The second jewel in this year?s Triple Crown racing series for the top Thoroughbreds in this year?s three-year-old class is up for grabs this Saturday in the 144th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. A field of 12 is expected to compete in the 1 3/16-mile jaunt around the dirt track in Saturday?s featured race at this famed Baltimore track.
Four of the entries competed in this year?s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 8 and the other eight probable contenders come in fresh making their Triple Crown racing debut. Post positions and the morning line odds will be set on Wednesday before the race,
2019 Preakness Stakes - Top Contenders
The three-year-old at the top of the list is trainer Bob Baffert?s Improbable at +145 betting odds to win. Coming off a fourth-place finish at Churchill, he appears to be the class of the field with a Horse Racing Nation rating of 8.00.
After going three-for-three as a juvenile, including a victory in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in early December of last year, this Kentucky-bred colt is still looking for his first win this year. He placed second behind Long Range Toddy in one division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes ahead of another second-place run at that track in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 13 behind Omaha Beach. Sired by City Zip, he would be my top choice to get that first victory on Saturday.
The other top contender on the board at Americas Bookie would be trainer Mark Casse?s War of Will. Starting from the dreaded No. 1 post in the 20-horse field of the Kentucky Derby, he got caught up in the bumping incident that eventually led to the disqualification of Maximum Security as the original winner. This Kentucky-bred colt went on to finish seventh.
Four of the entries competed in this year?s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 8 and the other eight probable contenders come in fresh making their Triple Crown racing debut. Post positions and the morning line odds will be set on Wednesday before the race,
2019 Preakness Stakes - Top Contenders
The three-year-old at the top of the list is trainer Bob Baffert?s Improbable at +145 betting odds to win. Coming off a fourth-place finish at Churchill, he appears to be the class of the field with a Horse Racing Nation rating of 8.00.
After going three-for-three as a juvenile, including a victory in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in early December of last year, this Kentucky-bred colt is still looking for his first win this year. He placed second behind Long Range Toddy in one division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes ahead of another second-place run at that track in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 13 behind Omaha Beach. Sired by City Zip, he would be my top choice to get that first victory on Saturday.
The other top contender on the board at Americas Bookie would be trainer Mark Casse?s War of Will. Starting from the dreaded No. 1 post in the 20-horse field of the Kentucky Derby, he got caught up in the bumping incident that eventually led to the disqualification of Maximum Security as the original winner. This Kentucky-bred colt went on to finish seventh.
