It’s time to learn more about the horses running in Pimlico this weekend.

The 134th Preakness Stakes is shaping up to be a very contentious race with Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird expected to try for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. All eyes will be on him to do so, but there is a filly waiting in the wings with an eye on an upset.

Let’s take a closer look at the colts that will look to stop Mine That Bird in his bid for the 2009 Triple Crown title.

Papa Clem exits a fourth place finish in the Derby, which is the most favored prep race but does not qualify as a sharp prep. He also lacks a stakes win as a juvenile. He does have a stakes win this year, the Arkansas Derby where he ran a 101 Beyer.

KY Derby second place finisher Pioneer Of The Nile would probably go off as the second or maybe third choice from the windows if Bob Baffert decides to run the royally bred son of Empire Maker. Pioneer of The Nile also has 2 key knocks against him in the Preakness. He has points on the professional wing of his dosage profile, and has not run a triple digit Beyer, his best being a 96 in the Santa Anita Derby. He does have stakes wins both at 2 and 3, is coming off a sharp prep (2nd in the Derby), and can either stalk or rally when asked.

Rachel Alexandra won the Kentucky Oaks by a record 20 1/4 lengths, and takes on males for the first time in the Preakness. She has made the requisite number of starts this year, has stakes wins both as a 2 and as a 3 year old, lacks professional points, and has run triple digit Beyers in four straight starts. On the negative side, she races on the front end and did not exit the Kentucky Derby.

Tone It Down is the local hope in the Preakness, exiting a 3rd place finish in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico, a sharp prep. He has made 5 starts this year, lacks professional points, and is coming off a 2 week layoff. Not exiting the Derby is a knock, along with his lack of any stakes wins in his career, and his top Beyer of just 85 in a Laurel Park allowance race in April.

Take The Points could have gone in the Kentucky Derby but his connections opted to wait for the Preakness. His long layoff of 6 weeks from the Santa Anita Derby is a negative, as are his top Beyer of 99 in an allowance at Gulfstream, his lack of stakes wins lifetime, his professional points, and the fact he skipped the Derby. On the positive side his fourth place effort in the Santa Anita Derby qualifies as a sharp prep since he was only beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Pioneerof the Nile, he can stalk the pace, and he has 3 starts this year.

Terrain exits a fourth place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes beaten 3 3/4 lengths by General Quarters, earning him a sharp prep. He rallies from off the pace and has a stakes win last year, in the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes. Among his many negatives, he did not run in the Derby, he has just 2 starts this year, did not win a stakes this year, is coming off a 5 week layoff, has a top Beyer of 91 in the Louisiana Derby, and has points in the Professional wing.

Can Mine That Bird win the 2009 Preakness Stakes? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Mine That Bird 4.75

Friesan Fire 8.50

Big Drama 19.00

Flying Private 21.00

General Quarters 10.00

Luv Gov 31.00

Musket Man 9.00

Papa Clem 9.00

Pioneer of The Nile 6.00

Rachel Alexandra 2.50

Take The Points 23.00

Terrain 26.00

Tone It Down 31.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more Preakness Stakes betting odds. Want to watch the 134th Preakness Stakes live? Get sporting events tickets online now.

Preakness Stakes Triple Crown