With the 2018 Kentucky Derby behind us, the focus shifts to the second jewel of the Triple Crown: the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. As of Wednesday, the eight-horse field for the 2018 Preakness Stakes has been set, with post positions established. Justify, the Kentucky Derby winner, will break from the seventh post. We’ll be treated to another duel between him and Kentucky Derby runner-up, Good Magic, who will start from Post No. 5.

 

Justify: Odds to Win the Preakness Stakes 4/9

Post No. 7

Justify has recovered from minor bruising of the heel brought on by the abrasive track conditions of the Kentucky Derby, which experienced record-breaking rainfall. From sloppy to fast, the Bob Baffert trainee has now competed on every track condition possible and should be ready for whatever the Preakness Stakes throws at him. With four races generating Beyer Figures over 100, Justify is the undisputed fastest three-year-old in contention right now, making his odds to win the Preakness Stakes very attractive. His speed has led him to remain undefeated in all four career starts, and now he’ll look to make a name for himself on the Triple Crown trail. Just like at the Kentucky Derby, Justify will once again start from Post No. 7.

 

Good Magic: Odds to Win the Preakness Stakes 13/4

Post No. 5

Justify’s top competition will come from Good Magic, who finished second at the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Chad Brown, he’s in good hands for Saturday. Chad Brown won the 2017 Preakness Stakes with Cloud Computing—a fourth favourite on the Morning Line. In addition to having a good trainer, Good Magic has a solid pedigree; his sire, Curlin, won the 2007 Preakness Stakes and had a stalking style similar to Good Magic. He’ll break from the post that 2016 Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator broke from: 5.

 

Quip: Odds to Win the Preakness Stakes 14/1

Post No. 1

Despite accumulating enough points to compete at the Kentucky Derby, Quip’s owners held him out to keep him fresh for the Preakness Stakes. He’s unraced since April 14, when he competed at the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. After breaking well at the Arkansas, Quip moved to second place right away, and held onto it for the duration of the race. In addition to his second-place finish at the Arkansas Derby, Quip won the Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby and finished seventh at the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Quip will start at Post No. 1—the same post American Pharoah started at en route to Triple Crown glory in 2015.

 

Bravazo: Odds to Win the Preakness Stakes 18/1

Post No. 8

Bravazo, a 50/1 long shot at the Derby, outperformed expectations, finishing sixth on sloppy track conditions. With nine career starts that have yielded five top-three results, he’s a solid contender in the Preakness’ eight-horse field. He has improved from 20/1 to 18/1 on the Preakness Stakes futures market.

 

Diamond King, Lone Sailor: Odds to Win the Preakness Stakes 20/1

Post No. 4, 2

There’s a logjam at fifth-place on the 2018 Preakness Stakes odds board. Diamond King and Lone Sailor share 20/1 odds to win the 1 3/16  mile race. Lone Sailor is a repeat contender coming from the Kentucky Derby, who did almost as well as Bravazo beating the odds; as a 50/1 long shot, Lone Sailor finished eighth. As for Diamond King, he’s a shooter who’s joining the Preakness after winning the Federico Tesio “Win and You’re In” Stakes in April. Check back to Bodog Racebook for fresh 2018 Preakness Stakes betting odds the day of the race.
 

 

*Odds as of May 18, 2018