Preakness 2023: Known Odds, Schedule and Mage Predictions

Mage finished first at Saturday's Kentucky Derby as a 15-1 long shot and now has a shot at chasing horse racing's biggest prize, the Triple Crown.

The question is whether Mage will even run at Pimlico later this month. The second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness, is scheduled to take place on May 20, just two weeks after the Derby.

This leaves trainer Gustavo Delgado and his team with a tough decision on whether to push a horse who has only raced four times.

"It's never going to be at the expense of the horse. If my guy is feeling the way he's feeling, then on to Baltimore and crab cakes we go," co-owner Ramiro A. Restrepo told reporters.

If Mage does run, the horse will likely be among the early favorites. However, it's likely to be a very talented field, even if we don't know how the field will shape up just yet. Below, you'll find an early look at the 2023 Preakness Stakes, along with scheduling information and predictions.

Where: Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland

When: Saturday, May 20

Post Time: Approximately 6:50 p.m. ET

TV Coverage Start Time: 4:30 p.m. ET with pre-race coverage starting at 1:30 p.m. ET

TV and Live Stream: NBC, Peacock, NBCSports.com and NBC Sports App (pre-race coverage on CNBC)

The field for the 2023 Preakness Stakes has not been set, and accurate odds won't be available until that happens. However, Johnny Avello, director of race and sportsbook operations, recently weighed in with odds predictions for Mage.

According to Avello, a lot will hinge on whether scratched Derby favorite Forte joins the fray.

"If Forte runs, you may see Mage in the 3-1 to 4-1 range," Avello said, per Dave Bontempo of Gaming Today, "and if he doesn't, you might see him in the neighborhood of 5-2. I mean, who else is out there for him to go against now?

Forte was scratched due to a foot injury but may be back in racing form soon.

"He's fine. He probably needs a couple more days (to recover)," Forte's co-owner Mike Repole said in an interview with FanDuel TV (h/t Beth Harris of the Associated Press.

According to the Maryland Jockey Club Press Office, Forte was a 4-1 favorite in the Preakness Future Wager, which has closed. Angel of Empire, who finished third on Saturday, had 9-1 odds. First Mission (6-1) and Tapit Trice (12-1) rounded out the future's favorites.

It's unknown, of course, which horses will actually run, but with a shot at the Triple Crown still out there, Mage is a likely entrant. So is Forte, if the foot injury indeed heals quickly.

It would be a mild surprise if Two Phil's didn't run after coming up just short at Churchill Downs, and a couple of non-derby horses will likely be in the mix. Along with First Mission, Red Route One and Chase the Chaos are both eligible for the Preakness Stakes after securing victories earlier in the season.

Though the complete field isn't known, but the early odds, according to Sports Betting Dime, are as follows:

Preakness Early Odds

Mage 3-1

Forte 3-1

First Mission 5-1

Two Phil's 5-1

Blazing Sevens 12-1

Confidence Game 12-1

Henry Q 12-1

National Treasure 16-1

Red Route One 16-1

Instant Coffee 20-1

Chase The Chaos 33-1

Il Miracolo 50-1

Mage is no lock to enter the Preakness Stakes—last year's winner, Rich Strike did not, but if the horse runs, he will have a chance to claim the first two jewels of the Triple Crowns.

A relatively inexperienced horse, Mage may just now be peaking as a competitor. And while it was a late break that secured victory at the Kentucky Derby, Mage proved had the gas to do it.

The big question is whether Mage can beat the field on the slightly shorter (by 1/16th of a mile) Pemlico track. Two Phil's had the advantage until the closing seconds of the Kentucky Derby and has the speed to finish off a win at the Preakness.

According to Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier Journal, Two Phil's received a 101 Beyer Speed Figure at the Jeff Ruby Steaks. That was the highest figure of any horse in the Derby field, though it came on a synthetic track. What Saturday's race proved is that Two Phil's speed translates to a natural surface.

Angel of Empire, who became the Derby favorite after Forte was scratched, also broke late and should be heavily considered if entered in the Preakness. The Brad Cox-trained colt nearly overtook Two Phil's near the end on Saturday.

Then, there's Forte, who well might have finished in Saturday's winner's circle if healthy enough to run. The Todd A. Pletcher-trained horse beat Mage at the Florida Derby back in April.

However, the prediction here is that First Mission comes out on top. The Cox-trained horse won the Lexington Stakes on April 15 with a 106 speed rating, according to Horse Racing Nation, and Cox has been eyeing the Preakness ever since.

First Mission is the offspring of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense.

"Obviously we'll have to see what happens with the Kentucky Derby and who knows what there, but it would be the logical spot moving forward," Cox said, per Jim Mulvihill of America's Best Racing.

With plenty of speed and a month's rest, First Mission can block Mage from the Triple Crown and beat the rest of the smaller Preakness field.