Enter Metallica: Sandman has some hard-rocking fans going into the Preakness

BALTIMORE (AP) - Mark Casse was not a Metallica guy until he began training Sandman. Now he is a big fan.

The band has returned the favor.

Front man James Hetfield met the horse at Churchill Downs before the Kentucky Derby, and he and the rest of Metallica filmed a video for Casse and Co. wishing Sandman well in the Preakness this weekend.

"We're excited to cheer on the people's horse, Sandman, who's heading to Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore this Saturday for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown," Hetfield said. "Metallica would like to wish Sandman and his awesome team good luck for a safe and winning trip at Preakness 150. Enter Sandman!"

Metallica also sent shirts to outfit the entire Casse Racing operation. Casse sent a hat signed by Hetfield to a friend and received in return a pair of Metallica-logoed underwear.

"I will be wearing them," Casse said. "There'll be no stone unturned."

Sandman could use luck turning in his favor after finishing seventh in the Derby. Accustomed to being in the back of the pack, he struggled in the slop as he had more mud kicked back in his face than normal because of the 18 horses ahead of him.

"He just never got comfortable," Casse said. "That's why we're here. We're going to throw that one out. Hopefully we get a better track on Saturday, and even if we don't, we're only going to have eight horses throwing mud back at us."

Todd Pletcher-trained River Thames was one of the latest-arriving Preakness horses, getting to Baltimore on Wednesday. The strapping colt took to the track at Pimlico for the first time Thursday morning, galloping a mile under exercise rider Nick Merritt.

"Just trying to keep him happy for the race, essentially," Merritt said. "Chill, chill horse. He's taking it all in."

Pletcher has won the Derby twice and the Belmont Stakes four times. A Preakness victory is the last thing missing from his Triple Crown resume, and River Thames opened as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line after 8-5 favorite Journalism and Sandman at 4-1.

The far corner of the stakes barn at Pimlico during Preakness week has seen many Hall of Fame trainers, including good friends Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas chatting, telling stories and, often, giving each other and anyone within earshot a hard time.

They took their buddy comedy on the road for the annual Alibi Breakfast, roasting and poking some fun at fellow trainers. Lukas said he tried to talk Mike McCarthy out of having Journalism in the No. 40 stall usually reserved for the Kentucky Derby winner.

"That's the kiss of death - you can't put him in there," Lukas said. "I told him to go over and get him into another stall. Bob said: ‘No, no, leave him there. Leave him there.’ Don't make him feel comfortable. He's already got the favorite.”

Baffert responded: "The best horse wins the race, Wayne. It doesn't matter what stall he's in."

Lukas and Baffert then turned their attention to Casse, who is based in Ocala, Florida, but is the most accomplished trainer at Woodbine Racetrack outside Toronto.

"We've got to watch out for this Mark Casse; he's won the Sovereign Award as leading trainer in Canada about 35 times or something," Lukas said.

"What happens in Canada stays in Canada," Baffert quipped. "It's like Vegas, OK?"

Lukas chimed back in: "It doesn't count. Mark, nothing counts in Canada."