The Kentucky Derby is behind us, and the next leg of the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing takes place on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
If you’ve had your fill of horse racing excitement for the season and plan to skip the Preakness Stakes, you could be missing out on history in the making.
As often happens with the iconic race known as the Kentucky Derby, this year brought a story. Perhaps an underdog story. Derby winner Mage defied the odds – and most predictions – to win the Run for the Roses by a length over the more favored Two Phil’s. Mage is now on a path that could lead him to capturing the most prestigious title in racing.
With the Preakness upon us, we take a look not only at where to watch the Preakness Stakes – but also WHY.
Under dog leads bunch in 2023 Preakness Buy-ins
The Derby was Mage’s second race actually, and his odds were 15-1 at post time. However, Mage didn’t just get lucky. He’s a fast horse with an experienced trainer. Experienced, but it was the first Triple Crown race that trainer Gustavo Stanley Delgado has won.
Now, the elusive Triple Crown title is on the line. Winning the Triple Crown is a rare succeed that only thirteen previous horses have accomplished since 1875. Many things must go right for the horse to get it done.
Heading into this weekend’s race, the oft-overlooked duo is now in the spotlight. Mage is the favorite to win on Saturday in an eight-horse field rife with Kentucky Derby veteran trainers and jockeys. This year’s particularly small field could work to his advantage.
Mage has a real chance to win the Preakness. If he does, and also takes first in the Belmont Stakes in three weeks, Mage will join the likes of Secretariat, American Pharaoh, and Justify as a Triple Crown winner.
Another reason to watch the Preakness: Paying respect to the New Jersey-bred horse that provided the race’s name. The horse, named Preakness, was bred at Preakness Stud in Wayne and won the first running of the Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico’s opening day back in 1870.
Best places to watch the particular Preakness Buy-ins in Nj-new jersey
If we’ve got you convinced, you can watch the Preakness from anywhere on NBC, CNBC, Peacock, or NBC Sports. Preakness coverage kicks off at 1 p.m. on May 20, but Pimlico’s first post time of the day stands at 10:25 a.m. Organizers have slated the Preakness Stakes post time for 7:01 p.m.
For those watching from home or on the go, placing bets on the Preakness is made easy with NJ’s horse racing apps like FanDuel Racing.
To get into the racing spirit, NJ’s racetracks are the best place to enjoy the Preakness.
Meadowlands will open its doors at 9:25 a.m. and offer simulcast wagering along with live harness racing on Saturday. Live harness post time at Meadowlands is 6:20 p.m.
At Monmouth Park, the live Caesars Sportsbook features over 100 TVs and a 75-foot video wall where they’ll show the big race. Caesars will open at 9 a.m. and close at midnight on Saturday. Monmouth’s live racing starts at 12:40 p.m.
Many sports bars around the state will air the race, and some offer off-track betting as well. Your nearest Favorites location usually proves to be a safe bet. Favorites has locations in Egg Harbor, Toms River, Hillsborough, Gloucester, and Woodbridge.
In Atlantic City, only one casino offers horse racing as an option on its sportsbook menu. That’s the Borgata’s BetMGM Race & Sports Book.
For strictly viewing, sportsbooks like Caesars Sportsbook at Wild Wild West and other casino bars will likely air the race too.
Watch in addition to wager coming from anywhere and have special offers
You don’t need to drive all around the state to find a betting option or even a way to watch the race. Apps like FanDuel Racing allow you to enjoy the race right on your mobile device.
FanDuel is once again offering a $20 “No Lose Bet” for the Preakness, just as they did for the Kentucky Derby.
With this promotion, you can place a single win bet up to $20. If your bet loses, you’ll receive a $20 bonus bet to use on horse racing wagers.
Brian Combination contributes casino, sports betting, and lottery coverage to PlayNJ and PlayPennsylvania. Brian studied Professional Writing and Journalism at the University of Cincinnati and has been a contributing writer at Cincinnati’s alt-weekly for over ten years.
