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Twelve contenders will go to the post for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I). Let's see how they're rated by TrueNicks.

A++

• BIG BROWN (Boundary - Mein, by Nureyev) - Went into the history books by winning the Derby on only his fourth start, but is also there as one of the most closely inbred Derby winners of all time: with Northern Dancer 3 x 3, Damascus 3 x 4, and Round Table 4 x 5, all of the stallions in the third generation of the pedigree of his sire are repeated in his dam.
• HEY BYRN (Put It Back - Restraining Order, by Skip Trial) - By the very talented 3-year-old sprinter Put It Back, who has now emerged as one of Florida's best young sires. There is stamina in the distaff side of the pedigree through the dam, a daughter of Skip Trial, and the granddam, who is by Storm Bird out of a sister to the dam of champion older male Lemhi Gold.
• ICABAD CRANE (Jump Start - Adorahy, by Rahy (TrueNicks, SRO)) - From the second crop of A.P. Indy's promising young son Jump Start, this one is closely related to turf grade I winner Rutherienne (by A.P. Indy son Pulpit, out of a three-parts sister to the dam of Icabad Crane). Granddam Adorable Micol, by Riverman, was a stakes winner in France and a graded winner in the U.S.
• MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno - Go Donna Go, by Wild Again) - Macho Again, along with the Keeneland Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) victor Wicked Style and Withers Stakes (gr. III) winner Harlem Rocker, are all stakes-winning colts from the first crop sired by champion 2-year-old Macho Uno. The dam is half sister to stakes winners Kiwi Sunshine and Kiwi Mint, and the granddam was a stakes winner of nine of 39 starts.
• RILEY TUCKER (Harlan's Holiday - My Sweet Country, by Bold Ruckus) - By the Preakness Stakes fourth Harlan's Holiday, who is off to an excellent start with grade I winner Into Mischief and graded winners Denis of Cork (also third in the Kentucky Derby) and Tasha's Miracle in his first crop. Riley Tucker is half brother to Patriot Love, a stakes winner who also took second in the Canadian classic Breeders' Stakes. Riley Tucker comes from a Canadian family that also produced Fanfreluche, Strategic Maneuver, Halory Hunter, and Van Nistelrooy.

B+

• GAYEGO (Gilded Time - Devils Lake, by Lost Code) - By speed influence Gilded Time, out of a mare by a fast horse who could carry that speed nine furlongs, Gayego never looked likely to get the Derby trip, but has a shot in the Preakness, at least as far as distance is concerned.
• STEVIL (Maria's Mon - Company Storm, by Storm Creek) - A son of Maria's Mon, Stevil is out of the stakes-winning Company Storm. The granddam, Company Girl, a stakes winner in New York-bred competition, is by Cormorant, sire of Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin. This also means that the pedigree combines the genetic relatives Majestic Light and His Majesty, similar to Maria's Mon stars Monarchos, See How She Runs, and Strong Contender (TrueNicks, SRO) , who have either His Majesty or full brother Graustark on the bottom half.

B

• GIANT MOON (Giant's Causeway - Moonlightandbeauty, by Capote) - Giant Moon is the second classic starter for Giant's Causeway this year, following Cowboy Cal in the Kentucky Derby. The dam was a stakes winner in New York-bred company, and the granddam took the Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II). This is also the family of recent Canadian
  classic (Queen's Plate) winner Niigon.

C+

• YANKEE BRAVO (Yankee Gentleman - Vickey Jane, by Royal Academy) - A member of the first crop of his sire, a very fast son of Storm Cat, Yanko Bravo has a very interesting pedigree pattern, as his dam is by Royal Academy (like Storm Cat, a grandson of Northern Dancer), out of Crimson Saint (granddam of Storm Cat). The granddam is a sister to South American-bred star Siphon (BRZ).

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