Animal Kingdom arrives at Pimlico

Animal Kingdom takes a look around after arriving at Old Hilltop (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos)

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner ANIMAL KINGDOM (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]) completed
his journey to the Preakness S. (G1) at 6:45 a.m. (EDT) Saturday, just under 12
hours before he will compete in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown at historic
Pimlico Race Course.

Post time for the 136th running of the Preakness is 6:20 p.m.

Led by assistant trainer Dave Rock, the Team Valor International colt stepped
off the horse van that carried him the 60 miles from his home at Fair Hill
Training Center in Elkton, Maryland, to the Preakness Stakes Barn at Pimlico.
Animal Kingdom walked the shedrow before being led into Stall 40, the
traditional home of Kentucky Derby winners during their stay at Pimlico.

Trainer Graham Motion shipped the chestnut colt from Churchill Downs to Fair
Hill on May 10 and opted to keep him at the quiet, rural facility northeast of
Baltimore until Preakness morning. Motion’s contingent of  seven horses
entered in races on the Preakness program left Fair Hill at 5:32  a.m.
Animal Kingdom was the only horse on the second van.

The two Preakness runners based at the Bowie Training Center, NORMAN
ASBJORNSON (Real Quiet) and CONCEALED IDENTITY (Smarty Jones), arrived at
Pimlico in separate vans between 5:30 and 6 a.m.