After an incredible upset at the Kentucky Derby where the second-biggest longest shot ever won, the attention now shifts to the second leg of the Triple Crown.
The Preakness Stakes odds are already out with a few solid favorites leading the pack. Rich Strike – the Derby winner – won’t be here, so who is a good bet? Let’s take a closer look at the favorites and longshots that will compete in what is set to be the 147th running of Preakness this weekend.
The Favorites
Epicenter (3/1) with the trainer Steve Asmussen is currently listed as the favorite to win it. Epicenter has been one of the most consistent horses as of late, putting together a strong race at the Kentucky Derby before Rich Strike came away with a miraculous finish. This horse is fast and versatile and was favored in the Run for the Roses. It’s no surprise that he’s a favorite again.
Chad Brown-trained Early Voting (6/1) is right behind Epicenter in terms of the odds. Early Voting surprisingly doesn’t have a lot of racing experience, though, with just three starts under their belt. He started by winning his stakes debut before finishing second in the Wood Memorial. Brown himself is incredibly proud of the work that this horse has been doing lately and because of all this, he is a strong second option to win this race.
Another favorite in the running is Secret Oath (11/2), who is trained by D. Wayne Lukas. He showed how strong he can be at the Kentucky Oaks, winning the race by two full-lengths. Couple this speed and agility with the respected Lukas as its trainer, this is a tandem that could make a serious run here.
The Longshots
Simplification (8/1) could be classified as a bit of a longshot to win the Preakness. This is an impressive all-around horse that was able to win the Fountain of Youth Stakes before finishing third in the Florida Derby shortly after. With few weaknesses, Simplification could be strong here with the shorter distance.
Skippylongstocking (20/1) is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and could be a surprise contender here. Skippylongstocking just recently finished in third place at the Wood Memorial, right behind the aforementioned Early Voting. Why he’s at 20/1, though, is because that was his best result in his three stakes starts so far. He has nine races under his belt, though, and has won two of them. He’s only finished worse than fourth once in his nine starts, which is why many think he’ll be in contention again.
Creative Minister(10/1) will be working with trainer Kenny McPeek to try and win the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans. This is set to be Creative Minister’s stakes debut after he was able to win a race on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby a couple of weeks ago. This horse is also the son of former 2012 Preakness-placed Creative Cause. Some believe that lineage can help him contend for a win on Saturday.