The opening Triple Crown race of the season is in the books, and all the attention will no swiftly turn to the second race for the three-year-olds in the United States. It will be Pimlico’s chance to take centre stage two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, with the Preakness Stakes being hosted in Maryland.
It will be an interesting race from a betting perspective, and you can find out everything you need to know about betting on the event here.
Win Betting
The most popular way to bet on the Preakness Stakes comes in the form of the win bet market. Here, you will be attempting to find the winning runner in the second Triple Crown race of the season, and the returns will be awarded to your account if you’re correct. However, if your selection doesn’t run, or finish first, then the stake will be lost.
Place Betting
Like betting on the Kentucky Derby, place betting is also popular when it comes to wagering on the Preakness Stakes. This market offers insurance to bettors, as their selection can finish in the first two to claim returns. However, this market is typically not as lucrative as it is for the Derby given that there is traditionally a smaller field that lines up at Pimlico.
Exacta/Trifecta Betting
Betting on the correct horses to finish first and second in the Preakness Stakes is also popular, and this can be done in the exacta market. Bets can also be placed on the first three runners in the correct finishing order in the trifecta market. However, in order to get returns in either, the predicted runners and their finishing position must be 100% accurate.
You can find more information about Preakness Stakes betting here: https://www.twinspires.com/preakness-stakes/betting
What is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is the oldest of the Triple Crown races that are staged in the United States, as it has been competed since 1873. Like the Kentucky Derby, it is a Grade 1 for horses aged three.
However, there is a significant difference in the distance that is covered in the Preakness Stakes, as the race at Pimlico is run over 1 3/16 miles compared to the 1 ¼ miles covered in the Kentucky Derby. It has been a successful race for fillies throughout history, with six having landed victory in the race. The most recent of those was Swiss Skydiver, who claimed victory in 2020.
Will Mage Win Preakness Stakes?
Mage will likely be the pre-race favorite for the Preakness Stakes after landing success in the Kentucky Derby. However, it would take a huge effort from trainer Gustavo Delgado to prepare the three-year-old to win the second Triple Crown race, as it takes place just two weeks after the opening race in the series at Churchill Downs.
No horse since Justify has landed victories in the opening two Triple Crown races, while only American Pharoah and California Chrome has landed the feat since 2010. But, Mage could yet be the most progressive of the runners that are targeting a run in the Preakness Stakes this year.
Could The Winner Have Bypassed The Derby?
Early Voting upset the odds in 2022 to beat Epicenter and land the Preakness Stakes after bypassing the Kentucky Derby. That is likely to be a route followed by a number of runners at Pimlico once again this year. First Mission could be the standout selection of the non-Derby runners for trainer Brad Cox.
The three-year-old landed the G3 Lexington Stakes on his previous start, defeating Arabian Lion by half a length. Meanwhile, Blazing Sevens and Henry Q are two further runners that could come into the Preakness fresher than the Derby runners in 2023.
