There is an authentic Triple Crown possibility this season.
We’ll know after the Preakness Stakes on Saturday from Baltimore if the Sport of Kings will create a Triple Crown worldwide betting news for the next three weeks.
Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby winner, is the 8-5 favorite and the only Derby horse returning to the Preakness. Post time is about 4:50 p.m. for Colorado horse bettors.
Should Medina Spirit win the second leg of the Triple Crown and exit the race healthy, he would likely vie for the sweep in the June 12 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in New York.
That quest will drape horse racing in a state of euphoria before the Belmont. There were only thirteen Triple Crown winners in horse racing history. The last was Justify in 2018.
Colorado gamblers want to know if Medina Spirit could repeat the feat.
Backers of the Derby winner couldn’t have asked for better conditions. His main rival, Concert Tour, still hasn’t been cleared to run from the bruise that scraped him from the Kentucky Derby.
The second, third, and fourth-place finishers in the Derby, initially projected to run in the Preakness, will not.
It’s Medina Spirit against horses he’s projected to beat.
In this article, we’ll examine the field and betting options.
The best way to bet the particular 2023 Preakness in COMPANY
It’s even more convincing and an advantage to one’s handicapping to observe before races to determine how the track is playing.
Pimlico has an excellent slate of stakes contests leading up to the main event. Gamblers can not only wager on those matchups but also get a feel for how the track is playing.
Pimlico is usually speed-favoring, meaning that a horse coming to the lead early is strong. Contrast that with tiring tracks, where the surface favors horses coming off the pace.
Here’s a snapshot of the field, from fastest to longest betting odds established by track officials. Odds won’t be final until post-time, per pari-mutuel regulations.
| Post Situation | Horse | Jinete | Morning Probabilities |
| 1 | Nationwide Treasure | Mark Velazquez | four-one |
| 2 | Pursue the Turmoil | Sheldon Russell | 50-1 |
| 3 | Mage | Javier Castellano | 8-5 |
| 4 | Coffee With Chris | Jamie Rodriguez | 20-1 |
| 5 | Red Way One | Fran Rosario | 10-1 |
| 6 | Conduct | Feargal Lynch | 15-1 |
| 7 | Blazing Sevens | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 6-1 |
| 8 | Initially Mission | Luis Saez | 5-2 |
2023 Preakness beloved
Mage (8-5)
He has written an inspiring storyline in his final three contests. In the first, he was obstructed heading for home and defeated several plans by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Concert Tour in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park in Fla. He displayed huge improvement in the second, achieving a strong second to Concert Tour in the Florida Derby. Mage put it together in winning the Kentucky Derby at 15-1. He gets better every race.
Contenders for your Preakness Buy-ins
First Objective (5-2):
Revealed an excellent rush of acceleration in putting the field aside in the Lexington Stakes. It was a minor Kentucky Derby preparation, but like Mage, First Objective is definitely improving gradually.
National Prize (4-1):
Legendary trainer Bob Baffert attempts to become the all-time Preakness leader in victories. This is not his best horse, but Baffert won here with American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. He went on to stage racing’s last two Triple Crown sweeps.
Preakness mid-pack threats
Blasting Sevens (6-1):
A clear-beaten third in the Blue Grass Stakes. Has slowly been getting back into top form. Connections trust he is ready. Appearance in Derby gear makes him a logical contender to hit the board.
Red Way One (10-1):
Draws post 10-20 and tries to make it up in the lane. Dangerous style for a short 1 3/16-mile surface. Is more dangerous in the “slop.” Rain is forecast at 30% for Saturday. Heavy rainfall would be in his favor.
Conduct (15-1):
Looked like he was out of gas before oddly rallying and passing the entire field in the home stretch in his last race. That was in a minor stakes race, but connections were encouraged to take a shot.
Bombs aside Preakness longshots
Coffee with Chris (20-1):
Good regional horse, an early speed contender. Moving up in class. In the BlueGrass, Blasting Sevens narrowly beat Hayes Strike, who defeated Java With Chris one race earlier.
Chase the Turmoil (50-1):
Difficult to recommend after he was badly beaten as a 30-1 longshot in the San Felipe Stakes, a Derby prep. But ownership must have believed he simply wasn’t right that day. Normally, there would be no reason to put him here.
Pace concerns for wagering the Preakness
Mage is often a slow beginner and may trail the field by several lengths early. His key to the race is not being caught too far rear because the 1 3/16-mile Preakness is shorter than the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby.
Java With Chris may blast to the lead with First Minister. After that, it’s all about how the race sets up, heading for home.
Approaches to bet the particular Preakness
Succeed – Horse must cross the line first. Place – Horse can finish first or second, smaller payouts on the place line. Show – Horse must finish third or better. Greater chance to hit at a short price. Exacta – First two finishers in exact order. Exacta box suggested. A 2-4 box, for example, pays whether the outcome is 2-4 or 4-2. Trifecta – Top three horses in order of finish. Superfecta – Top four finishers. It paid more than $321,000 in the 2022 Kentucky Derby. In a small field like this, the return may not be worth the investment. Best of luck finding your Preakness winner.
Sawzag Bontempo is PlayColorado’s resident horse racing and combat gambling expert, whose work is found regularly on major races and bouts. He is a multiple national award-winning boxing commentator and writer, and authors NFL betting articles for The Press of Atlantic City and iGaming Player, among others.
