10 Runners Confirmed for 2013 Preakness Stakes
Because favorite Orb delivered such a convincing win earlier this month in the 139th Kentucky Derby - where despite the sloppy conditions, his late surge propelled him across the line 2 1/2 lengths clear - he will no doubt start as the favorite to win Saturday's 138th Preakness Stakes, the second race in the US Triple Crown.
Orb a US Triple Crown Contender
Trained by Claude "Shug" McGaughey, Orb has won his last five races, and thus set himself up to be the first horse to win the coveted Triple Crown since Affirmed pulled off the impressive feat way back in 1978. If he wins the Triple Crown, Orb will be only the 12th horse in the horse racing history books to do so.
So far Orb is one of 10 runners confirmed to run in the Gr 1 Preakness, which is only open to three-year-olds, and contested over 1 3⁄16 miles on dirt at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland. The other runners are Will Take Charge, Goldencents, Departing, Govenor Charlie, Mylute, Itsmyluckyday, Vyjack and Titletown Five. The final four runners will be confirmed in the next few days.
One notable absentee from the line up on Saturday, May 18 is Normandy Invasion, who many punters thought would win the Derby as he led the field down the final stretch, but after tiring could only manage fourth place. Despite that result, he was widely expected to go up against Orb in the Preakness.
Normandy Invasion Will Not Run
However, it seems that his connections have other plans for him, namely to focus on his summer campaign. So with Normandy Invasion a non-starter, the next biggest rival to Orb will likely be Departing, who won the Illinois Derby in fine style, and who on the day, could well take down the audacious Orb.
Another betting favorite in the Kentucky Derby, Itsmyluckyday, may have failed to deliver the goods in that race, but may fare better in the Preakness Stakes if his trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. has anything to say about it. While Elvis Trujillo was aboard him in the Derby, John Velazquez has the ride on Saturday.
Another Preakness participant that failed to make the grade in the Derby, is Goldencents who finished two places behind Itsmyluckyday in 17th place. But his connections are confident that with drier conditions on Saturday, as well as a faster track, he could break for the front early on, and stay there.
2013 Preakness Stakes Winner Odds
Here are the latest Preakness Stakes betting odds at Bodog.
Orb - 1/1
Departing - 5/1
Goldencents - 7/1
Itsmyluckyday - 9/1
Mylute - 9/1
Governor Charlie - 10/1
Will Take Charge - 12/1
Oxbow - 14/1
Titletown Five - 25/1
