Authentic Favorite in Early Preakness Stakes Odds

Authentic, winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1) is the early favorite for the Preakness Stakes (G1). (Photo credit: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography).

There will be no Triple Crown hanging in the balance, but it appears we may have a full field in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico on Saturday, Oct. 3 led by Authentic, the favorite in early Preakness odds.

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic was installed as the favorite at Bovada in early Preakness Stakes wagering odds at +150.

The Bob Baffert trainee took the field gate to wire to win the Run for the Roses, returning $18.80 with the Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tiz the Law running second, the $2 exacta paying $41.00.

Authentic will stay at Churchill Downs in the D. Wayne Lukas barn along with his stablemate Thousand Words, who also will point toward the Preakness.

Thousand Words flipped in the paddock at Churchill Downs and was a late scratch. The colt was 15-1 on the morning line for the Derby and came into the race off a victory over Honor A.P. in the Shared Belief at Del Mar on Aug. 1.

“We’re planning on sending both if they’re doing well,” Baffert said. “He didn’t even have a scratch on him. He fell on his side, so we were fortunate.”

Art Collector is the second choice in early Preakness betting at Bovada at +350. The colt had to defect from the Kentucky Derby with a minor left front hoof issue. The Tom Drury trainee won the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and Ellis Park Derby is his previous two starts.

King Guillermo and Finnick the Fierce were late scratches from the Kentucky Derby after being entered and will point toward the Preakness Stakes as well.

Tiz the Law, the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby is the co-third choice at +500 along with Honor A.P., who finished fourth in the Derby.

Kentucky Derby Replay

It sounded like Tiz the Law managing partner Jack Knowlton of Sackatoga Stable wants to run in the Preakness more than trainer Barclay Tagg does. A decision will come over the next few weeks.

“He ran good and came out of it great. I was over at the barn this morning and all is well,” Knowlton said. “I’ll have that discussion with Barclay and we’ll take a little time to see. My thinking is that we will, but we’ll have the horse dictate what’s going to happen. Certainly that would be my preference but we’ve just have to see how he comes out and see how he works when we have the next work in a couple weeks. We’ll have time for a couple works.”

Mr. Big News made a belated rally to finish third in the Kentucky Derby at 46-1 and will point toward the Preakness according to his trainer Bret Calhoun. The colt earned an automatic berth in the Preakness by virtue of his victory in the April 11 Oaklawn Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Happy Saver stamped his ticket to the Preakness by winning Monday’s Federico Tesio at Laurel Park. The Todd Pletcher trainee was sent off as the heavy favorite and did not disappoint, winning by 1 ½ lengths and paying $2.40. The colt is listed at +2500 in early Preakness odds at Bovada.

Mystic Guide and Liveyourbeastlife, who finished first and second in the Jim Dandy (G2) on Saturday at Saratoga are also being pointed to the race.

The Preakness will anchor an all-stakes program of 12 races, seven graded, worth $2.7 million on Saturday, Oct. 3. It will be joined this year by the 96th renewal of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for three-year-old fillies, contested at 1 1/8 miles.