A Look at the Betting Favorites to Win the 2016 Preakness Stakes

A Look at the Betting Favorites to Win the 2016 Preakness Stakes

Written by on May 17, 2016

As it stands at the moment, we are looking at a field of 12 runners for the 141st Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore on Saturday, May 21. While that is still a larger field that we are used to seeing in races here in the US, it’s a whole lot smaller than what we saw in the Kentucky Derby. The smaller field may well mean that there are less chances for things to go wrong for a horse or jockey during the race, and that might suggest that the horse race odds favorites should have the upper hand. It doesn’t always work that way, though, and it only takes one stumble out the gate or a bump along the way for the race to be altered. Assuming that things go smoothly, and that we get an honest pace, these are the horses that you can expect to see coming in first at the post.

A Look at the Betting Favorites to Win the 2016 Preakness Stakes

NYQUIST

The horse that won the Kentucky Derby is the one that is going to go off as the heavy favorite in the Preakness. Nyquist is 8 for 8 in his career starts, and seems capable of winning no matter how the race sets up. He has, by all accounts, been working well at Pimlico, and he looks primed and ready to take the second jewel in the Triple Crown. This is a shorter race than the Derby, and it has to be said that Nyquist looked to have plenty left in the tank when he took the wire in that one.

EXAGGERATOR

This is the horse that took second place in the Derby, which means he has now been runner-up to Nyquist on 4 different occasions. It’s tough to see how that is going to change this time around, as Exaggerator does better at the longer distances. The one situation that might see him spring the upset is if the pace gets particularly hot up front. That would allow him to potentially come off the pace and run them all down.

STRADIVARI

If current form is anything to go by, then this horse could well be one to watch in the Preakness Stakes. He has won by huge margins in each of his last 2 starts, and should be fresh after nor taking part in the Kentucky Derby. That said, he is going against a favorite that has only raced 3 times all year, so freshness may not be as big a factor as we might imagine.

GUN RUNNER

Another horse who ran in the Kentucky Derby, and who did a good job of staying with Nyquist until deep in the home stretch. The fact that he was able to hang in there that long suggests he might be a threat at the shorter distance delivered by the Preakness. We could be in for a bit of a neck and neck battle coming home if all of these top horses run to their peak potential, and get a clean trip.