With the Kentucky Derby now in the rear view mirror, it is time for horse racing fans to start looking ahead to the next big race, the Preakness Stakes. The Preakness is the second leg of the Triple Crown race schedule, and to no one’s surprise, Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming is the early favorite.
Oddsshark indicates that the 2017 Kentucky Derby winner has been installed as the even-money betting favorite for the upcoming Preakness Stakes on May 20 which will take place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Seeing Always Dreaming listed as the early morning line favorite shouldn’t surprise many horse racing enthusiasts. In fact, this will be the fifth year in a row the Kentucky Derby winner is being listed as the early favorite in the Preakness Stakes.
After winning the Florida Derby and now the Kentucky Derby, Always Dreaming can solidify his name as the horse of the year if he can pull off the win at the Preakness Stakes. This year will mark the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes, and while all eyes will be on Always Dreaming, other contenders do have a good shot at foiling Always Dreaming’s bid for a Triple Crown, namely Lookin at Lee and Classic Empire.
Lookin at Lee, a 33/1 long shot when the Kentucky Derby began, almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Triple Crown racing history. The horse that finished second behind Always Dreaming just two days ago at Churchill Downs is listed at 11/1 for the Preakness Stakes two weeks from now. Odds makers have given Lookin at Lee a lot more respect this time around after his near upset in the Derby.
Another horse to keep an eye on at the Preakness Stakes is Classic Empire.
The winner of the 2017 Arkansas Derby finished fourth at the Kentucky Derby last Saturday and is more than capable of pulling off the upset at Pimlico. With early odds of 6.5/1, Classic Empire is one of the horses that should definitely give Always Dreaming a run for his money.
A lot will change over the next two weeks before the Preakness Stakes takes place, however, as of today, we have a good idea of the field and early odds, but is history on Always Dreaming’s side when it comes to capturing the Triple Crown?
The last horse to win the Triple Crown was American Pharoah in 2015, becoming just the 12th horse in racing history to do so. Before American Pharoah pulled off the feat two years ago, the last horse to win the Triple Crown was Affirmed back in 1978. So, yes, winning the Triple Crown of horse racing is not an easy thing to do.
Following the Preakness Stakes race on May 20, the final leg of the Triple Crown schedule will take place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York as fans hope they will have a chance to witness history at the 2017 Belmont Stakes. The Belmont Stakes is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 10.
Below is a look at the early field selections and current odds to win the 2017 Preakness Stakes.
2017 Preakness Stakes Field and Odds:
Always Dreaming EVEN Irish War Cry +550 Classic Empire +650 Looking at Lee +1100 Battle of Midway +1100 Cloud Computing +1400 Conquest Mo Money +1600 Gunnevera +1600 Malagacy +1600 Practical Joke +1800
[Featured Image by Patrick Smith/Getty Images]
