Preakness Gambling

 

The 145th Preakness Stakes will close out the reshuffled 2020 Triple Crown season. Tiz the Law won the Belmont Stakes in June, and Kentucky Derby winner Authentic is the favorite to win Saturday in Pimlico

BUSR offers Futures Wagers, Match Races and all track betting options for the Preakness Stakes. This year the race will be held on Saturday, May 15th. There are many different ways to. Welcome to Preakness Stakes Online Gambling The Preakness Stakes is an American flat thoroughbred horse race held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race. The Preakness is the featured race in Saturday’s card at Pimlico. Some of the bigger preliminary races include the Miss Preakness (Grade 3), Gallorette Stakes (Grade 3) and the Black-Eyed Susan.

Here is a breakdown of every horse in the Preakness Stakes, suggested plays and picks.

Horse racing’s Triple Crown series is officially completed — and a determined filly took down the boys in the Preakness Stakes. 4 Swiss Skydiver, the only female in the 11-horse field, captured the 145th. The Most Preakness Bets Anywhere Bet Now on Preakness Stakes The 146th running of the $1,500,000 Preakness Stakes (Grade I), is the second jewel of the Triple Crown, set for Saturday, May 15th, 2021.

Note: Horses listed in order of post position (jockey/trainer in parentheses).

Chris Fallica's guide to the field

1. Excession (Sheldon Russell/Steve Asmussen) 30-1

The only two times this horse has cracked the exacta have come on sloppy tracks, including at 83-1 in the Rebel. That race was a 16-point improvement over his previous best race, so that, along with him not having run in seven months, has me a little skeptical of him belonging here. Some will point to him having talent, as he lost by only 1¾ lengths to Maxfield. I always play the all button for third in trifectas for a little bit, so if this late-runner hits the board, I'll be covered.

2. Mr. Big News (Gabriel Saez/Bret Calhoun) 12-1

Another one with little speed, but he backed up that win at Oaklawn with a very good run at 47-1 in the Derby. He wasn't going to get to the top two, but he ran well -- it was just that 1¼ was a little too far for him, and the pace wasn't as fast as he would hoped early. He has improved every race and does he have one more step forward here, or is there a regression overdue? On the negative side, he has been crushed by Art Collector and beaten by Excession. I'm guessing he'll take some money here and be an underlay. One can make a case for him, but I'm on the fence.

3. Art Collector (Brian Hernandez Jr./Tom Drury) 5-2

He has gotten really good since the barn change, romping in the Blue Grass and at Ellis Park. He unfortunately missed the Derby, which really affected the pace -- and potentially the outcome of the race. He's versatile and should be in a good spot. He crushed Swiss Skydiver at Keeneland and Attachment Rate at Ellis. He'll be at worst second choice and should have a big say in the outcome here.

4. Swiss Skydiver (Robby Albarado/Ken McPeek) 6-1

She has speed and does her best running on the front end, and I'm not sure the jockey choice is the best for that style. She was beaten in the Oaks by one of the longest shots on the board and crushed by Art Collector at Keeneland. My guess is she'll take money here, but I don't see the pace scenario fitting her here. If she wins, I lose.

Preakness

5. Thousand Words (Florent Geroux/Bob Baffert) 6-1

Had a scary incident in the paddock prior to the Kentucky Derby and had to scratch. Fortunately he's OK and able to run here. There's little doubt he'll be on the front end with the addition of blinkers and an aggressive jockey, Geroux. He held on to beat Honor AP at Del Mar, but be wasn't the best horse in that race. He's game, but I'd be surprised if he held on for more than a bottom part of the trifecta.

Preakness Gambling Winner

6. Jesus' Team (Jevian Toledo/Jose D'Angelo) 30-1

This one has made quite the leap forward, going from a $25K claimer to Graded Stakes Placed at Saratoga. His top Beyer of 95 doesn't class out here, but I can't fault the connections for taking a chance in this odd Triple Crown season. It wouldn't shock me at all for these small-time connections ran to hit the board here and he outruns his odds.

7. Ny Traffic (Horacio Karamanos/Saffie Joseph) 15-1

Packed it in early after a wide trip in the Derby and was set to bounce some after running huge in the Haskell, where he nearly beat Derby winner Authentic. He has had some bad trips in many of his recent defeats. He has been right there with Authentic and Maxfield, and cutting back to a more comfortable distance he has a very big chance here from just off the pace.

8. Max Player (Paco Lopez/Steve Asmussen) 15-1

He will again be a popular price play, but I don't think he has a great turn of foot, and he has been nowhere against elite competition like Authentic and Tiz the Law. Maybe he can plod up for a lower rung of the trifecta, but that its about it.

9. Authentic (John Velazquez/Bob Baffert) 9-5

Took advantage of a lack of pace presence in the Derby and wired the field. He has run six races and won five, yet why am I skeptical of him here? I expect there will be a bit more pace pressure here, and while he has the outside draw and the speed should be to the inside, he needs the lead. I'll be betting against the Derby winner on top.

10. Pneumatic (Joe Bravo/Steve Asmussen) 20-1

Preakness Gambling

Enters off his best lifetime race in an easy Pegasus win. Was competitive vs. Maxfield and Ny Traffic at Churchill and ran decently in the Belmont despite a wide trip. He should get a nice stalking spot, and from there it's just a question if he's good enough. I think he's a cut below, but it's not impossible.

11. Liveyourbeastlife (Trevor McCarthy/Jorge Abreu) 30-1

From 83-1 in an OCL in May to runner-up in the Jim Dandy in four months. Trainer doesn't really win Graded Stakes races, so I'd best leave this suddenly in-form stalker to the underneath portions of the ticket.

Fallica's suggested plays

Here are some suggested plays. I'll use a $1 base for the exotic wagers and you can hit the repeat wager button as your budget allows. Good luck!

Nuggets to know

Playing favorites

This will likely be the third straight year -- and eighth time -- that Bob Baffert has the Preakness favorite. He has won with four of the previous seven favorites, but last year Improbable finished sixth as the favorite. Baffert has won the Preakness with all three Derby winners that were sent off as the favorite in Pimlico.

Baffert with Preakness favorites:

2019: Improbable finished sixth
2018: Justify won*
2015: American Pharoah won*
2012: Bodemeister finished second
2002: War Emblem won*
2001: Point Given won
1996: Cavonnier finished fourth
*Also won Kentucky Derby

Baffert's perfect mark

Baffert is a perfect 5-for-5 with Derby winners in the Preakness. Baffert tied a record with his sixth Derby win in September and can win a record eighth Preakness this weekend.

Baffert Derby-winning horses in Preakness:

2018: Justify (2-5 odds) won
2015: American Pharoah (4-5) won
2002: War Emblem (3-1) won
1998: Real Quiet (5-2) won
1997: Silver Charm (3-1) won

Fading the favorites?

Preakness Gambling Winners

After seeing the favorite win seven times in nine years from 2001 to 2009, favorites have won just three of the past 10 and finished sixth or worse two of the past three years.

Long shots find the board

Belmont Stakes Gambling

Since 2013, 11 of the 21 horses to hit the board in the Preakness were at least 10-1, and seven were at least 15-1. Take a look at the odds of the second-place finisher since 2013.

2019: Everfast (29-1 odds)
2018: Bravazo (15-1)
2017: Classic Empire (2-1)
2016: Cherry Wine (17-1)
2015: Tale of Verve (29-1)
2014: Ride on Curlin (10-1)
2013: Itsmyluckyday (9-1)

Preakness Gambling Tickets

More odds and ends

• The fourth choice in the wagering hasn't won the Preakness since Bernardini in 2006.

• Since 2010, the only horse to win the Preakness that did not run in the Derby was Cloud Computing in 2017.

Preakness Gambling 2020

• Last year, War of Will became the third horse since 2010 to win the Preakness after finishing sixth or worse in the Kentucky Derby. Oxbow did it in 2013, and Lookin at Lucky did in 2010. Ny Traffic finished eighth in this year's Derby.

• Think it's as easy as Authentic over Art Collector? Think again. The last time the favorite won and the second choice ran second in the Preakness was 1981, when favored Pleasant Colony won and second choice Bold Ego ran second. Note that there have been instances since then where the second choice won and the favorite ran second, like in 2012, when second choice I'll Have Another beat favored Bodemeister.