Early Preakness Stakes Betting Odds

Justify will be the heavy favorite for the 143rd running of the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico. (Photo credit: Maryland Jockey Club).

There is no doubt who the short-priced favorite for the Preakness Stakes (G1) will be, with the bigger question being who the heck is going to show up in Baltimore to take him on?

Over the past four years we have seen just an average of just four Derby starters wheel back in two weeks for the second jewel of the Triple Crown and at this point it could be as few as two and perhaps as many as four or five.

Justify is the 4-9 betting favorite in early Preakness wagering at USRacing while Derby runner up Good Magic is the second choice at 7-2.

Good Magic’s trainer Chad Brown dismissed the Preakness after the race but by Sunday morning was leaving the option open to run.

The only other Derby starter that is being pointed to the Preakness right now is the D. Wayne Lukas trained Bravazo, who was sixth in the Derby at 66-1.

USRacing has Derby fifth place finisher My Boy Jack listed at 10-1 and seventh place finisher Hofburg listed at 18-1, but the connections of both horses said they have ruled out the Preakness.

Quip, who won the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and ran second in the Arkansas Derby (G1) had enough points to get into the Derby, but his connections elected to wait for the Preakness. WinStar owns a part of both Justify and Quip, and his participation in the second jewel of the Triple Crown has not been decided.  The colt is 20-1 in early Preakness betting at USRacing.

Two others that will make the trip to Baltimore that did not race in the Derby are Sporting Chance and Diamond King.

Sporting Chance (25-1) did race on Derby Day, checking in fourth in the Pat Day Mile (G3) on the Derby Day undercard.

Diamond King earned an automatic starting spot in the Preakness by winning the Federico Tesio at Laurel Park. The colt is listed at 16-1 in early Preakness wagering.

Last year’s Preakness winner Cloud Computing was the first to have not raced in the Kentucky Derby since Rachel Alexandra in 2009. She had run the day before winning the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Givemeaminit, who was third in the Pat Day Mile is now being considered for the Preakness according to his trainer Dallas Stewart.  The trainer saddled maiden winner Tale of Verve in the 2015 Preakness and the colt ran second to American Pharoah at 28-1, completing a $124.40 exacta with the favorite.

Over the next few days we may see a few new shooters get added to the fray.

Preakness Stakes Early Betting Odds via USRacing

Justify   4-9

Good Magic   7-2

My Boy Jack   10-1

Diamond King   16-1

Hofburg   18-1

Runaway Ghost   18-1

Quip   20-1

Telekinesis   20-1

Sporting Chance   25-1

Bravazo    25-1

Noble Indy   50-1