An across the board wager is a bet on a horse to win, place and show at the Preakness Stakes. If the horse wins, the bettor collects three ways (win, place and show). If the horse comes in second, the bettor collects two ways (place and show). Odds, lines and how to bet on the 2020 Preakness Stakes On the calendar, the Preakness Stakes is nestled between the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes horse races. As such, it forms part of America’s famous Triple Crown series, and is second only to the Kentucky Derby in terms of attendance and fame.
The Preakness Stakes is the third leg of the 2020 Triple Crown after being rescheduled to Saturday, Oct. 3. Tiz the Law won the Belmont Stakes on June 20 and he finished runner-up in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5. However, Tiz the Law will skip the Preakness and run next in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The Preakness Stakes draw was completed Sept. 28 and Kentucky Derby winner Authentic was made the 9/5 morning line favorite with Art Collector (5/2) the second choice.
In another change to Triple Crown races, the Preakness Stakes joins the Belmont Stakes as a “Win and You’re In” qualifying race to the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
Trainer Bob Baffert is the leading trainer in Triple Crown history with 16 victories after winning his record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby with Authentic. He is tied for the most wins in the Preakness with seven victories and his last two winners won the Triple Crown – Justify (2018) and American Pharoah (2015).
Post Position | Horse | Opening Odds (2020) | Jockey | Last Race |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Excession | 30/1 | Sheldon Russell | 2nd in Rebel Stakes |
2 | Mr. Big News | 12/1 | Gabriel Saez | 3rd in Kentucky Derby (G1) |
3 | Art Collector | 5/2 | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 1st in Ellis Derby |
4 | Swiss Skydiver | 6/1 | Robby Albarado | 2nd in Kentucky Oaks (G1) |
5 | Thousand Words | 6/1 | Florent Geroux | 1st in Shared Belief |
6 | Jesus' Team | 30/1 | Jevian Toledo | 3rd in Jim Dandy (G2) |
7 | Ny Traffic | 15/1 | Horacio Karamanos | 8th in Kentucky Derby (G1) |
8 | Max Player | 15/1 | Paco Lopez | 5th in Kentucky Derby (G1) |
9 | Authentic | 9/5 | John Velazquez | 1st in Kentucky Derby (G1) |
10 | Pneumatic | 20/1 | Joe Bravo | 1st in Pegasus Stakes |
11 | Liveyourbeastlife | 30/1 | Trevor McCarthy | 2nd in Jim Dandy (G2) |
The 145th Preakness Stakes is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. Here is more information and tips on betting the Preakness Stakes, and how you can watch and wager on this year’s event.
The Preakness post-position draw is Monday, Sept. 28, and Preakness oddsmaker Keith Fuestle will set the odds immediately after the draw. The field is limited to a maximum of 14 starters, but the only years the Preakness starting gate was filled to capacity were 2011, 2005, and 1992.
Fans can wager legally at racetracks, simulcast centers such as Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers, and on advanced deposit wagering platforms such as TVG, BetAmerica and TwinSpires, where bettors in 31 states can legally bet on horse races from their mobile devices and web browsers. You can also wager on horse racing legally in the state of Nevada at the hundreds of casinos with race and sportsbooks.
In addition to the traditional “straight” wagers (Win, Place, Show), fans can also attempt to cash big in the various “exotic” pools. Exacta (top two finishers), Trifecta (top three), Superfecta (top four), and Super High Five (top five) wagering are all offered, and cashing a ticket in any of these pools can produce a bigger payday.
The Preakness Stakes betting odds are finally determined by the pari-mutuel system at the track which means your potential payout depends on how much money is in the pot overall, divided by how many bets are placed. The odds will fluctuate in the build-up to the race and never more so than in the final few moments before post time.
There are many ways to handicap a horse race, and there is no shortage of opinions or angles when it comes to the handicapping the Preakness Stakes following the Kentucky Derby results. From a beginner’s betting guide to the most sophisticated tools for informed handicappers, there are many pieces of information and betting guides to assist you in identifying a potential Preakness winner and narrowing the list of top contenders.
These sections below will be updated with additional horses and information as more runners are confirmed for the Preakness Stakes.
The pace often makes the race, and the Preakness will be no different. The horses that “need the lead” or will be forwardly placed and pressing the pace include two leading contenders and favorites Authentic and Art Collector. They will be joined up front by filly Swiss Skydiver.
With Tiz the Law opting to not run in the Preakness, there is one less top contender looking to stalk and pounce. Ny Traffic may make up more ground as he did when closing in on Authentic in the Haskell before losing by a nose.
Thousand Words and NyTraffic going off at higher odds provides some horses with some value below the top tier runners. Art Collector moves up as the second choice with Tiz the Law out, but sharp horse players believe he’s a real shooter after missing the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert is going for his record eighth Preakness win and will have two chances with Authentic and Thousand Words both leading contenders.
Last year, War of Will was identified on these pages as a value horse and he pulled the upset and won at 6/1 odds.
The Preakness has been dominated in recent years by horses who set or press/stalk the pace, but most of the time those were simply the best horses like Justify, American Pharoah, California Chrome, Big Brown and the filly Rachel Alexandra. Exaggerator was able to come from well off a hotly-contested pace to win the 2016 Preakness. An improving 3-year-old or fresher and talented colt like Art Collector or Thousand Words may be able to pull another upset, but not at odds like Clould Computing (13/1) in 2017 or Oxbow (15/1) in 2013.
Year | Winner | Post | Odds | Time | Jockey | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Swiss Skydiver | 4 | 11/1 | 1:53.28 | ||
2019 | War of Will | 1 | 6/1 | 1:54.34 | Tyler Gaffalione | Mark Casse |
2018 | Justify | 7 | 1/2 | 1:55:93 | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert |
2017 | Cloud Computing | 2 | 13/1 | 1:55:98 | Javier Castellano | Chad Brown |
2016 | Exaggerator | 5 | 3/1 | 1:58:31 | Kent Desormeaux | J. Keith Desormeaux |
2015 | American Pharoah | 1 | 4/5 | 1:58.46 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert |
2014 | California Chrome | 3 | 3/5 | 1:54.84 | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman |
2013 | Oxbow | 6 | 15/1 | 1:57:54 | Victor Espinoza | D.W. Lukas |
2012 | I'll Have Another | 9 | 3/1 | 1:55.94 | G. Stevens | D. O'Neill |
2011 | Shackleford | 5 | 12/1 | 1:56.21 | M. Guiterrez | D. Romans |
2010 | Lookin At Lucky | 7 | 5/2 | 1:55.47 | J. Castanon | B. Baffert |
2009 | Rachel Alexandra | 13 | 9/5 | 1:55.05 | M. Garcia | S. Asmussen |
2008 | Big Brown | 6 | 1/5 | 1:54.80 | C. Borel | R. Dutrow Jr. |
2007 | Curlin | 4 | 7/2 | 1:53.46 | K. Desormeaux | S. Asmussen |
2006 | Bernardini | 8 | 12/1 | 1:54.65 | R. Albarado | T. Albertrani |
2005 | Afleet Alex | 12 | 3/1 | 1:55.04 | J. Castellano | T. Ritchey |
2004 | Smarty Jones | 7 | 3/5 | 1:55.59 | J. Rose | J. Servis |
2003 | Funny Cide | 9 | 9/5 | 1:55.61 | S. Elliott | B. Tagg |
2002 | War Emblem | 8 | 5/2 | 1:56.36 | J. Santos | B. Baffert |
2001 | Point Given | 11 | 2/1 | 1:55.51 | V. Espinoza | B. Baffert |
2000 | Red Bullet | 4 | 7/1 | 1:56.04 | G. Stevens | J. Orseno |
1999 | Charismatic | 6 | 8/1 | 1:55.32 | J. Bailey | D.W. Lukas |
1998 | Real Quiet | 10 | 5/2 | 1:54.75 | C. Antley | B. Baffert |
1997 | Silver Charm | 7 | 3/1 | 1:54.84 | K. Desormeaux | B. Baffert |