'Animal Kingdom' Eyes Preakness Stakes

Trainer Graham Motion and jockey John Velazquez are looking for reasons that Animal Kingdom will repeat his winning Kentucky Derby performance in the 136th running of the Preakness today at Pimlico Race Course.

“I just couldn’t be happier with how he’s doing,” Motion said Friday from Fair Hill Training Center. “I can’t dictate the pace, and I really can’t predict if he’s going to bounce, but he’s giving me no indication of any of those things happening. I think it’s pretty hard to boldly say he’s not going to, but he hasn’t given me any indication that he’s not doing as well or better than he was going into the Derby.”