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Unbeaten Kentucky Derby Day allowance undercard winner at Churchill Downs gets tested for class and distance. Would be the most lightly raced Preakness entrant in this year's lineup. Same connections as Preakness 150 hopeful Rodriguez and 2023 Preakness champ National Treasure. Debuted April 6 with a victory at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby favorite and runner-up would head to Baltimore once again the horse to beat. The Santa Anita Derby, San Felipe and Los Al Futurity winner is a son of 2007 Preakness winner Curlin. Trainer McCarthy saddled Rombauer to Preakness glory in 2021.
Kentucky Derby 16th-place finisher looks for the same bounce-back that produced 2006 Preakness champ Louis Quatorze. Romping winner of the Virginia Derby in mid-March for 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas, who won his 7th Preakness last year with Seize the Grey. Son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.
British-bred and based son of Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P., he wintered in Dubai comes off 3 straight runner-up finishes. Missed by a nose in the UAE Derby to Kentucky Derby hopeful Admire Daytona, who hails from Japan. Both career wins have come in 1-mile journeys, but sustained well to the Preakness distance last time out at Meydan.
Maryland-based colt has won 4 of his last 5 starts, inlcuding the Private Terms and the automatic berth that goes to the Federico Tesio Stakes victor. A nose away from 5 straight wins. All state starts came at Laurel Park and would be making his Pimlico debut.
Narrow defeats in the Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass by a combined margin of 1 length followed eye-catching victories at shorter trips in his first 2 starts at Gulfstream Park. Pedigree for shorter distances but has held up reasonably well going slightly lesser journeys than the Preakness.
Seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby. Deep-closing winner of the Arkansas Derby made 4 starts at Oaklawn this winter and saved his best for last after some troubled trips. Preakness and Belmont-winning trainer Casse won the 2019 middle jewel with War of Will. $1.2M colt by super sire Tapit.
With two consecutive frontrunning victories under his belt, Clever Again is one of the ‘now’ horses in this three-year-old crop. Trainer Steve Asmussen is a two-time Preakness winner (2009, Rachel Alexandra and 2007, Curlin), while sire American Pharoah was victorious in 2015. -- Photo Courtesy: Oaklawn Park (Coady).
Son of 2016 Preakness third-place finisher (and Kentucky Derby winner) Nyquist won Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes last out by 2-lengths for trainer Brendan Walsh. Has now won two consecutive races and the Lexington has been a popular steppingstone to the Preakness in the last decade.
Unbeaten Kentucky Derby Day allowance undercard winner at Churchill Downs gets tested for class and distance. Would be the most lightly raced Preakness entrant in this year's lineup. Same connections as Preakness 150 hopeful Rodriguez and 2023 Preakness champ National Treasure. Debuted April 6 with a victory at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby favorite and runner-up would head to Baltimore once again the horse to beat. The Santa Anita Derby, San Felipe and Los Al Futurity winner is a son of 2007 Preakness winner Curlin. Trainer McCarthy saddled Rombauer to Preakness glory in 2021.
Kentucky Derby 16th-place finisher looks for the same bounce-back that produced 2006 Preakness champ Louis Quatorze. Romping winner of the Virginia Derby in mid-March for 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas, who won his 7th Preakness last year with Seize the Grey. Son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.
British-bred and based son of Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P., he wintered in Dubai comes off 3 straight runner-up finishes. Missed by a nose in the UAE Derby to Kentucky Derby hopeful Admire Daytona, who hails from Japan. Both career wins have come in 1-mile journeys, but sustained well to the Preakness distance last time out at Meydan.
Maryland-based colt has won 4 of his last 5 starts, inlcuding the Private Terms and the automatic berth that goes to the Federico Tesio Stakes victor. A nose away from 5 straight wins. All state starts came at Laurel Park and would be making his Pimlico debut.
Narrow defeats in the Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass by a combined margin of 1 length followed eye-catching victories at shorter trips in his first 2 starts at Gulfstream Park. Pedigree for shorter distances but has held up reasonably well going slightly lesser journeys than the Preakness.
Seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby. Deep-closing winner of the Arkansas Derby made 4 starts at Oaklawn this winter and saved his best for last after some troubled trips. Preakness and Belmont-winning trainer Casse won the 2019 middle jewel with War of Will. $1.2M colt by super sire Tapit.
With two consecutive frontrunning victories under his belt, Clever Again is one of the ‘now’ horses in this three-year-old crop. Trainer Steve Asmussen is a two-time Preakness winner (2009, Rachel Alexandra and 2007, Curlin), while sire American Pharoah was victorious in 2015. -- Photo Courtesy: Oaklawn Park (Coady).
Son of 2016 Preakness third-place finisher (and Kentucky Derby winner) Nyquist won Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes last out by 2-lengths for trainer Brendan Walsh. Has now won two consecutive races and the Lexington has been a popular steppingstone to the Preakness in the last decade.
Unbeaten Kentucky Derby Day allowance undercard winner at Churchill Downs gets tested for class and distance. Would be the most lightly raced Preakness entrant in this year's lineup. Same connections as Preakness 150 hopeful Rodriguez and 2023 Preakness champ National Treasure. Debuted April 6 with a victory at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby favorite and runner-up would head to Baltimore once again the horse to beat. The Santa Anita Derby, San Felipe and Los Al Futurity winner is a son of 2007 Preakness winner Curlin. Trainer McCarthy saddled Rombauer to Preakness glory in 2021.
Kentucky Derby 16th-place finisher looks for the same bounce-back that produced 2006 Preakness champ Louis Quatorze. Romping winner of the Virginia Derby in mid-March for 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas, who won his 7th Preakness last year with Seize the Grey. Son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.
British-bred and based son of Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P., he wintered in Dubai comes off 3 straight runner-up finishes. Missed by a nose in the UAE Derby to Kentucky Derby hopeful Admire Daytona, who hails from Japan. Both career wins have come in 1-mile journeys, but sustained well to the Preakness distance last time out at Meydan.
Maryland-based colt has won 4 of his last 5 starts, inlcuding the Private Terms and the automatic berth that goes to the Federico Tesio Stakes victor. A nose away from 5 straight wins. All state starts came at Laurel Park and would be making his Pimlico debut.
Narrow defeats in the Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass by a combined margin of 1 length followed eye-catching victories at shorter trips in his first 2 starts at Gulfstream Park. Pedigree for shorter distances but has held up reasonably well going slightly lesser journeys than the Preakness.
Seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby. Deep-closing winner of the Arkansas Derby made 4 starts at Oaklawn this winter and saved his best for last after some troubled trips. Preakness and Belmont-winning trainer Casse won the 2019 middle jewel with War of Will. $1.2M colt by super sire Tapit.
With two consecutive frontrunning victories under his belt, Clever Again is one of the ‘now’ horses in this three-year-old crop. Trainer Steve Asmussen is a two-time Preakness winner (2009, Rachel Alexandra and 2007, Curlin), while sire American Pharoah was victorious in 2015. -- Photo Courtesy: Oaklawn Park (Coady).
Son of 2016 Preakness third-place finisher (and Kentucky Derby winner) Nyquist won Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes last out by 2-lengths for trainer Brendan Walsh. Has now won two consecutive races and the Lexington has been a popular steppingstone to the Preakness in the last decade.
Unbeaten Kentucky Derby Day allowance undercard winner at Churchill Downs gets tested for class and distance. Would be the most lightly raced Preakness entrant in this year's lineup. Same connections as Preakness 150 hopeful Rodriguez and 2023 Preakness champ National Treasure. Debuted April 6 with a victory at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby favorite and runner-up would head to Baltimore once again the horse to beat. The Santa Anita Derby, San Felipe and Los Al Futurity winner is a son of 2007 Preakness winner Curlin. Trainer McCarthy saddled Rombauer to Preakness glory in 2021.
Kentucky Derby 16th-place finisher looks for the same bounce-back that produced 2006 Preakness champ Louis Quatorze. Romping winner of the Virginia Derby in mid-March for 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas, who won his 7th Preakness last year with Seize the Grey. Son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.
British-bred and based son of Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A.P., he wintered in Dubai comes off 3 straight runner-up finishes. Missed by a nose in the UAE Derby to Kentucky Derby hopeful Admire Daytona, who hails from Japan. Both career wins have come in 1-mile journeys, but sustained well to the Preakness distance last time out at Meydan.
Maryland-based colt has won 4 of his last 5 starts, inlcuding the Private Terms and the automatic berth that goes to the Federico Tesio Stakes victor. A nose away from 5 straight wins. All state starts came at Laurel Park and would be making his Pimlico debut.
Narrow defeats in the Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass by a combined margin of 1 length followed eye-catching victories at shorter trips in his first 2 starts at Gulfstream Park. Pedigree for shorter distances but has held up reasonably well going slightly lesser journeys than the Preakness.
Seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby. Deep-closing winner of the Arkansas Derby made 4 starts at Oaklawn this winter and saved his best for last after some troubled trips. Preakness and Belmont-winning trainer Casse won the 2019 middle jewel with War of Will. $1.2M colt by super sire Tapit.
With two consecutive frontrunning victories under his belt, Clever Again is one of the ‘now’ horses in this three-year-old crop. Trainer Steve Asmussen is a two-time Preakness winner (2009, Rachel Alexandra and 2007, Curlin), while sire American Pharoah was victorious in 2015. -- Photo Courtesy: Oaklawn Park (Coady).
Son of 2016 Preakness third-place finisher (and Kentucky Derby winner) Nyquist won Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes last out by 2-lengths for trainer Brendan Walsh. Has now won two consecutive races and the Lexington has been a popular steppingstone to the Preakness in the last decade.
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New to Horse Race Betting? No worries—we’ve got you. This section breaks down the basics of horse racing bets, from the simple stuff like traditonal Win bets to more advanced plays like Exactas and Pick 5s. We'll take a look at how odds work, how payouts are calculated, and what it all means for your wallet. It’s everything you need to understand betting and enjoy the action.
If you're new to horse racing or looking to understand the basics, it's essential to grasp the Traditional bet types: Win, Place, and Show. These straightforward wagers are the foundation of horse race betting and are ideal for beginners.
A WIN bet is the simplest type of horse racing wager—you’re picking a horse to come in first place. If your horse finishes at the front, you’ll earn a payout based on the final odds for that horse. For instance, if you wager $2 on a horse with 5-to-1 odds (5/1) and it wins, you’d get $10 in profit ($5 for every $1 bet), plus your original $2 bet back, totaling $12.
Last year's Preakness $2 WIN bet paid $21.60
A PLACE bet gives you two chances to win. You’re backing a horse to finish either first or second. As long as your chosen horse comes in one of those top two positions, you’ll receive a payout. Since the odds of winning are better than a Win bet, the potential payout is typically smaller.
Last year's Preakness $2 PLACE bet paid $8.40
A SHOW bet offers the most leeway—you’re betting on a horse to finish in the top three. Whether your pick comes in first, second, or third, you’ll get paid. While this type of bet has the highest chance of a return, it also comes with the lowest payout due to the broader margin for success.
Last year's Preakness $2 SHOW bet paid $4.40
Betting them ACROSS THE BOARD, is probably a term you've heard. It's a popular and straightforward wager where you’re betting on a horse to Win, Place, and Show all at once. This would be shown as WIN/PLACE/SHOW or WPS on the betting pad. If your horse finishes first, you collect the Win, Place, and Show payouts. If your horse finishes second, you collect the Place and Show payouts, and if it finishes third, you win just collect the Show payout.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, Exotic bets offer a thrilling next step. These wagers involve predicting multiple outcomes—like the exact order of finishers in a single race—and they come with higher risk but much bigger potential rewards. Whether you’re chasing an Exacta or aiming for the elusive Superfecta, exotic bets bring strategy, excitement, and serious payout possibilities to the track.
An EXACTA bet ups the challenge. You’re predicting which two horses will finish first and second, in the exact order. If your selections cross the line in that precise sequence, you win. It’s tougher than a Win or Place bet, but the payouts can be significantly higher. Not confident about the exact order, but like your horse picks? Box your bet, and as long as your selected horses finish in the top 2 spots—1st and 2nd—they can finish in any order and you’ll still win.
Last year's Preakness $2 EXACTA bet paid $119.40
Taking it a step further, a TRIFECTA bet requires you to choose the first three finishers in the exact order. Nail all three in the right sequence and you’ll score a much bigger payout—though it’s definitely harder to hit than an Exacta. Box your bet, and as long as your selected horses finish in the top 3 spots—1st through 3rd—they can finish in any order and you’ll still win.
Last year's Preakness $0.50 TRIFECTA bet paid $91.85
The SUPERFECTA is where serious bettors test their skill. You must pick the top four horses to finish in the exact order. It’s a high-risk, high-reward wager that can deliver massive payouts if you’re able to beat the odds. Box your bet, and as long as your selected horses finish in the top 4 spots—1st through 4th—they can finish in any order and you’ll still win.
Last year's Preakness $0.10 SUPERFECTA bet paid $74.90
The ultimate single race challenge is the EXACT 5: pick the first five horses to finish in exact order in a single race. Known in some places as the Super High Five, this bet is notoriously difficult to hit, but the potential payout is huge for those who can call it perfectly. And yes, you can Box this bet too. By now, you know the drill.
Last year's Preakness $1 EXACT 5 bet paid $2,986.80
Multi-race wagers add an extra layer of excitement to the day’s card. Instead of betting on just one race, you’re trying to predict the winners of multiple consecutive races. These bets raise the stakes—and the payouts—making them popular among players who enjoy longer-range strategy and higher risk. To increase your chances of hitting winners, you can include more than one horse in each race. That will raise your ticket cost, but it also boosts your probability of picking more winners.
DOUBLE pick the winners of two back-to-back races. It’s the most approachable multi-race bet and often serves as a great entry point for players looking to move beyond single-race wagers.
Last year's Preakness $2 DOUBLE bet paid $317.40
PICK 3 correctly select the winners of three consecutive races. Slightly tougher than the Daily Double, but with greater reward potential for a small added challenge.
Last year's Preakness $.50 PICK 3 bet paid $538.90
PICK 4 predict the winners of four races in a row. The payouts start to grow substantially here, and it's a favorite among intermediate-level bettors who enjoy a bit of suspense across multiple races.
Last year's Preakness $.50 PICK 4 bet paid $1,826.65
PICK 5 choose the winning horse in five straight races. Hitting all five requires strong handicapping skills—and a little luck—but the payoff can be massive, especially with longshots in the mix.
Last year's Preakness $.50 PICK 5 bet paid $11,526.85
PICK 6 is the most legendary of the multi-race bets. To win a Pick 6, you must select the winners of six consecutive races. It's incredibly difficult to hit, but that’s also why the pools can climb into life-changing territory.
Last year's Preakness $.20 PICK 6 bet paid $10,000.94
Unlike traditional fixed-odds sports betting, where the payout is predetermined, horse racing uses a pari-mutuel system. This means that all bets on a particular race are pooled together, and the odds can change as more money is wagered until the pools close and the race goes off.
Horse racing odds represent the potential payout for a bet relative to your stake. Let’s break down what some example odds like 5/1, 5/2, and 9/5 mean, and how to calculate your winnings.
When you see 5/1 odds, it means that for every $1 you wager, you’ll win $5 if your horse comes in first. That’s 5 times your bet! Plus, you get your original $1 bet back. So, with a $2 wager on a horse that is 5/1 odds, you’d win $10 (5 times 2) plus your initial $2, for a total of $12 in payout.
Example:
Bet: $2
Odds: 5/1
Payout: $12 (your $10 in winnings + your $2 stake back)
With 5/2 odds, you’ll win $5 for every $2 bet. This is often considered a "shorter" odd, meaning your return is smaller compared to 5/1, but still a nice payout. For a $2 bet, you'd win $5 (2.5 times your stake) plus your original $2 bet, for a total of $7.
Example:
Bet: $2
Odds: 5/2
Payout: $7 (your $5 in wnnings + your $2 stake back)
With 9/5 odds, you’ll win $9 for every $5 bet. Like 5/2 odds, this payout is lower compared to 5/1, but still offers a good return. For a $2 bet, you would receive $3.60 (since $9 divided by $5 is 1.8, and $1.80 times 2 is $3.60) plus your original $2 stake back, for a total payout of $5.60.
Example:
Bet: $2
Odds: 9/5
Payout: $5.60 (your $3.60 in winnings + your $2 stake back)
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JOURNALISM
CLEVER AGAIN
GOAL ORIENTED
RIVER THAMES
JOURNALISM
GOAL ORIENTED
CLEVER AGAIN
SANDMAN
JOURNALISM
RIVER THAMES
SANDMAN
GOSGER
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JOURNALISM
CLEVER AGAIN
GOAL ORIENTED
AMERICAN PROMISE
CLEVER AGAIN
JOURNALISM
RIVER THAMES
GOAL ORIENTED
JOURNALiSM
CLEVER AGAIN
GOSGER
RIVER THAMES
JOURNALISM
GOAL ORIENTED
SANDMAN
GOSGER
JOURNALISM
RIVER THAMES
GOAL ORIENTED
PAY BILLY
JOURNALISM
HEART OF HONOR
SANDMAN
CLEVER AGAIN
JOURNALISM
RIVER THAMES
GOAL ORIENTED
AMERICAN PROMISE
JOURNALISM
RIVER THAMES
HEART OF HONOR
CLEVER AGAIN
RIVER THAMES
JOURNALISM
CLEVER AGAIN
GOAL ORIENTED
JOURNALISM
CLEVER AGAIN
RIVER THAMES
SANDMAN
GOAL ORIENTED
JOURNALISM
RIVER THAMES
GOSGER
The 1/ST BET 'Machine' analyzes millions of data points over more than 50 important handicapping factors for each race to create an exclusive handicapping outcome driven by big data.
SCENE SETTER: Just as with the Kentucky Oaks, Friday is for the fillies on Preakness Weekend. The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes has been contested since 1919 and has honored the name of the Maryland state flower since 1952. Its more recent history includes contemporary legends like Serena’s Song, Sillverbulletday and Royal Delta. This year’s cast includes national invaders from power barns like Cox, Asmussen and Lukas looking to make their Grade 2 mark as well as the lightly raced, rising REPLY for Maryland’s leading trainer, Brittany Russell.
NOTES:
The 1/ST BET 'Machine' analyzes millions of data points over more than 50 important handicapping factors for each race to create an exclusive handicapping outcome driven by big data.
SCENE SETTER: Kentucky Derby beaten favorites have a history of trying to right the ship in Baltimore. JOURNALISM came up just short as runner-up in Louisville 2 weeks ago and will not only have to outrun the competition, but also some Preakness history. Epicenter finished second at Pimlico in 2022 as the most recent bid. Improbable regressed to sixth in the 2019 middle jewel. Bodemeister paired up second-place bangers in 2012. It was also no dice for Dialed In (fourth in 2011). You have to go back to Lookin At Lucky in 2010 to find the last defeated Derby favorite to rebound in the Preakness – prior to that it was Point Given in 2000.
NOTES:
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SCENE SETTER: It’s almost impossible to think but trainers Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas have accounted for 10% of the all-time victories in the Preakness Stakes. That’s saying something for a race inaugurated in 1873 when Ulysses S. Grant was in the White House and Coors brewed its first beer. Baffert holds the race record with 8 wins, most recently National Treasure in 2023. Lukas tallied his seventh Preakness a year ago with Seize the Grey. Will that duo keep its stranglehold on the Woodlawn vase? Baffert offers GOAL ORIENTED to Preakness 150, while Lukas bids with AMERICAN PROMISE.
NOTES:
Kentucky Derby winner to win: Justify (2018)
Kentucky Derby runner-up to win: Exagerrator (2016)
Kentucky Derby show horse to win: Curlin (2007)
Kentucky Derby off the board finisher to win: War of Will (2019)
Kentucky Derby exacta to repeat 1-2 in Preakness: I’ll Have Another-Bodemeister (2012)
Kentucky Derby trifecta to repeat 1-2-3 in Preakness: Affirmed-Alydar-Believe It (1978)
Non-Kentucky Derby alum to win: Seize the Grey (2024)
Jockey to win back-to-back: Victor Espinoza 2014-’15 with California Chrome and American Pharoah
Jockey to win his debut: Jaime Torres (2024) with Seize the Grey
Trainer to win back-to-back: Bob Baffert (2001-‘02) with Point Given & War Emblem
Trainer to win his Debut: Michael McCarthy (2021) with Rombauer
Filly to win: Swiss Skydiver (2020), last of 5 fillies to have won this race
Gelding to win: Funny Cide (2003)
Wire-to-wire winner: Aloma’s Ruler (1982); note ’24 Seize the Grey, ’23 National Treasure, ’18 Justify, ’15 American Pharoah, ’13 Oxbow, ’09 Rachel Alexandra, ’96 Louis Quatorze led all but start call
Winner to close from more than 10 lengths back: Exaggerator (2016) from 11 ½ lengths back after ¼ mile
SCENE SETTER: To get a sense of the public’s favoritism for Preakness 150, a record $347,666 already was placed in financial opinion during the Preakness Future Wager’s week-long run that ended just prior to the start of the Kentucky Derby. While the odds in that bet are relevant only to those who placed wagers early, the positional order of preference by the public helps guide us to where the wagering for Preakness 150 may turn. JOURNALISM (5-1) was favored among the 40 entrants and leads those who will run at Pimlico. SANDMAN (14-1) was next up, closely followed by AMERICAN PROMISE and CLEVER AGAIN (15-1). Then came RIVER THAMES (28-1), GOSGER (37-1), PAY BILLY (47-1) and HEART OF HONOR (53-1). Note that GOAL ORIENTED is represented in the All Other 3-Year-Olds designation (22-1).
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