by Jeff Lowe

A bruised left front has knocked Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) winner Behindatthebar out of Saturday's Preakness Stakes (G1).

Behindatthebar, who drew post five, was the 10-to-1 third choice on the morning line. He was scheduled to be shipped from Belmont Park to Pimlico Race Course on Saturday morning.

The Forest Wildcat colt skipped the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3 because his connections felt he would have a better chance with four weeks rest coming into the Preakness. Satish Sanan's Padua Stables owns Behindatthebar in partnership with Michael Shustek and Don Stanley.

"The foot just didn't come around the last two days and we wanted to be 100% to run in the Preakness," said Sasha Sanan, racing manager for his father, Satish Sanan.

Behindatthebar won the Lexington by one length on April 19 at Keeneland Race Course after scoring in an allowance race 16 days earlier at Santa Anita Park. 
The defection reduces the Preakness field to 12 and will likely make Derby winner Big Brown an even more overwhelming favorite on Saturday.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer