Preakness favorite Muth, owned by Bob Baffert, out of race due to illness

BALTIMORE -- Preakness favorite Muth, owned by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, was declared out of Saturday's race after a spike in temperature, race officials said Wednesday. 

The Arkansas Derby winner had a temperature of 103 after arriving at Pimlico late Tuesday night.

"We are sick about this. The horse had been doing really well," Baffert said in a statement. "But we have to do what's right by the horse."

Muth was the 8-5 morning-line favorite after Monday's post-position draw. Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan was picked as the second favorite to win. 

Now with one horse in the race, Baffert is going for his ninth win at The Preakness Stakes. He also owns Preakness participant Imagination.

"(Muth) is a nice horse. He won his last out (Arkansas Derby)," Baffert told the Associated Press earlier this week. "At the end of the day, Mystik Dan is going to get a lot of support. Just being there with two nice horses, to me, with a competitive field, it's going to be a good race."

The Preakness Stakes post time will be at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday, May 17.