Preakness futures wager will launch April 28

The Maryland Jockey Club will launch a Preakness Stakes futures wager April 28.

Thoroughbred Daily News reported that the Maryland Racing Commission approved the new bet at a meeting Tuesday.

Mike Rogers, president of the Maryland Jockey Club's racing division, told TDN that the pool will run until about 6 p.m. EDT on Kentucky Derby day, May 6.

"it's going to be cool to see our Preakness future odds right alongside the Derby odds.”

He said the pool will be modeled after Churchill Downs's Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

In addition to Derby contenders, the pool could include horses trained by Bob Baffert, who is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc., plus fillies and Maryland horses, rogers said. He said the goal is to have at least 30 betting interest.

The Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown will run at Pimlico on May 20.

TDN noted that both last year and the year before, three Preakness starters had run in the Kentucky Derby.