Trainer Bob Baffert has confirmed Bodemeister as a starter in Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico but has ruled out stablemate Liaison.
Hansen, Hierro and Isn't He Clever have also passed on a trip to Pimlico for the second leg of the Triple Crown but Daddy Nose Best now seems likely to represent Steve Asmussen.
Baffert was pleased when he got his first look at Kentucky Derby runner-up Bodemeister since May 6, the day after the Churchill Downs classic.
He watched the colt work over 1 ½ miles around a muddy oval at Churchill Downs before declaring that he was on for a Preakness start..
"He looks good, his coat is good and he is eating well," Baffert said.
"I see no reason not to take him to Baltimore."
Bodemeister ran some of the fastest fractions in the 138-year history of the Kentucky Derby when he attempted to lead from start to finish and did not surrender to I'll Have Another until the closing stages.
"He ran an amazing race," Baffert said. "He tried to fight back and he hung on for second. He was glorious in defeat."
"He cooled out quickly and started to eat right after the race. I was worried that he might be wiped out and just stay in the back of his stall for three days and sulk, but he never did."
"He deserves a shot at the Preakness. He looks good and I don't see why he can't run another one."
Bodemeister entered the Kentucky Derby off a 9 1/2-length victory in the G1 Arkansas Derby.
Baffert said Liaison, sixth in the Kentucky Derby, would not run in the Preakness Stakes but could try for the Belmont Stakes on June 9 or return to California for the G2 Californian at Hollywood Park June 2.
Hansen, the most significant of Monday's Preakness defections, will now drop back to seven furlongs for the G2 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes day according to trainer Mike Maker after his ninth in the Kentucky Derby .
Hierro, winner of the G3 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, and Isn't He Clever have "other options" according to their trainer Steve Asmussen.
However Asmussen may still be represented by Daddy Nose Best, winner of the G3 Sunland Park Derby before a troubled 10th in the Kentucky Derby.
A decision will be made on Tuesday after he works.
A start for Pretension will also be determined by his trainer Chris Grove on Tuesday but Brimstone Island, runner-up to Pretension in the Canonero II Stakes, has been removed from Preakness consideration and will run in a race on Saturday's undercard at Pimlico.
