Horse bettors have had almost two weeks to get over the beating they took in this year’s Kentucky Derby on May 7. It was hard to win any kind of money in that race unless you handicapped an 80-1 longshot upsetting the field.
With Derby winner Rich Strike bowing out of this Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, I am expecting a return to normal where the best three entries run true to form and finish in the money. With $1.5 million up for grabs in total price money for the second leg of the Triple Crown racing series, I have broken down the field of nine three-year old Thoroughbreds set to run on Saturday.
The Grade 1 Preakness Stakes will cover a total distance of 1 3/8 miles on the dirt track at Pimlico. With the post positions, jockeys and morning line odds all in place, the following three entries for Saturday’s main event would be my trifecta pick at the betting window or favorite online racebook.
2022 Preakness Stakes Predictions
When: Saturday, May 21st 2022
Where: Pimlico Race Course
Win – Epicenter
This three-year old colt was my top pick to win the Kentucky Derby and he almost got it done as the favorite with the second-place finish behind Rich Strike. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he remains the strongest contender in the field of nine for this race and a value pick to win even at low odds.
The son of Not This Time will break from the No. 8 post as the clear 6-5 favorite on the morning line and jockey Joel Rosario will one again be leading the way. Counting the second place finish two weeks ago at Churchill Downs, Epicenter has placed first or second in each of his last six events going back to November of his juvenile campaign.
Place – Early Voting
Sitting out the Kentucky Derby, this three-year old Kentucky-bred colt will be fresh for this race. Sired by Gun Runner, he placed second in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9 his last time out. That race was won by Mo Donegal. In his only other race this year, he won the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at that same track in early February. Early Voting covered the 1 1/8 miles on the dirt track at Aqueduct in 1:55.90.
With jockey Jose Ortiz getting the call, he will break from the favorable No. 5 post in Saturday’s field of nine. Trained by Chad Brown, he has been opened at 7-2 odds to win on the Preakness Stakes morning line.
Show – Secret Oath
This three-year old filly caught my eye at Churchill Downs the day before the Kentucky Derby by winning this year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She covered the 1 1/8 miles on dirt in 1:49.44 past Nest and Desert Dawn. This successful run followed a third-place finish against the colts in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on April 2.
In four races as a three-year old, Secret Oath has won three of those events. Sired by Arrogate, she is trained D. Wayne Lucas. Drawing the No. 4 post for Saturday with jockey Luis Saez aboard, she has been opened at 9-2 odds to win as the third choice on the board.
