Preakness Stakes Expert Picks: Contenders, Betting Plays & More
Rich Strike skipped the Preakness Stakes to focus on the Belmont Stake. Epicenter finished second in the Kentucky Derby. He will face Simplification and Happy Jack in Saturday's race.
No. 8 Epicenter is the favorite for the Preakness. Steve Asmussen has two Preaks wins, the first came in 2007 with Curlin and the second with filly Rachel Alexandra.
No. 5 Early Voting is skipping the Kentucky Derby to train for the Preakness. He finished second in the Wood Memorial. Jockey Jose Ortiz will ride him. Chad Brown won the race with Cloud Computing in 2017.
Simplification finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby. John Velazquez will ride him in Preakness.
No. 2 Creative Minister is 10-1 favorite for the Preakness Stakes. Kenny McPeek's only Preaks victory came in 2020 with the filly Swiss Skydiver.
No. 4 Secret Oath is 9-2 favorite to win the Preakness Stakes. She came third in the Arkansas Derby and won the Kentucky Oaks on May 6.
Skippylongstocking will make his 10th career start for trainer Saffie Joseph in the Preakness. He placed third to Mo Donegal in Wood Memorial.
To win the Preakness, one has to win early voting, third place, fourth place with Secret Oath, fifth place Secret Organization and sixth place Simplification.
