Impressive Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner (G1) Always Dreaming will head to Pimlico Race Course for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the 142nd Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20.

At 8:10 a.m. ET May 7, Maryland Jockey Club president and general manager Sal Sinatra called Todd Pletcher and formally invited the trainer and the other winning connections of Always Dreaming to continue their Triple Crown dream in the Preakness.

“I congratulated him on winning the race and extended him the traditional invitation to the Preakness, which he accepted,” Sinatra said. “We are thrilled to have the Derby winner and he is excited about coming. He’s going into the Preakness barn and putting Always Dreaming in stall 40, which is historically reserved for the Derby winner. He said he wanted to keep the mojo going.”

Owned by MeB Racing Stables, Teresa Viola Racing Stables, St. Elias Stables, Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Siena Farm, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Always Dreaming is scheduled to arrive May 9 following a flight from Kentucky that will also include Preakness contender Royal Mo, trained by John Shirreffs, who was an also eligible in the Derby, but did not draw in.

As many as four other horses from the Derby are considered possible for the Preakness, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Lookin at Lee, the runner-up at 33-1, is a candidate. Classic Empire, fourth after being knocked around early in the race, will go to the Preakness if he recovers quickly from an issue with his right eye, trainer Mark Casse said.

More up in the air are Gunnevera and Girvin. Trainer Antonio Sano said a decision will be made about the seventh-place finisher Gunnevera after a discussion with the colt’s majority owner, Solomon Del-Valle. Girvin’s connections told Churchill Downs officials they would consider the Preakness and Belmont Stakes (G1).

Trainer Kenny McPeek said Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Senior Investment is pointing to the Preakness. Also under consideration are Illinois Derby (G2) winner Multiplier; Cloud Computing, third-place finisher in the Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets (G2); and Conquest Mo Money, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Lancaster Bomber is one of two horses Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien is considering for the Preakness. Pletcher is also considering Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Malagacy for the Preakness.

Sinatra said Pletcher requested 12 stalls at Pimlico, which will host 15 stakes, eight graded, worth $3.7 million in purses on a Preakness weekend that kicks off with Black-Eyed Susan Day May 19.

Pletcher said his other two Derby starters—sixth-place finisher Tapwrit and one-eyed horse Patch, who came in 14th—both came out of their efforts none the worse for wear. That duo will head to New York in the next few days, as will most of his runners stabled at Churchill Downs. 

One of that bunch, the Kentucky Derby also-eligible Master Plan, was sent out for a work Sunday at Churchill and registered a bullet :48 1/5 on a fast track. The colt’s next appearance is scheduled for the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park May 13.

WinStar Farm and Don Alberto Stable’s Battle of Midway came out of his third-place finish in good order and will fly back to Southern California on Tuesday, according to Jerry Hollendorfer’s assistant Christina Jelm. Hollendorfer told Maryland Jockey Club officials that a Preakness run was highly unlikely. 

Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Practical Joke will aim for middle-distance races moving forward, said trainer Chad Brown.

Trainer Ian Wilkes said that Whitham Thoroughbreds’ McCraken came out of the Kentucky Derby with a small cut on his left hind leg, but otherwise was none the worse for wear Sunday morning.

The son of Ghostzapper   will bypass the rest of the Triple Crown and regroup for a summer campaign.

Shirreffs reported that Gormley, the ninth-place finisher in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, was “fine” Sunday morning after his effort. “He tried for us, but of course, we wish he would have been able to do better.”

Shirreffs said Gormley would head back to his Southern California base at Santa Anita Park.

Isabelle de Tomaso’s Irish War Cry was “just fine” Sunday, the morning after his 10th-place finish the Derby. The Graham Motion-trained colt stalked the pace under Rajiv Maragh before fading through the stretch.

Motion said the New Jersey-bred son of Curlin   is likely to skip the Preakness.

“I don’t see a lot of reason to go on to the Preakness at this point,” Motion said. “He’s had a pretty good campaign this spring, so it’s likely we’ll skip that and make a plan to point for the Haskell (Invitational Stakes, G1).”

Albaugh Family Stable’s J Boys Echo settled back into trainer Dale Romans barn following Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

“He’s doing just fine. We will give him a few days and make some plans after that,” Romans said.

Calumet Farm’s Sonneteer remained a maiden following his 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He walked the shedrow of Barn 25 Sunday morning.

“He’s good. He just did not like the surface,” said Julie Clark, assistant to trainer Keith Desormeaux. 

When asked what might be next for him, Desormeaux responded, “How about a maiden race?”

The Midnight Lute   colt is scheduled to return to Desormeaux’s California base Tuesday.

Kendall Hansen, Skychai Racing, Bode Miller, and Sand Dollar Stable’s Fast and Accurate exited his 17th-place effort in the Derby in good shape for trainer Mike Maker. Maker said that he “hadn’t spoken to Kendall (Hansen) yet,” regarding the possibility of the JACK Cincinnati Casino Spiral Stakes (G3)-winning son of Hansen returning to turf and synthetic racing this spring and summer. 

Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Irap recovered from his run in the Derby and was back in Barn 41 on Churchill Downs’ backside Sunday morning.

Saturday evening he was a mud-covered mess following an 18th-place finish in the Derby.

“He was caked in mud,” assistant trainer Leandro Mora said Sunday morning. “He didn’t enjoy what happened at all. I don’t think he could see for much of the race. It’s hard to be running when you can’t see where you’re going. I think he just said ‘the heck with it.’”

Irap will be sent back to his Southern California base Tuesday and other plans—not including the Preakness—will be hatched for him. Joining him on the flight will be six other horses from trainer Doug O’Neill’s contingent that shipped to Louisville.

Godolphin Racing representatives declined comment on Thunder Snow the morning after his truncated appearance in the Derby, when he bucked several times a few strides out of the gate and was pulled up by jockey Christophe Soumillon. State veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Kaak examined the colt in the paddock immediately after the race and found him to have no injuries. 

Godolphin released an official statement Saturday night that said: “Thunder Snow walked back to the stables, where he was checked by the vets on course, and initial reports suggest that he appears to be sound. We will closely monitor him over the next 24 hours to ensure that he is OK. Our first priority is his welfare. He worked well all week and we were very happy with his progress. We want to thank everyone for their support this week. We gave it our best. The team was amazing, but it just wasn’t to be. Congratulations to the winning horse and the connections of Always Dreaming.”