2016 Preakness Stakes New Challengers for Nyquist

Stradivari has the fastest winning time among runners

Following on the heels of Nyquist's decisive victory in the Kentucky Derby, runner up Exaggerator and ninth-place Lani have been declared for the Preakness Stakes. With an expected field of 10-11 colts making a run at the second leg of the Triple Crown, that means the bulk of the field will be coming from elsewhere to challenge Nyquist. At the top of that list is a real wild card in the form of Stradivari. At first glance he's a no-hoper, with only three lifetime starts to his credit, the most recent a win at the allowance level at Keeneland. But a closer look reveals that he won that race going 1 1/8 miles in a time of 1:48.64, slightly faster than Nyquist ran in his final Derby prep in the Florida Derby, and a full second faster than Exaggerator took his final prep at Santa Anita, both at the same distance. The question is if he can carry that speed through the longer Preakness.

Cherry Wine and Laoban almost made Kentucky Derby

Two others in the mix for the Preakness are Cherry Wine and Laoban, the two colts who sat on the also eligibles list for the Derby, waiting to see if there would be a late week scratch. Not making the Derby gate, they'll both take a shot at the Preakness. Of those, Cherry Wine perhaps stands the better chance, having finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes and fourth in the Rebel. He'll be coming from off the pace, while Loaban is a front running speedster, who will have to go gate-to-wire, all while Nyquist likely looms off his shoulder waiting to pounce