Preakness Stakes 2023: Return Of Bob Baffert, Odds, Post Positions And Picks
The Triple Crown's 2nd leg — the 2023 Preakness Stakes — runs Saturday, May 20th at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland with post time set for 7:01 p.m. ET. The Preakness is a race for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles on a dirt track.
After First Mission was scratched earlier this week, there are only seven horses racing Saturday. Mage, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, is the only thoroughbred from the Derby in the Preakness field.
Jockey Javier Castellano aboard Mage tosses a rose to people in the Winner's Circle after winning the 149th Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK)
Legendary trainer Bob Baffert, and lookalike of Will Ferrell's Eastbound & Down character "Ashley Schaeffer," returns from his 2-year suspension. Baffert is trying to win his record 8th Preakness with National Treasure out of the 1st post.
This doesn't have anything to do with betting on the Preakness but I want to put it on your radar. Pimlico has perhaps the best tradition in sports: "Running of the Urinals". Preakness goers run across a row of porta-potties in Pimlico's infield while people hurl cans of beer at them.
Preakness Stakes 2023 Post Positions & Odds
Pimlico's 'Horses for the Course'
National Treasure (3-to-1)
National Treasure was one of the fastest 2-year-olds last year but Baffert held him out of the Derby because of a foot issue that's since been handled.
Rain is forecasted for the Preakness at post time and Baffert's last Preakness win in 2018 with Justify was in the rain. Per Twinspires, National Treasure has the fastest early pace in the Preakness field.
National Treasure goes over the track during a training session ahead of the 148th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Getting out to a fast start in the rain gives a horse an edge because trailing horses get mud and dirt kicked into their face on a sloppy track.
Lastly, National Treasure has a Beyer speed figure of at least "94" in his last four races and had the fastest time trial out of 36 horses in a 4-furlong work May 12th.
Mage (4-to-5)
Mage became an even bigger favorite after First Mission (5-to-2) dropped out of the Preakness. The payout is meager but Mage is appropriately priced. Mage's Beyer speed figure for the Kentucky Derby at "105".
Kentucky Derby winner Mage goes over the track during a training session ahead of the 148th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Plus, the idea of the other horses in this field being "better rested" is overstated. It makes sense logically but 50 years ago thoroughbreds would race every two weeks all the time.
Castellano popped his Kentucky Derby with Mage but he's going for his 3rd Preakness Stakes victory. Also, Mage's grandparents are two former Preakness champs: Curlin (2007) and Big Brown (2008).
Blazing Sevens (5-to-1)
This 3-year-old had Two excellent works over the past two weeks. First out of 11 horses in a 5-furlong work at Belmont on May 13. First out of six horses at 5-furlong work at Belmont in the prior week.
Brown is the reigning Preakness winner, employing the same strategy. He didn't race Early Voting at last year's Derby because he thought his horse had a better chance to win the Preakness. Brown was right.
Preakness Stakes contender Blazing Sevens trains Tuesday morning at Pimlico Race Track. (Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports)
Blazing Sevens won in the Grade I Champagne Stakes at a sloppy Aqueduct track in October. He beat Verifying who ran in the Derby two weeks ago. Blazing Sevens' 2nd-fastest Beyer speed figure "91" was at the Champagne.