updated 3:12 p.m. ET May 19, 2005

BALTIMORE - One year later than planned, Funny Cide returns to the scene of his 2003 Preakness victory to run in the Pimlico Special.

The 5-year-old was a late scratch from the Grade 1 Special last year because he had a respiratory condition, and trainer Barclay Tagg was hesitant to test him in the excessive heat.

That won’t be an issue Friday in the 39th edition of the $500,000 race for 4-year-olds and upward.

It could rain, though. Forecasters are calling for an 80 percent chance of afternoon showers.

Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby in 2003, then beat Midway Road and several other talented challengers in the Preakness. He was denied the Triple Crown at Belmont and has fought injuries recently, but is still a threat to win every race.

This one is no exception, even though he faces the arduous task of running of 1 3/16th miles after being idle since finishing 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last October.

That’s one reason why Funny Cide (5-1) was installed as the third betting choice behind Badge Of Silver (5-2) and Offlee Wild (4-1), who defeated Funny Cide in last year’s Massachusetts Handicap.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has entered Grand Reward, who rolled to a wire-to-wire victory in the Oaklawn Handicap before finishing eighth on May 7 in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap.

“That was just a race to get him ready for this one,” Lukas said Thursday.

Lukas sees plenty of potential from Grand Reward, who has finished in the money in half his 20 career races.

“I’m trying to win a very important race to get his stud career off,” he said. “He’s coming off a real nice win in Oaklawn. I’m hoping he can parlay that to something in this race.”

Grand Reward likes to bolt to the lead early, but Lukas knows it won’t be easy against some stiff competition.

“I would like to see him have the same kind of lead he had in the Oaklawn Handicap,” Lukas said. “I don’t think that will happen because the quality of horses in the Pimlico Special is going to raise up a little bit. They probably won’t let us have that luxury.”

Lukas was hard-pressed to pick the horse to beat.

“Normally, in the Pimlico Special you get a couple of standout horses,” he said. “Badge of Silver, with his tactical speed on the rail, is probably the one to hang your hat on. But having said that, it wouldn’t be any surprise to see any one of five or six horses jump up and win that one. It’s up for grabs.”

Badge of Silver has finished first or second in eight of his last 10 races.

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