BALTIMORE – Doug O'Neill couldn't have done any better if he picked himself.

After Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist landed the No. 3 post for the Preakness in a draw Wednesday, the trainer looked like a man with a winning lottery ticket.

"The 3 is exactly what I wanted," he said. "… We're very optimistic that we're going to break good and get into position."

Unbeaten in eight races, Nyquist was made the overwhelming 3-5 favorite among 11 horses in Saturday's race.

His selection as the best horse in the field was justified, according to trainer Bob Baffert, who will saddle new shooter Collected.

"I'd probably be surprised if [Nyquist] didn't win," Baffert said. "He's going to be tough to beat."

Starting from the 13th post position in the Derby, Nyquist won the 20-horse race by 1¼ lengths over Exaggerator. Nyquist can expect far less traffic against a smaller field at Pimlico Race Course.

ASSOCIATED PRESS