Can you feel it? Doesn't all seem right with the world -- at least in the world of horse racing ? Trainer Nick Zito thinks so.

After missing out on the Kentucky Derby, Zito has two runners for this year's Preakness and the Triple Crown triumvirate of Zito, Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert is aligned once more. But Nick couldn't wait on the others, he was the first to settle in at the stakes barn on the Pimlico backside. "I like to get here early, always have with my Preakness horses."

The ebullient New Yorker watched from the sidelines while Baffert and Lukas completed the Derby exacta. "We identify with the Triple Crown, the last twelve years for sure. I want to keep pace with them and want to stop them if I can.

"And as long as we're there we have a chance and I know Wayne and Baffert feel that way too. Look at last year, I'm second with A.P. Valentine in the Preakness and Belmont and we get beat by a freak horse, I mean a horse like Point Given just doesn't come along every year. You have to beat everybody but again this year, like it usually is, Lukas and Baffert are the ones, but I have two good chances I feel."

His one-two punch of Crimson Hero and Straight Gin are both young in experience and fresh after sitting out the Derby, but their styles are different. rimson Hero, second to Proud Citizen in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes, is a dead closer while Straight Gin, who had been hot in Florida before faltering in the Lane's End Spiral and Blue Grass Stakes, lays close to the pace.

"Crimson Hero has guts and heart. He's a May 21st foal so he won't be a full 3-year-old in the Preakness. He's by Capote, but doesn't run like that, doesn't have that speed. He comes from last. People think Pimlico is speed oriented, but if there's enough speed ... well he's going to come running no matter what."

Crimson Hero is a half brother to the Zito-trained multiple stakes winner Albert the Great, both owned by Tracy Farmer. Zito has thought about the Belmont as well, especially if Crimson Hero likes the surface as much as his half brother did. "We've been second, five times in the Belmont. So yeah we think we'll also have a shot at the last leg. We haven't won as many as the other two (Lukas and Baffert) but we've been consistent in the Triple Crown."

Consistency is what Zito hopes will come back to Straight Gin, who was developing nicely in Florida before coming to Kentucky in March. "Let me tell you, he's a dynamite horse, he's no fluke. I don't know what happen in the Lane's End Spiral -- shipping, weather change, whatever -- but throw that out and he'd look pretty dangerous. He's green, you know, he hit the side of the gate in the Blue Grass but he looks good now. He's by Go For Gin who was second in both the Preakness and Belmont and missed (winning) the Triple Crown by only two lengths.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm running Albert the Great's half brother and cousin. I look pretty good," the excitement builds in his voice as if Go For Gin was once again winning the Derby or Louis Quatorze was capturing the Preakness as he did in 1996.

Naturally Zito is thrilled, as anyone is when doing what he or she truly cares about. He's won two Kentucky Derbys and a Preakness while finishing second more than a few times in the final two jewels of the Triple Crown. These races are his pride and passion.

"It's a hunger. Like the other two guys, I believe that's why we've all had success in the Triple Crown. It's that hunger for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for what we've done, but it is disappointing and frustrating to not be in one of these races. No matter how hard you work, you've got to be lucky. I hope we are again. At least we're here and that's a start."

He excuses himself to get back to work. Lucky to have another Preakness shot; thankful to compete with Lukas and Baffert again. All is right in Nick Zito's world.