Is Justify a Safe 2018 Preakness Stakes Betting Pick?

Is Justify a Safe 2018 Preakness Stakes Betting Pick?

Written by on May 17, 2018

With the 2018 Kentucky Derby now a thing of the past and the 2018 Preakness Stakes set to get underway this coming weekend on Saturday, May 19, horse racing bettors everywhere need to know whether it’s safe to back the Derby winner to win the second leg of the annual Triple Crown. Well, thanks to some expert 2018 Preakness Stakes betting analysis, you’re going to find out now, if backing the Kentucky Derby-winning Justify at -225 to take another step toward winning the coveted Triple Crown is a good idea.

2018 Preakness Stakes Betting Odds & Prediction

  • When: May 19, 2018
  • Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
  • Distance: 1 3⁄16 mi (9.5 furlongs; 1,900 m)
  • Surface: Dirt
  • Purse: $1.5 million

2018 Preakness Stakes Betting Odds to Win

  • Justify: -225
  • Good Magic: +300
  • Quip: +1200
  • Lone Sailor: +1500
  • Bravazo: +2000
  • Tenfold: +2000
  • Diamond King: +3000
  • Sporting Chance: +3000
First of all, there have been just 12 horses to win the Triple Crown. 52 horses have won two of the three races with 23 winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. 18 horses have won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes and 11 thoroughbreds have claimed the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. The last horse to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown was American Pharoah, who, in 2015, actually went on to become the 12th and last Triple Crown winner. Prior to that, California Chrome won the Derby and Preakness before coming up just short of winning the Belmont Stakes. Before that, I’ll Have Another won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 2012. Just after the start of the new millennium, three horses won the Derby and Preakness with War Emblem, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones all pulling off the feat in 2002, 20023 and 2004 respectively, although each failed to win the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. Big Brown also pulled off the feat in 2008 and that means, that, since 2002, seven of 16 Kentucky Derby winners, or 43.75 percent have gone on to win the Preakness Stakes.

What does that mean?

This means that Justify has a really good shot of winning the second leg of the Triple Crown, particularly since he’s being talked about in terms of being one of those ‘rare’ special horses that really has a great shot to win the Triple Crown. “Not only does he have the talent, but he has the will to win,” trainer Bob Baffert told reporters earlier this week. “For him, what he’s done in such a short period — it will be his fifth race in 13 weeks — it’s just incredible how tough he is.” Justify is the 2018 Preakness Stakes Betting favorite. Justify, the son of Scat Daddy, a multiple Grade I winner and sire of 69 stakes winners, started racing as a 3-year-old and has gone a perfect 4-for-4 since his debut as a 3-year-old in February. “I think this horse has a great chance; I wish I had him,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who has two horses running Saturday, said about Justify. “There’s no horse out there right now that can stop him on this run. He’s going to get a mile and a half [in the Belmont]. He’s going to run well in the Preakness. It’s his Triple Crown to lose.”

Last 10 Preakness Stakes Winners

  • 2017: Cloud Computing
  • 2016: Exaggerator
  • 2015: American Pharoah
  • 2014: California Chrome
  • 2013: Oxbow
  • 2012: I’ll Have Another
  • 2011: Shackleford
  • 2010: Lookin At Lucky
  • 2009: Rachel Alexandra
  • 2008: Big Brown