Super Saver in fine form for Preakness

The Preakness Stakes on Saturday is the most formful race in the Triple Crown for a logical reason. The best 3-year-olds point for the Kentucky Derby first, then the strong survivors move on to Pimlico in Baltimore. The late bloomers or fresh colts are more apt to make a mark in the Belmont Stakes, Haskell and Travers later in the season.

That’s why I think the Preakness again will be dominated by runners exiting the Derby.

Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (5-2) is my choice to win the Preakness. The fan in me wants to see another colt with a shot to become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978. But it’s a lot more than that.

Super Saver had the least taxing trip of any exiting the Derby. He didn’t get roughed up at all. Except for some mud in his face due to Calvin Borel’s rail-skimming ride, his win looked like a stroll in the park. Though the final time was slow, all one asks a horse to do is beat whoever shows up. And he did.

My second choice is Lookin At Lucky (3-1). Trainer Bob Baffert has tried to change the colt’s karma by using jockey Martin Garcia in place of Garrett Gomez. A Post 7 draw also eliminated that as a loser’s excuse after leaving from the dreaded Post 1 in the Derby.

Lookin At Lucky is every bit as talented as Super Saver. Thus, I’m looking for Garcia to ride more aggressively than Gomez did and put this colt into the race sooner.

Next, I like Jackson Bend (12-1). While his Derby line looks awful — 12th, beaten by 19 lengths — he can rebound in a big way. Jockey Mike Smith protected him the final quarter-mile when hopelessly beat. In preserving the colt, Jackson Bend can run an energetic race Saturday.

My final horse is Dublin (10-1), who is the only horse that might be compromised by a bad post. The post draw usually means little at Pimlico, but Dublin from parking lot Post 12 almost surely will have a wide trip throughout.

My bet-against horse at low odds in the Derby was Sidney’s Candy, who ran 17th. In the Preakness, that horse will be Paddy O’Prado (9-2). After a gutsy showing in the Derby, he looks like the most likely bounce candidate Saturday. He was a spent horse at the end of the Derby.

■ ENG’S PICKS — Super Saver, Lookin At Lucky, Jackson Bend, Dublin.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.