Though the 80-1 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will skip the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes, this year's edition features an exciting matchup between Derby runner-up Epicenter and Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath. A total field of nine will line up on Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore, Md.
Trainer Steve Asmussen will send Epicenter out of post eight, and the Not This Time colt has been installed as the 6-5 favorite for the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
Secret Oath could become the seventh filly to win the Preakness Stakes, and she was installed as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line. If she does it from post position four, she could give D. Wayne Lukas his record-tying seventh Preakness win.
The second choice on the morning line at 7-2 is Early Voting for trainer Chad Brown, drawing post five. The runner-up in the G2 Wood Memorial was intentionally held out of the Kentucky Derby to target this race.
Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Simplification will get a new rider in John Velazquez and break from the rail. The Antonio Sano trainee won the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes earlier this year.
The next lowest odds go to the Ken McPeek trainee Creative Minister, supplemented to this race for $150,000. He'll leave from post position two, and start at odds of 10-1 on the morning line.
Grade 1, $1.65 million Preakness Stakes
- Simplification – John Velazquez – 6-1
- Creative Minister – 10-1
- Fenwick – Florent Geroux – 50-1
- Secret Oath – Luis Saez – 9-2
- Early Voting – Jose Ortiz – 7-2
- Happy Jack* – Tyler Gaffalione – 30-1
- Armagnac – Irad Ortiz, Jr. – 12-1
- Epicenter – Joel Rosario – 6-5
- Skippy Longstocking – Junior Alvarado – 20-1
*blinkers on
Grade 2, $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (5:44 pm Eastern)
- Divine Huntress – Flavien Prat – 15-1
- Missy Greer – Luis Saez – 20-1
- Miss Yearwood – Julien Leparoux – 20-1
- Midnight Stroll – Javier Castellano – 15-1
- Beguine – Jose Ortiz – 12-1
- Luna Belle – Denis Araujo – 9-2
- Distinctly Possible – Irad Ortiz, Jr. – 6-1
- Candy Light – Charlie Marquez – 20-1
- Interstate Daydream – Florent Geroux – 6-1
- Adare Manor – John Velazquez – 5-2
- Radio Days – Joel Rosario – 12-1
- Favor – Tyler Gaffalione – 8-1
- Morning Matcha – Frankie Pennington – 20-1
The post Epicenter Installed As 6-5 Favorite; Nine Enter Preakness Stakes 147 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
