Empire Maker is a possible starter for the Preakness, but a final decision will not be made until this weekend, trainer Bobby Frankel said Tuesday. Frankel set the odds at "50-50" that the beaten Kentucky Derby favorite will run in the Preakness.

"I don't know what I'm going to do and I won't until I get back to New York this weekend," said Frankel when reached in California. Both Empire Maker and expected Preakness starter Peace Rules are now stabled at Belmont Park.

"If Peace Rules is okay, he'll run in the Preakness," Frankel added.

Less than 14 hours after Empire Maker ran second in the Kentucky Derby, Frankel did not seem inclined to run the colt in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, he told reporters that he was likely to pass the Preakness and that Empire Maker could make his next start in the Belmont Stakes.

Since, there have been conflicting reports concerning his status for the Preakness. Pimlico officials reported Tuesday that they had been informed that both Frankel-trained horses would ship to the Baltimore track Wednesday, May 14 for the race.

The confirmed starters for the Preakness include five horses who started in the Derby, Funny Cide (1st), Peace Rules (3rd), Eye of the Tiger (5th), Scrimshaw (11th) and Indian Express (14th). Others likely to run are Champali, who was second in the Derby Trial, and Senor Swinger, who is coming off a win on the grass in the Crown Royal American Turf.

Funny Cide will make his next public appearance Saturday when he will school in the Belmont paddock between races.

"We want to get him used to the crowd," said trainer Barclay Tagg. "He got a little upset at Churchill Downs, but he never washed out. We just want him to be comfortable when he goes to the paddock for his next race."

The exact time of Funny Cide's schooling on Saturday will be determined later this week.

"We would want to go early in the day so we don't upset his feed schedule," Tagg said.

According to Pimlico officials, Tagg could arrive at Pimlico as early as Thursday of Preakness Week, but is still holding out the possibility that Funny Cide will be vanned from Belmont to Pimlico the morning of the race.