-based trainer of Kentucky Bear, arrived here tonight and will be on the Pimlico backstretch Wednesday morning. He will be the FIRST trainer on the Pimlico backstretch. Many of the others will be downtown for the evening's nationally televised post position draw. How great would it be for Baker and Rick Dutrow to trade one-liners?

Three Preakness horses worked four furlongs today: Giant Moon in a bullet :47.77 at Belmont Park, Stevil in :47.80 (sixth fastest of 61) and Tres Borrachos in :50.40, both at Churchill Downs.

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Behindatthebar, was at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga today, a dark day at Belmont. He was uncertain when he would arrive at Pimlico. Big Brown, Tres Borrachos and Stevil are expected to land at BWI at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and be at the stakes barn around 6:30.

Schenectady mayor Brian Stratton was on my Southwest Airlines flight this afternoon from Albany to Baltimore, where he also deplaned, along with half a cabin full of fellow Red Sox fans. Maybe today will be a better day for the defending World Series champs.