Preakness Stakes – Preview and Betting Odds

The Preakness Stakes, is the third horse race in the race for the Triple Crown, it takes place on the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

This is a Grade I race, in which the horses cover a distance of 9.5 furlongs. It’s the second jewel (race) of the 2022 Triple Crown. So, it takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.

The first race in history was in 1873. The Preakness Stakes, owes its name to former Governor of Maryland. After the colt that won the first Dinner Party Stakes.

The Triple Crown is an extremely tough test for horses and their riders. Not only because of the short time between the three competitions; but also the horses are not used to run long distances in such race.

As we have become accustomed to in recent years, apart from the winner of the Kentucky Derby, not many horses that participate in the Race of the Roses, are in the second race of the North American Triple Crown.

2022 will be no exception; and just a few days after the pleasant surprise of Rich Strike’s victory in the Derby. We’re starting to see the final roster of horses in the Preakness Stakes. Next Saturday, May 21 in Pimlico.

Rich Strike is not running the Preakness Stakes – No Triple Crown Winner This Year

Now that Rich Strike is out and there’s no chance for a Triple Crown Champion. The Preakness the favorites are the filly Secret Oath, the current winner of the Kentucky Oaks G1. Her trainer, D. Wayne Lukas had mentioned the possibility of facing the males for the second time. However, he was waiting for the result of the last race to discuss it with the owners.

Early Voting, will be another of the probable entries in the Preakness Stakes. Trainer Chad Brown, preferred this colt prepared for this competition.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will enter Skippylongstocking, third in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial.

The Preakness Stakes, even with the absence of Rich Strike, will not cease to be a test full of great expectations, where we will have 9 3-year-old horses. Including the Secret Oath filly, who will meet on Saturday in Pimlico. An interesting day that promises a lot of fun for the attendees.

Epicenter right now is the favorite to win. The second place in the Kentucky Derby, Steve Asmussen’s pupil is looking to establish himself as the leader of the generation born in 2019, ridden by Joel Rosario.

Perhaps the underdog in the lottery is Simplification; one of the three Kentucky Derby that entered in the Preakness. He finished in fourth place in the Carrera de las Rosas. Antonio Sano’s pupil justified this attempt after that excellent performance.

The surprise of the competition is Fenwick, whose owners decided to include it in the important competition on Monday morning. It will be in a ratio of 50 to 1 and will start from position #3.

Then we have Creative Minister, Armagnac, and Happy Jack who will start from positions 2, 6, and 7, respectively, looking to cause an upset just like Rich Strike did in the Kentucky Derby.

Controversies in the Triple Crown

A lot has been said about the American Triple Crown of horse racing. Including the different controversies that exist within trainers who prefer their horses not to participate in any of the 3 races.

This race is a complicated test for the riders and the participating horses. Not only because of the short time between races, which makes it more complicated to rest and prepare for the next one. Or the fact races are held in 3 different states, but rather, the horses not being used to run such long distances in races, so their preparation must be more demanding.

Different trainers have their favorite races when it comes to horse preparation. Some prefer to save their horses for this Preakness Stakes and then enter the Belmont Stakes. While others prefer to enter the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, which allows them to dose their colts much more.

The main reason for these preferences among trainers is that the Kentucky Derby is a race in which the participating horses have to have extra luck to win. In the Preakness Stake, it is known that horses must have a high endurance, due to the long distance covered. While the Belmont Stakes, billed as the Champion’s Test, requires a perfect combination of speed, endurance, and determination.

Another key point is that, due to the high demand for these races and the technological advances of the pharmaceutical industries; an increasing possibility is that different drugs are injected into horses to improve their performance and therefore have a better race.

Expert picks for 2022 Preakness Stakes

The Preakness, is the shortest of the triple crown race at 1 3/16 miles, so this race favors horses that get off to a good start more than others. Stamina is still important, as is closing speed, but there’s simply less time to make up for a poor start in this race.

According to NY Times horse racing experts Joe Drape and Melissa Hoppert, these are the horses to watch in this race:

• Joe Drape (win-place-show) picks: Secret Oath, Epicenter, and Early Voting.

• Melissa Hoppert picks: Early Voting, Epicenter, Secret Oath.

Confirmed horses for Preakness Stakes and their betting odds.