Popular Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome was pegged as the heavy favorite as expected for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes during Wednesday night’s post-position draw at Pimlico Race Course and will face nine others in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
Maryland Jockey Club oddsmaker Keith Feustle said he expected to list California Chrome in the “3-to-5 range” for the Preakness and that’s exactly what he did when the Lucky Pulpit colt drew post 3.
Social Inclusion, who turned heads with two impressive wins to open his career this winter at Gulfstream Park, was the only other Preakness entrant at single-digit odds at 5-to-1. He finished third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial in his last start and missed a scheduled prep for the Preakness with a foot bruise on Derby Day.
Bob Baffert will seek his sixth Preakness win with Bayern, another highly regarded sophomore early in the season who didn’t get it done in his final Derby prep. Bayern finished third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby then finishes first but was disqualified in the Grade 3 Derby Trial in late April. He’s listed as the 10-to-1 third choice.
The field for the Preakness, with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
- Dynamic Impact, Mark Casse, Miguel Mena, 12-to-1;
- General A Rod, Mike Maker, Javier Castellano, 15-to-1;
- California Chrome, Art Sherman, Victor Espinoza, 3-to-5;
- Ring Weekend, Graham Motion, Alan Garcia, 20-to-1;
- Bayern, Bob Baffert, Rosie Napravnik, 10-to-1;
- Ria Antonia, Tom Amoss, Calvin Borel, 30-to-1;
- Kid Cruz, Linda Rice, Julian Pimentel, 20-to-1;
- Social Inclusion, Manny Azpurua, Luis Contreras, 5-to-1;
- Pable Del Monte, Wesley Ward, Jeffrey Sanchez, 20-to-1;
10.Ride On Curlin, Billy Gowan, Joel Rosario, 10-to-1;
