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Triple Crown Betting Online: Not considered much of a threat to win the second leg of the Triple Crown, Diamond King will at least be the hometown favorite. He’s coming off a win at his last race, earning a trip to the Preakness Stakes by taking first at the Federico Tesio Stakes in Laurel, Maryland on April 21. Diamond King opened at +1600 and he could be a sleeper. Diamond King pulled away on the home stretch, holding off Holland Park on the 1 1/8 mile track, nearly the same distance as the Preakness.
The Preakness Stakes will be run on Saturday, May 19, 2018 with post time set for 6:20 p.m. ET at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Catch the Preakness Stakes live on NBC.
Diamond King
Career Record: 4-0-1
Career Earnings: $222,600
Preakness Stakes Odds at BookMaker.eu: +1600
Diamond King is rounding into Preakness form which makes his opening odds of +1600 look enticing. He placed third at the seven-furlong Swale Stakes in early February and stretched it out to win the 1 1/8 mile Tesio by nearly a length. And that was the race trainer John Servis and jockey Frankie Pennington were looking forward to with a berth in the Preakness on the line. Pennington has been aboard for each of Diamond King’s six starts and liked how his horse handled the longer distance, which sets him up well for the Preakness Stakes.
Why Diamond King Will Win the Preakness Stakes
Diamond King was scheduled to race in March, between the Swale and Tesio Stakes, but he came down with a fever and was scratched. He was rested enough to hold off the field for the Tesio Stakes, running at a longer distance than the seven furlongs of his previous races. “I was a little worried about the distance off a long layoff,” Servis said. But Diamond King pulled away down the stretch winning the fast track race in 1:50.31.
And that time bodes well for the Preakness, which at a mile and 3/16 suits Diamond King well. And the horse handled the longer distance after two seven-furlong races, looking comfortable while stretching it out. “He handled the mile and an eighth nicely,” said jockey Pennington. “When it was time to go, I asked him and he gave it to me.”
Why Diamond King Won't Win the Preakness Stakes
The competition ramps up and that will be something new for Diamond King, who’s going for his first graded victory at the Preakness. And the additional 1/16th of a mile might not sound like a lot, but for a horse conditioned to running seven furlongs it could be detrimental. Diamond King tore up the fast track at the Tesio Stakes and any weather-related problems, like we saw at the Derby, will be a knock against him.
The Final Verdict
There’s plenty to like about Diamond King in the Preakness. He’s coming off a distance win at the Tesio Stakes and should be able to handle the 1 3/16 mile Pimlico course. He held up well down the stretch and fended off two horses for the 3/4 length victory. But he’s no match for Justify or Good Magic, if he runs. But the watered down field could be enough to get Diamond King into the top-three.
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2018 Preakness Stakes Contenders
