"He's doing super," Albertrani said of the Preakness and Travers Stakes winner. "I couldn't be happier with him at the moment. He looks fantastic. He looks great."

Bernardini is an even-money favorite in the 13-horse field, followed by Whitney Handicap winner Invasor at 5-1 and Lava Man at 6-1. But all eyes will be on Bernardini, who has won his last six races.

The three-year-old bay son of A.P. Indy drew the third post in the $5 million race, a spot not ideal for jockey Javier Castellano but one that will allow him to tuck behind the leaders.

"I would have preferred being a little farther on the outside, but he's got enough speed to get away from there," Albertrani told reporters Thursday.

"I could see where he's maybe two or three lengths off the leaders and Javier will just put him in a position where he is happy and comfortable."

The mile-and-a-quarter Classic is just one of eight world championship races at Churchill Downs, the storied Louisville track hosting the annual big-money event for the sixth time.

Favorites of other races include Irish invader Hurricane Run (3-1) in the Turf, France's Gorella (4-1) in the Mile; Britain's Ouija Board (8-5) in the Filly & Mare Turf; and Kentucky-bred Circular Quay (5-2) in the Juvenile.

America's leading trainer, Todd Pletcher, has 17 horses entered in the eight races, including longshots Lawyer Ron and Flower Alley in the Classic.

Lawyer Ron was a strong contender in the Kentucky Derby but fizzled, while Flower Alley was the Classic runner-up a year ago but has failed to show any recent fire.

TOUGH RACE

"We're hoping (Flower Alley) can go back and re-discover his old form because if he can run back to any of those races, he belongs right with these horses," said Pletcher.

"Hey, he can run lights out on Saturday and be fifth. It's that tough a race."

Many expect to see Bernardini, Invasor and Lava Man battle it out down the stretch.

Invasor, the four-year-old Argentine bay, won the Uruguayan Triple Crown in 2005 and is unbeaten in three starts this year since arriving in the United States.

The son of Candy Stripes has not raced since winning the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga in early August. Invasor was scratched from the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in October with a fever.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said the scratch allowed Invasor to recover from a tough summer, which included a fourth-place finish at the UAE Derby in March.

"Horses don't usually come back that quick after running in Dubai," said McLaughlin, whose colt will break from the 11th post with Fernando Jara in the saddle. "It's given him a chance to recover. He's filled out in all the right places."

Lava Man trainer Doug O'Neill said jockey Corey Nakatani will see how the race develops after his five-year-old, California-bred gelding breaks from the eighth post.

"He can get the position he wants," said O'Neill. "If nobody wants the lead, he could be there."

The sentimental choice, however, is Perfect Drift, a seven-year-old gelding making his record fifth career start in the Classic.