BALTIMORE (AP) – Street Sense was made the 7-5 favorite for Saturday’s Preakness, and a victory by the Kentucky Derby winner would set up a Triple Crown shot three weeks later in the Belmont Stakes.

A field of nine 3-year-olds was entered Wednesday, with Street Sense drawing the No. 8 post position for the 1 3-16th-mile race at Pimlico Race Course.

Street Sense is coming off a 2 1/4-length win in the Derby two weeks ago thanks to jockey Calvin Borel’s brilliant, rail-hugging trip against 19 rivals.

There won’t be as much traffic to navigate this time. Should Street Sense win, a Triple Crown bid might be the perfect remedy for racing a year after Derby winner Barbaro’s ill-fated breakdown in the Preakness.

Street Sense, a son of Street Cry, seems poised to dispatch a field that includes Derby runner-up Hard Spun, third-place finisher Curlin and Circular Quay, who finished sixth.

Also entered were C P West, Flying First Class, Mint Slewlep, Xchanger and King of the Roxy.

Hard Spun, who will be ridden by Maryland’s leading jockey Mario Pino, was the second choice at 5-2.

The colt trained by Larry Jones drew the No. 7 post – the same post that Street Sense came from to win the Derby.

“It was a good number for the Derby, so hopefully it will work for the Preakness,” Jones said.

Curlin, beaten for the first time in the Derby after three overpowering victories, was the third choice at 7-2, and leaves from the No. 4 post.

Circular Quay, the Louisiana Derby winner, was 8-1.

Preakness favorites have won five of the last six times.

Street Sense arrived at Pimlico on Wednesday, a day after his final tuneup at Churchill Downs.

“He’s here and he’s doing good,” trainer Carl Nafzger said.

Street Sense has won four of eight starts with earnings of $2,958,200. Affirmed was the 11th and last Triple Crown winner in 1978.

Previously, the longest stretch between Triple Crown winners was 25 years – Citation in 1948 to Secretariat in 1973.

By winning the Derby, Street Sense became the first winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, first run in 1984, to take the run for the roses. He also was the first 2-year-old champion since Spectacular Bid in 1979 to win, and the first winner off only two preps since Sunny’s Halo in 1983.

Nafzger, who won the 1990 Derby with Unbridled, has handled Street Sense superbly. The trainer had the colt in tiptop shape for his impressive victories in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – by a record 10 lengths – and the Derby.

The field, from the rail out: Mint Slewlep (Alan Garcia, 30-1), Xchanger (Ramon Dominguez, 15-1), Circular Quay (John Velazquez, 8-1), Curlin (Robby Albarado, 7-2), King of the Roxy (Garrett Gomez, 12-1), Flying First Class (Mark Guidry, 20-1), Hard Spun (Pino, 5-2), Street Sense (Borel, 7-5) and C P West (Edgar Prado, 20-1).

AP-ES-05-16-07 1803EDT