The field for Saturday's 131st Preakness Stakes (G1) remained unpredictable on Sunday as Diabolical was entered into the mix of potential challengers for Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Barbaro, while another potential contender, Lewis Michael, was withdrawn from consideration.

Trainer Steve Klesaris said on Sunday that he has yet to make a final decision about starting Grade 3-placed allowance winner Diabolical in the Preakness, but several factors peaked his interest in the 1 3/16-mile race at Pimlico Race Course.

"It's a shorter field and the distance is a little shorter [than the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby]," Klesaris said. "We still haven't made a decision, but it is under high consideration."

Diabolical, a chestnut Artax colt, is stabled at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton , Maryland in a barn next to Derby winner Barbaro. Diabolical, who was eight lengths behind Barbaro in a runner-up finish in the 2005 Laurel Futurity, enters off an 8 1/4-length win in an allowance race at Delaware Park .

Trainer Wayne Catalano announced alternate plans for Lewis Michael, a Grade 3-placed stakes winner, one day after trainer Bob Baffert withdrew Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner Bob and John and Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Point Determined from consideration for the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

Lewis Michael, a Rahy colt conditioned by Catalano for owner Frank Calabrese, finished third behind Barbaro in his 2006 debut in the Tropical Park Derby (G3) at Calder Race Course on January 1.

"We decided to go to the Peter Pan [Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on Saturday]," Catalano explained. " Belmont 's a bigger track, and we like the setup. We'd love to come to the Preakness, but there's a lot of speed in the race and we didn't think it was in our best interest."

Derby winning trainer Michael Matz said Sunday that Barbaro will most likely gallop and jog up to the Preakness and could ship into Baltimore from his Fair Hill stable on the day of the race. Matz was still savoring the Dynaformer colt's impressive 6 1/2-length romp in the Kentucky Derby.

"It's something that they can't take away from him," Matz said of the Lael Stables homebred. "He'll always be the Kentucky Derby winner. We'll try to get through this one and go from there."

Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek, who finished in a dead heat for fourth in the Derby , jogged 1 1/2 miles at Churchill Downs and is slated to be flown from Louisville to Baltimore on Tuesday.

Trainer Michael Trombetta indicated that Illinois Derby (G2) winner Sweetnorthernsaint, seventh in the Derby where he was bumped and steadied, will likely jog and gallop at Laurel Park leading up to the Preakness.

"He's at Laurel and he's doing really well," Trombetta said. "We're getting ready for next weekend. We just hope to get a better trip."

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito's Preakness contender Hemingway's Key completed his final serious work with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.28 on Sunday over the training track at Saratoga Race Course.

"He'a a horse that we always thought had the potential," Zito said about the Notebook colt. "He won his first two starts, then kind of had a mixed-up winter. I didn't have the right conditions for him. I didn't have the right spots."

Hemingway's Key is unplaced in four starts this year, including an 11th-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) in which he was beaten by 16 3/4 lengths by Barbaro. Bernardini galloped 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park on Sunday. The bay A.P. Indy colt will be making only his fourth start for trainer Tom Albertrani in the Preakness, but enters off an impressive 3 3/4-length win in the one-mile Withers Stakes (G3) on April 29 at Aqueduct. "It's going to be another step up for him, but we have a lot of confidence in him," Albertrani said. "He's lightly raced, and we know it's a big step up, but the manner in which he won the Withers has given us a lot of confidence for this race."

Gotham Stakes winner Like Now galloped 1 3/8 miles at Belmont under the supervision of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

One day after entering the Preakness fray, legendary Baltimore trainer King Leatherbury expressed reservations about running Federico Tesio Stakes winner Ah Day. Owner The Jim Stable is deciding between supplementing the bay Malibu Moon gelding to the Preakness or entering him in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes on the undercard.

"That's the thing that makes the decision on the Preakness so hard," Leatherbury said. "I'd have to forfeit a stake where I would be one of the favorites.

"We've got three biggies from the derby," Leatherbury said referring to Barbaro, Brother Derek, and Sweetnorthernsaint. "Those three should block me from running, but we'll see what happens."

Courtesy: The Thoroughbred Times