- Eight horses will race in the 2018 Preakness Stakes this Saturday, with Justify looking to build on his Kentucky Derby win and move one step closer to making Triple Crown history.
- Justify is the heavy favorite according to the morning line odds, and is said to be ready to go despite a slight injury scare after the Derby.
- Seven other horses will attempt to spoil his Triple Crown run, including some familiar faces from the Derby as well as some newcomers that will be running on fresh legs.
The race for the Triple Crown is officially on.
After a dominant performance in the Kentucky Derby earlier this month, Justify is back racing this weekend in the Preakness Stakes, looking to move one step closer to Triple Crown glory.
Facing off against him will be seven horses of strong pedigree – some raced in the Derby with Justify, others are on fresh legs, looking to offer a new challenge.
Post positions and opening lines were set on Wednesday, leaving horse-racing enthusiasts to start scanning the field for their picks to win at Pimlico.
Justify is the heavy favorite heading into the race, but Good Magic, the second-place Derby finisher, might be able to take advantage of the shorter track. Meanwhile, the fresh legs of the new contenders Quip and Diamond King could also prove decisive in the muddy conditions expected on Saturday.
Whether you're taking the favorite, at 1-2, or looking for a viable longshot to spoil Justify's Triple Crown run, there's plenty to know about each horse in the field. Below, we go post-by-post to give you the rundown on every horse racing this weekend at the Preakness Stakes.
1. Quip (12-1)
Trainer/jockey: Rodolphe Brisset/Florent Geroux
Career wins: Three
Recent result: Second at the Arkansas Derby
One thing to know: Brisset cared for Justify as a 2-year-old before shipping him off to Bob Baffert and eventual Kentucky Derby glory. Could Quip help him play Triple Crown spoiler on his former horse?
2. Lone Sailor (15-1)
Trainer/jockey: Thomas M. Amoss/Irad Ortiz Jr.
Career wins: One
Recent result: Eighth at the Kentucky Derby
One thing to know: Lone Sailor's eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby wasn't an ideal result, but in a field of 20 horses, it's still an admirable effort. Amoss and his team are hoping a jockey change can get them on the podium.
3. Sporting Chance (30-1)
Trainer/jockey: D. Wayne Lukas/Luis Contreras
Career wins: Two
Recent result: Fourth at the Pat Day Mile
One thing to know: Sporting Chance will be used to the mud on Saturday, having raced in the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs just before the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. He ran well but fell short as the longshot Funny Duck ran away with the race.
4. Diamond King (30-1)
Trainer/jockey: John C. Servis/Javier Castellano
Career wins: Four
Recent result: First at the Federico Tesio
One thing to know: Diamond King could cause trouble if the horses that raced in the Derby feel a bit of fatigue. He has won four of his six career races and will bring fresh legs into the Preakness Stakes on Saturday.
5. Good Magic (3-1)
Trainer/jockey: Chad C. Brown/Jose L. Ortiz
Career wins: Two
Recent result: Second at the Kentucky Derby
One thing to know: Good Magic kept pace with Justify through the entirety of the Kentucky Derby but didn't have enough to catch him in the final stretch. In the shortest race of the Triple Crown, expect Ortiz to push Good Magic a bit earlier so as not to run out of track on the chase.
6. Tenfold (20-1)
Trainer/jockey: Steve M. Asmussen/Ricardo Santana Jr.
Career wins: Two
Recent result: Fifth at the Arkansas Derby
One thing to know: There are plenty of reasons to think Tenfold, the son of the former Preakness winner Curlin, will have a shot heading into this year's race at Pimlico with fresh legs. But in the one race he's run against this caliber of competition, he finished a disappointing fifth.
7. Justify (1-2)
Trainer/jockey: Bob Baffert/Mike E. Smith
Career wins: Four
Recent result: First at the Kentucky Derby
One thing to know: Justify is the heavy favorite heading into Saturday, and the trends justify (sorry) his short odds on the race - Baffert had trained four horses to Kentucky Derby wins before this year, and each went on to win at the Preakness.
8. Bravazo (20-1)
Trainer/jockey: D. Wayne Lukas/Luis Saez
Career wins: Three
Recent result: Sixth at the Kentucky Derby
One thing to know: Bravazo has finished in eighth and sixth in his past two races - not exactly the form you like to see from a horse you're picking to contend in a Triple Crown race.
More Preakness Stakes 2018:
- Preakness Stakes 2018: How to bet every horse in second leg of the Triple Crown
- Justify looks ready to go for Preakness Stakes despite injury concerns
- Justify is the heavy favorite heading into the Preakness Stakes, and his trainer's success in the race suggests he's a good bet to win the second leg of the Triple Crown
- Brave gambler wins $150,000 on Kentucky Derby bet made before Justify had ever run a race