Let's get this outta the way right away: There's no rain in the forecast for Friday and Saturday here in Baltimore, so yep, a dry Triple Crown event is ahead of us. Nice. Real nice.

A couple of 14-race cards are on tap for the next two days. First post today is 11:30 a.m. ET. First post tomorrow (Preakness Day) is 10:30 a.m. ET.

The high today will be about 81. Mostly cloudy. Fast and (presumably) firm, with maybe a lean toward "good" for the turf course. All turf races are ON.

There are quite a few early SCR, including one each in the co-features, the G3 Pimlico Special (R10) and G2 Black Eyed Susan (R11). And the Jim McKay Turf Sprint (R12) has really been decimated with the scratches of the two favorites, BOUND FOR NOWHERE and PURE SENSATION.

A reminder that, as always, there's advance wagering available on the Preakness, and there's also the two-day double linking the Black Eyed Susan with the Preakness. Early this evening, we'll have early Preakness odds and the BES/Preakness double will-pays posted on www.drf.com.

Early SCRATCHES for Friday:

R1: 1, 13

R2: 6, 7, 13

R5: 1, 10

R6: 14 (more tba)

R7: 5

R8: 1, 7, 9, 13

R9: 1, 8, 13

R10: 1

R11: 1

R12: 3, 5, 8

R14: 2, 9