The Preakness Stakes are the second leg of the coveted and elusive Triple Crown. The Preakness Stakes date will be on Saturday May 18. The Preakness Stakes start time will right at 6:20pm. The Preakness takes place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD. Kentucky Derby winner Orb will look to bring his success from the mud-laden track of Churchill Downs over to Pimlico in an attempt at a feat not achieved since 1978, the Triple Crown.
Orb is the early favorite after winning the Run for the Roses and drawing post position number one, taking even odds to win. Fellow Derby vet Mylute has the next favorable odds at 5-1 in the 5th position, followed up by Goldencents in the second position with 8-1 odds.
Also running in the Preakness after competing at the Derby is Oxbow, Will Take Charge, and Its My Lucky Day. None of these ponies came close to Orbs first place win, as the closest to the 3-year old colt was Mylute finishing 5th at the Derby. Goldencents was an early favorite at the Derby and highly publicized with his connection to Rick Pitino, though finished 17th in the field of 19.
Each horse will have less to compete with though, as the Derby field of 19 is reduced to just 9 for the Preakness.
Though the Preakness isn’t as hyped or celebrated as the Derby, what with the striking lack of mint juleps and annoyingly flamboyant hats and all, its still a vital part of thoroughbred horseracing in that it makes up the second leg of the Triple Crown. No pony has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed took it back in ’78, though plenty of have vied. Last year I’ll Have Another, arguably the greatest horse name in thoroughbred history, took home W’s at the Derby and Preakness but was a late scratch at the third leg, the Belmont Stakes, due to a foot injury. In 1998, Real Quiet lost in at Belmont by a nose.
The 35-year drought is the longest in Triple Crown history, and Orb looks primed to make it rain. Here are the post positions, odds, and jockeys for this years Preakness.
1. Orb (Even): Joel Rosario
2. Goldencents (8/1): Kevin Krigger
3. Titletown Five (30/1): Julien Leparoux
4. Departing (6/1): Brian Hernandez, Jr.
5. Mylute (5/1): Rosie Napravnik
6. Oxbow (15/1): Gary Stevens
7. Will Take Charge (12/1): Mike Smith
8. Govenor Charlie (12/1): Martin Garcia
9. Itsmyluckyday (10/1): John Velazquez
NBC will begin broadcasting at 4:30pm ET on Saturday May 18, though the gates at Pimlico will open at 8am ET. As of now, the forecast in Baltimore for Saturday calls for sunny skies and 72°F. Keep checking back with BostInno for the latest about the Preakness.
Time to start making predictions. Who’s going to win at the Preakness this year? Will Orb make a run for the Triple Crown? How much money are you throwing down? Let us know your best Preakness guesses in the comments section below.
