The 2021 Preakness Stakes gets underway this evening, putting the second jewel of the horse racing Triple Crown up for grabs.
Here is everything you need to know to enjoy the thrilling race that was preceded by the Kentucky Derby and leads into the Belmont Stakes.
When does Preakness start?
The Preakness Stakes 2021 is set to run on Saturday, May 15 with an approximate post time of 6:50 p.m. ET.
How can I watch the Preakness?
TV coverage for the 2021 Preakness begins at 5 p.m. ET on NBC. The event will also be live streamed on NBCSports.com/live and on the NBC Sports app.
What are the Preakness Stakes Odds?
See the table below to find the entire field at Pimlico Downs, including the post position, latest odds, trainer and jockey information for each horse:
Preakness Stakes 2021 Odds, Field
Post Position, Horse (Morning Line), Trainer/Jockey
1. Ram (30-1), D. Wayne Lukas / Ricardo Santana
2. Keepmeinmind (15-1), Robertino Diodoro / David Cohen
3. Medina Spirit (9-5), Bob Baffert / John Velazquez
4. Crowded Trade (10-1), Chad C. Brown / Javier Castellano
5. Midnight Bourbon (5-1), Steven M. Asmussen / Irad Ortiz Jr.
6. Rombauer (12-1), Michael W. McCarthy / Flavien Prat
7. France Go De Ina (20-1), Hideyuki Mori / Joel Rosario
8. Unbridled Honor (15-1), Todd A. Pletcher / Luis Saez
9. Risk Taking (15-1), Chad C. Brown / Jose Ortiz
10. Concert Tour (5-2), Bob Baffert / Mike Smith
Preakness Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Who should I pick to win the Preakness?
Watch the video below to get expert Preakness picks and predictions from the Action Network's Sean Zerillo and Mike Conti:
The 2021 Preakness will have some controversy surrounding it, as Medina Spirit will be one of the 10 contenders in the field at Pimlico. The Kentucky Derby winner made headlines last week when it was revealed that the horse tested positive for a corticosteroid following his victory. The Bob Baffert-trained colt will be under heavy scrutiny and has faced additional testing leading up to the race.
Despite this, Medina Spirit is still the favorite to hit the winner’s circle at the Preakness. Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said the horse is well rested and won’t be hindered by his performance at Churchill Downs a fortnight ago (via PaulickReport.com):
“It was nothing for him. He came out of the other race so well and seemed to be fresh and happy. He's been fresh and happy the whole time we've been here. We've had had good weather. We've had cool weather and that helps a lot. When you get that extreme heat it tends to knock you all out.”
As 9-5 favorite on the morning line, Medina Spirit is only slightly ahead of Concert Tour at 5-2. Concert Tour is another participant that has been trained by Baffert, having won a pair of graded stakes without failing any drug tests.
Concert Tour was once one of the more promising horses going into his three-year old season, but he had a disappointing showing in his last race. The colt ran his first first Grade I race at the Arkansas Derby and finished third, ending his streak of three consecutive wins to start his career. He hasn’t been seen since then, getting more than a month of rest before the Preakness.
AP Sports reported that both of Baffert’s entries have officially been cleared to run in the Preakness:
There is a bit of a drop off after these two favorites, although Midnight Bourbon has respectable odds at 5-1. The horse made a late push at the Kentucky Derby, surging from behind but ultimately failed to close the gap and finished sixth.
The colt was the best finisher at Churchill Downs planning to compete at Preakness. Trainer Steve Asmussen believes the short turnaround will give Midnight Bourbon an advantage this evening. When discussing the gaps between the New Orleans Derby—where Midnight Bourbon placed second—and the Kentucky Derby, he said the following (via HorseRacingNation.com):
“With the spacing of his races previously, absolutely. It is only two weeks (from the Derby), but you’re backing up in distance…Midnight Bourbon was very consistent coming into the Derby. He wasn’t exactly in position to run his best race that day, by the break, traffic, different reasons.”
It would hardly be a shock to see a horse like Midnight Bourbon defy the odds tonight. Just about any of the 10 entrants could end up adorned with the blanket of black-eyed Susans, but the three favorites stand as a cut above the rest.
