Baltimore, MD (Best E Casino) - Recapturetheglory, fifth in the Kentucky Derby, has been declared out of the Preakness Stakes after showing a fever Friday night.

"We took his temperature last night (Friday)," assistant trainer Lara Van Deren said Saturday morning from Louisville. "He just wasn't acting right. He was backing up against the gate in the stall and he never does that. This morning his temperature was over 102."

Co-owner Ronnie Lamarque made the official announcement Saturday that the Illinois Derby winner will not run in the second leg of racing's Triple Crown.

"The racehorse comes first," said Lamarque, who teamed up with co-owner and trainer Louie Roussel to win the Preakness 20 years ago with Risen Star. "He had a slight temperature plus a slight pulse in his right front toe. For betterment of racing we are electing to give this horse some time and let him regroup. We are sorry we will not be coming to Baltimore but I know it is going to be a great race. We are really going to miss the Preakness experience. We felt we had a live chance to turn the tables on Big Brown."

Van Deren said Sunday that Recapturetheglory was doing much better a day after running a 102-degree temperature.

"Yesterday was real tough," Van Deren said. "He will probably leave tomorrow for Chicago and miss three or four days of training."

The defection of Recapturetheglory means that for the first time in 60 years no other horses from the Kentucky Derby will challenge Big Brown.

Trainer Dallas Stewart has informed Pimlico that Derby Trial champ Macho Again will start in the Preakness.

"We have been looking at the field," Stewart said. "We know Big Brown is there but we feel we can compete with those other horses. Looking at the race I think we have an excellent shot of beating a lot of horses in the race. It is a good field but we feel we fit."

Macho Again will be ridden by Julien Leparoux, who was aboard for the Derby Trial victory.

"The horse has been doing well since the race," added Stewart. "You got a marquee race. Everybody wants to run in these three Triple Crown races. One horse is not going to scare everybody. If Big Brown does not perform, you have a chance to win the Preakness."

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Macho Again walked the shedrow Sunday morning at Churchill Downs' Barn 35 after working a half-mile in :50.80 the day before.

Also on Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown jogged one mile with Michelle Nevin up accompanied by a pony.

Tres Borrachos. the third-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby, galloped 1 miles under Andy Durnin and was outfitted in blinkers for the first time.

"In his races, horses would come up to him and he'd back up a little and then come again," trainer and co-owner Beau Greely said about the use of blinkers. "I want to see what Andy thinks about them, but it looks like he was relaxed galloping today. He may have them on when he works Tuesday and then we'll make a decision."

Stevil galloped 1 miles under Dylan Armstrong in Louisville for trainer Nick Zito and also walking the shedrow was Racecar Rhapsody. The Ken McPeek-trainee had worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Saturday.

With the Preakness post position draw slated for Wednesday, there are now 12 confirmed starters. Harlem Rocker is listed as possible.