146th Preakness Stakes Betting
The 2020 Preakness Stakes was the final leg of the Triple Crown, but this race will revert to being the Second Jewel of the Triple Crown in 2021. Organizers are cautiously optimistic that we will be allowed to have at least some fans in the stands for this year’s event. It’s a rite of passage for local college students to flood the infield for various shenanigans and seeing that again would be a sign that things are returning to normal.
2021 Preakness Stakes At a Glance
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2021
Location: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, MD
Race Distance: 1 3/16 Miles
Record: 1:53 (Secretariat, 1973)
Purse: $1.5 million
Qualification: Three-year-old thoroughbreds
Although Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby and will be racing at Pimlico, he might not be the favorite at the Preakness Stakes on May 15. There are some skeptics about Medina Spirit’s talent despite the victory, as he had a relatively clean ride and was never really challenged by any horse until the end.
There are some analysts that believe Bob Baffert’s best horse for the Preakness Stakes isn’t Medina Spirit either. Concert Tour won the San Vicente Stakes and the Rebel Stakes, and he finished in third place in the Arkansas Derby. That finish led to Baffert deciding not to run him in the Kentucky Derby, but he is well-rested considering he will have had three more weeks of rest than Medina Spirit and other horses that took part in the Run for the Roses.
Only a handful of horses that took part in the Kentucky Derby will head to Baltimore. Mandaloun is the second biggest name behind Medina Spirit following his runner-up finish in Louisville. He challenged Medina Spirit down the stretch, so the shorter distance might hurt him since Mandaloun was held off.
Midnight Bourbon and Keepmeinmind finished in sixth and seventh place at the Kentucky Derby. Both horses are set to take part in the Preakness Stakes, but only the former has a real chance to win the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans. Midnight Bourbon looked shaky out of the gate, but he rallied strong to show he could run with the contenders if he has a smooth ride.
Preakness Stakes Winners (2000)
| YEAR |
WINNER |
ODDS |
JOCKEY |
TRAINER |
TIME |
| 2020 |
Swiss Skydiver |
11.70 |
Robby Albarado |
Kenneth McPeek |
1:53:28 |
| 2019 |
War of Will |
6.10 |
Tyler Gaffalione |
Mark E. Casse |
1:54.34 |
| 2018 |
Justify |
0.40 |
Mike Smith |
Bob Baffert |
1:55.93 |
| 2017 |
Cloud Computing |
13.40 |
Javier Castellano |
Chad Brown |
1:55.98 |
| 2016 |
Exaggerator |
3.00 |
Kent Desormeaux |
Keith Desormeaux |
1:58.31 |
| 2015 |
American Pharoah |
0.90 |
Victor Espinoza |
Bob Baffert |
1:58.46 |
| 2014 |
California Chrome |
0.60 |
Victor Espinoza |
Art Sherman |
1:54.84 |
| 2013 |
Oxbow |
15.00 |
Gary Stevens |
D. Wayne Lukas |
1:57.54 |
| 2012 |
I'll Have Another |
3.00 |
Mario Gutierrez |
Doug O'Neill |
1:55.94 |
| 2011 |
Shackleford |
12.00 |
Jesus Castanon |
Dale Romans |
1:56.21 |
| 2010 |
Lookin At Lucky |
2.40 |
Martin Garcia |
Bob Baffert |
1:55.47 |
| 2009 |
Rachel Alexandra |
1.80 |
Calvin Borel |
Steve Asmussen |
1:55.05 |
| 2008 |
Big Brown |
0.20 |
Kent Desormeaux |
Richard Dutrow |
1:54.80 |
| 2007 |
Curlin |
3.40 |
Robby Albarado |
Steve Asmussen |
1:55.05 |
| 2006 |
Bernardini |
12.90 |
Javier Castellano |
Tom Albertrani |
1:54.65 |
| 2005 |
Afleet Alex |
3.30 |
Jeremy Rose |
Timothy Ritchey |
1:55.04 |
| 2004 |
Smarty Jones |
0.70 |
Stewart Elliott |
John Servis |
1:55.59 |
| 2003 |
Funny Cide |
1.90 |
Jose Santos |
Barclay Tagg |
1:55.61 |
| 2002 |
War Emblem |
2.80 |
Victor Espinoza |
Bob Baffert |
1:56.36 |
| 2001 |
Point Given |
2.30 |
Gary Stevens |
Bob Baffert |
1:55.51 |
| 2000 |
Red Bullet |
6.20 |
Jerry Bailey |
Joe Orseno |
1:56.00 |
Fastest Times
| YEAR |
HORSE |
TIME |
| 1973 |
Secretariat |
1:53.00 |
| 2020 |
Swiss Skydiver |
1:53.28 |
| 1996 |
Louis Quatorze |
1:53.40 |
| 1985 |
Tank's Prospect |
1:53.40 |
| 2007 |
Curlin |
1:53.46 |
| 1990 |
Summer Squall |
1:53.60 |
The great Secretariat still reigns supreme at the Preakness Stakes, but there have been times where other horses have challenged his record time of 1:53.00. Four horses have finished within a half-second, and filly Swiss Skydiver came the closest yet to breaking Secretariat’s record at this track.
Swiss Skydiver was tied for the third favorite at post time, but she bested Authentic at the wire by a head to win the 2020 Preakness Stakes. She was the first filly to win The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans since Rachel Alexandra in 2009.
Longest Odds To Win
| YEAR |
HORSE |
TIME |
| 1975 |
Master Derby |
23.40 |
| 1925 |
Coventry |
21.80 |
| 1926 |
Display |
19.35 |
| 2013 |
Oxbow |
15.00 |
| 1900 |
Hindus |
15.00 |
| 1909 |
Effendi |
15.00 |
It's hard to believe that there has never been a horse win the Preakness Stakes with a price of even 25 to 1 on his head. Master Derby is the longest shot to ever win the second leg of the Triple Crown at 23.40. Unlike the other legs of the Triple Crown where horses go off the board at 50 to 1 all the time and occasionally win, the Preakness Stakes rarely sees horses go off at those lofty odds. Oxbow, who was 15 to 1 in 2013, is largely considered to have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Preakness Stakes history. Cloud Computing represented one of the bigger upsets in recent history as well at a price of 13.40 to win the 2017 Preakness Stakes.
Most Jockey Wins
| JOCKEY |
WINS |
YEARS WON |
| Eddie Arcaro |
6 |
1941, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1955, 1957 |
| Pat Day |
5 |
1985, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
| George Barbee |
3 |
1873, 1876, 1883 |
| Bill Hartack |
3 |
1956, 1964, 1969 |
| Lloyd Hughes |
3 |
1875, 1879, 1880 |
| Gary Stevens |
3 |
1997, 2001, 2013 |
| Victor Espinoza |
3 |
2002, 2014, 2015 |
| Kent Desormeaux |
3 |
1998, 2002, 2016 |
Most of the jockeys you see on this list won the Preakness Stakes several times back in the day. However, it isn't out of the ordinary to see an active jockey go on a bit of a run. The most famous recent run came from Victor Espinoza, who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in consecutive years with California Chrome and American Pharoah respectively.
Kent Desormeaux won his third Preakness Stakes aboard Exaggerator in 2016, giving him a span of 18 years from his first Preakness victory until his third.
The record of six Preakness Stakes victories held by Eddie Arcaro figures to stand up for quite some time in the future though, as no active jockey has more than three career Preakness Stakes wins.
Most Trainer Wins
| TRAINER |
WINS |
YEARS WON |
| R. Wyndham Walden |
7 |
1875, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1888 |
| Bob Baffert |
7 |
1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2015, 2018 |
| D. Wayne Lukas |
6 |
1980, 1985, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2013 |
| Thomas J. Healey |
5 |
1901, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1929 |
| Jim Fitzsimmons |
4 |
1930, 1935, 1955, 1957 |
| Jimmy Jones |
4 |
1947, 1948, 1956, 1958 |
R. Wyndham Walden and Bob Baffert hold the record for Preakness Stakes victories with seven. The record of seven by Walden stood for 120 years, but Baffert tied the record in 2018 with Justify’s win. D. Wayne Lukas has six Preakness Stakes wins. It's plausible for him to get his seventh as well, though it's been a while since he's trained a champion three-year old pony, and his options are incredibly limited at the end of his career.
Log into BookMaker Sportsbook and get the best Racebook Betting Odds, Racebook Betting Articles and information about this and all other sports betting events!
