Expert Picks: Who Will Win the Preakness?

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Mage, ridden by Javier Castellano, executed a frantic stretch run to seize an unpredictable Kentucky Derby that noticed 5 contenders, together with the favourite, scratched forward of the race.

Now, in solely his fifth race, Mage strikes on to Baltimore and the 148th Preakness Stakes, the place he can be a Triple Crown contender and the solely Derby horse in what is taken into account a weak area.

Below, the Preakness horses are listed so as of publish place, with feedback by Joe Drape and Melissa Hoppert of The New York Times. The morning-line odds have been set by Keith Feustle of Pimlico Race Course.

How to look at: Coverage on Saturday begins on CNBC at 1 pm Eastern time and strikes to NBC at 4:30 pm Coverage may even be streamed on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Purse: $1.5 million assured

Distance: 1 3/16 miles

Track report: 1 minute 52 2/5 seconds (Pharma Way, 1991)

Weight: 126 kilos

Post time: 6:50 pm Eastern

Drape’s winning-place-show picks: First Mission, Mage, Red Route One

Hoppert’s picks: National Treasure, First Mission, Mage

Here’s how we see the area:

Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: John Velazquez Odds: 4-1

Drape: This colt seems to be to be the lone velocity horse. If the Hall of Fame jockey can gradual the fractions down, National Treasure is a menace to go gate to wire.

Hoppert: Baffert will add blinkers to attempt to get the fourth-place Santa Anita Derby finisher again on observe after a promising 2-year-old season. Should he prevail, Baffert will set the report for many Preakness wins with eight.

Trainer: Ed Moger Jr. Jockey: Sheldon Russell Odds: 50-1

Drape: He raced the huge boys in the San Felipe Stakes and was crushed by almost 17 lengths. Once once more, he’s in too deep.

Hoppert: He earned a visit to the Preakness with a stakes win on synthetics in February, then was blown out in his subsequent two races, one in all which was on grime. No thanks.

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado Jockey: Javier Castellano Odds: 8-5

Drape: Only two weeks relaxation off a grueling mile and 1 / 4? Big ask, however there are not any world beaters on this bunch. Don’t blame you if you happen to eat the chalk.

Hoppert: With no different Derby runners in the race, there is not any doubt he is the finest in the area. But his persistent bother breaking from the gate, coupled with what is anticipated to be a gradual tempo, doesn’t bode properly for him right here.

Trainer: John Salzman Jr. Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez Odds: 20-1

Drape: This Maryland-bred horse is trustworthy and can attempt to push National Treasure early. He goes to be hard-pressed to maintain up with him.

Hoppert: There’s all the time one huge native hope on this race, however the fifth-place finisher in the Federico Tesio Stakes is not going to be the one who breaks by.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Joel Rosario Odds: 10-1

Drape: Like Mage, this colt will get going late. Look for him to be chasing the Derby winner late.

Hoppert: Asmussen has completed second in the Preakness the final two years, and this 12 months he’ll be fortunate to hit the board with this late-blooming and late-running colt.

Trainer: Shug McGaughey Jockey: Feargal Lynch Odds: 15-1

Drape: This colt discovered his mojo after switching to races over a mile lengthy. He is on a two-race win streak and may clunk up for a third- or fourth-place end.

Hoppert: The Federico Tesio winner was supplemented to Preakness for $150,000. His connections are taking a giant leap.

Trainer: Chad Brown Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Odds: 6-1

Drape: Brown has received the Preakness twice with horses that skipped the Derby. Don’t suppose a 3rd victory is in the playing cards on Saturday

Hoppert: One of three horses in the race sired by Good Magic, together with Mage and Perform. He completed third in the Blue Grass with Ortiz in the saddle and has some high quality races below his belt. He rounds out my superfecta.

Trainer: Brad Cox Jockey: Luis Saez Odds: 5-2

Drape: He’s getting good at the proper time and could have first soar on National Treasure. He’s my upset.

Hoppert: He has two wins and one second in three profession begins. He’ll be racing close to the lead, and the query is: Can he maintain on?

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