All eyes are on Mage as the horse attempts to build on his thrilling Kentucky Derby victory. One more win at the Preakness would have him knocking on the door of a prestigious Triple Crown (only 13 horses have ever done it). We’ll predict Mage’s fate in this article, which includes our two best bets to make on the Preakness Stakes.
- What: 2023 Preakness Stakes
- When: Sunday, May 20
- Where: Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland
2023 Preakness Stakes Preview
Any preview of the forthcoming Preakness Stakes has to start with the latest betting odds. Among the 14-horse field (which isn't 100-percent set yet), the following ones below are the biggest favorites to win outright, per popular horse betting sites:
| Horse |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mage | +150 | +150 | +150 |
| First Mission | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Disarm | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| National Treasure | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Blazing Sevens | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Confidence Game | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
Mage is confirmed to be running, which wasn’t a given even after the Kentucky triumph. Recovering in two weeks' time to race again was a question mark, especially for an inexperienced horse with only four pro races to its name. But the horse’s owner was encouraged by a recent workout. Mage used a late-stretch sprint to outlast Two Phils by one length at Churchill Downs at +1500 odds — as you can see, those lines have been slashed big time for the Preakness.
As we said, the racing field isn't completely set yet. So expect to see the Preakness odds listed above change from now until Saturday. One horse hanging in the balance is Forte, who might be ineligible. Forte was the original Kentucky Derby betting favorite. He was a late scratch due to a foot bruise and ended up on the veterinarian's list. Cause of that, Forte can’t race until after 14 days. The Preakness marks day 14 so just missing the cut-off.
Nothing is confirmed with Forte, but the optics of the horse racing in Baltimore would be horrendous for the sport. A whopping seven horses died in the lead-up or as a result of the Derby. Seven! It’s brought new light, a dark one at that, on the sport that’s deemed unsafe by critics. Forte running so fresh from an injury could only add fuel to that fire.
Per usual, this race is only 1.9 kilometers. It’s the shortest dash of the Triple Crown — 1/16 mile shorter than the Derby, for reference. The Belmont Stakes measures a mile and a half, and that one is two weeks after this.
Best Bets To Win Preakness Stakes Race
If you read our Kentucky Derby betting article, you know we correctly picked Mage to win. It would be easy to get cocky based on that result, but thoroughbred racing is notoriously difficult. That’s why we’re betting on two different horses to win the Preakness Stakes race. Here are the two we have winning:
Mage
That’s right, we’re riding Mage again. We believe the shortness of Preakness is to Mage’s benefit. This horse is a sprinter more than anything else. Mage uncharacteristically got off to a slow start in Churchill Downs before catching up toward the end. It’s capable of doing that again but still, we’d expect Mage to start off much stronger this time at Pimlico.
Plus, Mage was literally born for this race. Mage’s dame is Big Brown, which won the 2008 iteration of the Preakness. We’re telling you, Mage’s speed is tailor-made for this track, hence our confidence in the back-to-back win.
Tapit Trice
Tapit Trice isn't confirmed to be in the race but if he is, watch out. This horse had the second-best odds of winning the Derby but finished in the middle of the pack — seven out of 18 and a little over nine strides off of Mage. It was disappointing, yes, but this horse will likely be available for a much better price if it indeed competes.
Getting off the block cleanly also slowed Tapit Trice down. That will be key to success at Preakness, which we’re confident can happen. The horse had won four straight races before the Derby so there’s reason to believe Churchill Downs was just an “off” day for Trapit Trice. We’re jumping on the horse’s odds in case it was.
How To Watch 2023 Preakness Stakes?
NBC is the exclusive place to watch the Preakness Stakes if you’re in the United States. Though, you don’t have to watch it on the traditional TV channel. NBC also has its Peacock streaming app, which will air the race live. The race is slated to begin at approximately 6:50 p.m. EST.
How To Bet 2023 Preakness Stakes?
The best place(s) to bet on the 2023 Preakness Stakes can be found below. Each one of these sites has dedicated racebooks that will offer the full gamut of Preakness odds, far beyond what we covered above. Per our up-to-date sportsbook reviews, these sites are rated as industry leaders so you can’t go wrong with any one of ‘em.
If we were you, we’d pay close attention to the underneath table. See those big-money sign-up bonuses listed right there? That’s how much money you could earn off these deals — more than enough to bankroll your Preakness Stakes bets. Click one of the “play now” buttons to redeem the offer of your choice.
