Expert Picks: Who Will Win the Preakness?

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 might be a Triple Crown contender and the one Derby horse in what is taken into account a weak area. First Mission, thought of to be his largest challenger, was scratched on Friday morning with a left hind ankle damage.

Below, the Preakness horses are listed so as of put up place, with feedback by Joe Drape and Melissa Hoppert of The New York Times. The morning-line odds, set by Keith Feustle of Pimlico Race Course, had been revised to mirror the scratch.

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

Purse: $1.5 million assured

Distance: 1 3/16 miles

Track file: 1 minute 52 2/5 seconds (Farma Way, 1991)

Weight: 126 kilos

Post time: 7:01 p.m. Eastern

Our Picks

Drape’s win-place-show picks: Mage, Red Route One, National Treasure

Hoppert’s picks: National Treasure, Mage, Blazing Sevens

Here’s how we see the sphere:

1. National Treasure

Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: John Velazquez Odds: 3-1

Drape: This colt seems to be the lone velocity horse. If the Hall of Fame jockey can sluggish the fractions down, National Treasure is a risk 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 file for essentially the most Preakness wins with eight.

2. Chase the Chaos

Trainer: Ed Moger Jr. Jockey: Sheldon Russell Odds: 30-1

Drape: He raced the large boys within 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, considered one of which was on dust. No thanks.

3. Mage

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado Jockey: Javier Castellano Odds: 4-5

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

Hoppert: With no different Derby runners within the race, there’s little question he’s one of the best within the area. But his persistent bother breaking from the gate, coupled with what is anticipated to be a sluggish tempo, doesn’t bode nicely for him right here.

4. Coffeewithchris

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 at all times one massive native hope on this race, however the fifth-place finisher within the Federico Tesio Stakes is not going to be the one who breaks by means of.

5. Red Route One

Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Joel Rosario Odds: 8-1

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

Hoppert: Asmussen has completed second within 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.

6. Perform

Trainer: Shug McGaughey Jockey: Feargal Lynch Odds: 12-1

Drape: This colt discovered his mojo after switching to races over a mile lengthy. He is on a two-race win streak and would possibly 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.

7. Blazing Sevens

Trainer: Chad Brown Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Odds: 5-1

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

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