Things are falling nicely into place for Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.

He's training in the Maryland countryside, he's been made the early 2-1 favorite for the Preakness Stakes and he drew a decent post for Saturday's race.

"It's great. I couldn't be happier," trainer Graham Motion said after his colt landed in the No. 11 post on Wednesday.

A full field of 14 is set for the 1 3-16-mile Preakness at Pimlico, located about 60 miles from Fair Hill Training Center, where Animal Kingdom will be until the morning of the race.

It will be the first time since 2005 that 14 horses are set to run in the second leg of the Triple Crown series. That's five fewer horses than ran in the Derby, where the far outside post was a much bigger concern than it will be in the Preakness.

"I would just rather be on the outside than stuck down on the inside. I was a little worried when 1 and 14 were still left," Motion said. "It would not have been the end of the world, but I much prefer to be in the middle to the outside, where I am."

Just two winners since 1926 have come out of the No. 11 post, the last being Point Given trained by Bob Baffert in 2001.

Seventy favorites have won in the previous 135 runnings, including 2009 champion Rachel Alexandra and Big Brown, who was the 1-5 favorite in 2008.

"Now we're a pretty solid favorite. It feels great," said Barry Irwin, who represents the 20 people who own Animal Kingdom under the partnership of Team Valor International.

Jockey John Velazquez is keeping his mount on Animal Kingdom after replacing injured Robby Albarado the day before the Derby. Albarado picked up a Preakness mount with King Congie.

Dialed In, the beaten Derby favorite, is the 9-2 second choice of Pimlico oddsmaker Frank Carulli.

- Associated Press