The Preakness Stakes, commonly known as the Preakness, is the second leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. It is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The race, which is held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland is the second of three races in the Triple Crown series, with the Kentucky Derby as the first leg and the Belmont Stakes as the third leg. The Preakness has been run since 1873, making it the second oldest of the Triple Crown races.
What is the Preakness Purse?
The Preakness purse is $1.5 million, with a guaranteed payout of $900,000 to the winning horse. This year, the purse was increased by $400,000. The second-place finisher will take home $200,000, while third place will receive $100,000. The fourth- through tenth-place finishers will receive $50,000 each.
How Many Horses are Running in the Preakness?
This year, there are 13 horses running in the Preakness. The field includes the winner of the Kentucky Derby and three other horses that ran in the Derby.
The 13 Horses Running in the Preakness
- Essential Quality – Winner of the Kentucky Derby
- Medina Spirit – Second place finisher in the Kentucky Derby
- Midnight Bourbon – Sixth place finisher in the Kentucky Derby
- Rombauer – Third place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby
- Concert Tour – Second place finisher in the Arkansas Derby
- Keepmeinmind – Third place finisher in the Arkansas Derby
- Ram – Fourth place finisher in the Arkansas Derby
- Unbridled Honor – Fourth place finisher in the Florida Derby
- Risk Taking – Second place finisher in the Wood Memorial
- Crowded Trade – Third place finisher in the Wood Memorial
- France Go de Ina – Sixth place finisher in the Wood Memorial
- Havoc – Third place finisher in the Blue Grass Stakes
- Gypsy King – Fourth place finisher in the Blue Grass Stakes
Favorite Horses to Win the Preakness
Essential Quality is the favorite to win the Preakness this year. The unbeaten colt won the Kentucky Derby in impressive fashion and is the clear favorite heading into the Preakness. He is the morning line favorite at 4-5.
Medina Spirit, who finished second in the Kentucky Derby, is the second favorite at 3-1. He has a strong late kick and should be a major factor in the race. Midnight Bourbon, who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby, is the third favorite at 5-1. He has been impressive in his recent workouts and could be a factor in the race.
Horses to Watch
Rombauer is one of the horses to watch in the Preakness. He finished third in the Santa Anita Derby and has been training well since then. He is a longshot at 15-1, but he could surprise.
Concert Tour is another horse to watch. He finished second in the Arkansas Derby and has been training well. He is a longshot at 10-1, but he could be a factor in the race.
Odds to Win the Preakness
The odds for the horses running in the Preakness are as follows:
- Essential Quality – 4-5
- Medina Spirit – 3-1
- Midnight Bourbon – 5-1
- Rombauer – 15-1
- Concert Tour – 10-1
- Keepmeinmind – 15-1
- Ram – 20-1
- Unbridled Honor – 12-1
- Risk Taking – 20-1
- Crowded Trade – 20-1
- France Go de Ina – 30-1
- Havoc – 30-1
- Gypsy King – 30-1
How to Bet on the Preakness
Betting on the Preakness is easy and can be done online. To bet on the Preakness, all you need to do is sign up for an online betting account and make a deposit. Once you have an account, you can place bets on any of the horses running in the Preakness.
Types of Bets You Can Place
There are several types of bets you can place on the Preakness.
- Win – You select the horse you think will win the race
- Place – You select the horse you think will finish in either first or second place
- Show – You select the horse you think will finish in either first, second, or third place
- Exacta – You select the two horses you think will finish first and second in the exact order
- Trifecta – You select the three horses you think will finish first, second, and third in the exact order
- Superfecta – You select the four horses you think will finish first, second, third, and fourth in the exact order
Conclusion
The Preakness Stakes is an exciting race and the second leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. This year, there are 13 horses running in the Preakness, including the winner of the Kentucky Derby and three other horses that ran in the Derby. Essential Quality is the favorite to win the Preakness and is the morning line favorite at 4-5. Medina Spirit and Midnight Bourbon are the second and third favorites, respectively.
Betting on the Preakness is easy and can be done online. There are several types of bets you can place on the Preakness, including win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta. So if you’re looking to make some money, be sure to check out the Preakness this Saturday!