Preakness Stakes Betting

Six Kentucky Derby winners in the past nine years have captured the Preakness, four by 1 lengths or more.

Thats a good omen for Barbaro, who crushed the opposition winning the 132 nd Kentucky Derby while ending a 50-year losing streak by 3-year-olds resting five weeks or longer after their final prep.

Needles was off six weeks before his triumph at Churchill Downs in 1956. Both had won the Florida Derby. However, Needles was edged by Fabius in the Preakness.

Barbaro likely will face 14 fewer horses than he defeated at Louisville when he won by 6 lengths, the largest margin since 46 when Triple Crown champ Assault scored by eight lengths at the 1 miles.

Only two Derby also-rans will try him in the 131 st Preakness: Brother Derek, who rallied from 10th after a mile to dead-heat for fourth with Jazil, and Sweetnorthernsaint, who pressed the pace in third until the stretch when he tired and finished seventh.

The Preakness has had fewer than 10 starters just once in the last 15 years when eight ran in 00. Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who scared away all by seven challengers, was upset at 1-5 by Red Bullet, who skipped Americas Race.

Bernardini, Hemingways Key and Like Now will try to become only the second horse to win the Preakness after skipping the Derby since 83 when Deputed Testimony performed the feat.

Bernardini won this years Withers. Like Now ran second in the Lexington while Hemingways Key was eighth.

Two other horses being considered for the Preakness are more likely to run in stakes on the undercard.

Trainer Bob Baffert decided against entering any of his Derby horses. Baffert said Point Determined, ninth, and Bob and John, 17th, would be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Bluegrass Cat, the Derby runner-up, and Steppenwolfer, third, also are expected to run in the Belmont.

The largest winning margin in the Preakness came in 04 when Smarty Jones cruised to an 11 -length victory, besting Funny Cides record of 9 lengths in 03.

Most of the previous races since Silver Charm triumphed by a head in 97 were closer. In fact, only three horses had shared the onetime record of eight lengths: Little Current, 74; Bold, 51; and Buddhist,1889.

This years Preakness should be tighter. I like the undefeated Barbaro despite the shorter layoff.

Sweetnorthernsaint and Brother Derek should bounce back and be tougher at 1 3/16 miles. Either could win.

Ironically, the largest margin of 10 lengths stood for 130 years after the inaugural Preakness in 1873. The aptly named Survivor set that record.

More Preakness Stakes News:

Baffert Entries Won’t Run In Preakness

May 16th, 2006

Trainer Bob Baffert won’t run Bob and John or Point Determined in next weekend’s Preakness Stakes, keeping Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro from a rematch with two of his Derby rivals. Bob and John, who was 17th in the Derby, was the only one under consideration for the second leg of the Triple Crown, Baffert said Saturday. [...]

Lawyer Ron Will Miss Preakness

May 12th, 2006

Arkansas Derby winner and 12th finisher in the recently concluded Kentucky Derby, Lawyer Ron, won’t run in the Preakness after all due to his injury. The colt who won six in a row running in the Derby will undergo surgery on Friday to remove a small chip from his right hind ankle. Trainer Bob Holthus had hoped [...]

Related: Preakness Racing Tips, Preakness Stakes News, Preakness odds from top online sportsbooks

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