It took just two days and two entries for the Preakness Stakes field to go from uh-oh to “pretty solid” in the estimation of trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who’s been in more of these classic races than anyone.
The key turning point was trainer Kenny McPeek’s decision to take Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan on to the second leg of the Triple Crown series. The next morning, trainer Brad Cox said fourth-place Derby finisher Catching Freedom would also join the fray.
A race that seemed like...