A solid nine horse field lined up for Saturday’s 150th Preakness Stakes At Pimlico, the $2 million gem of horse racing triple crowns is coming out as a good bet race despite a clear favourite from the Kentucky Derby announced by Woodford Reserve runner-up journalism.
Read Preakness Stakes Trifecta Betting Strategies from the team at America’s Best Race:
Mike Curry:
When an elite 3 year old comes to Baltimore for Preakness, he (or her) usually wins. Journalism finished second in the Kentucky Derby, but I consider him an elite racehorse and a potential champion in the division. Journalism is my derby choice and he is my choice to win Preakness.
You don’t bet much money #2 Journalism With Trifecta Boxes, I’ll make it #9 Gosgar On April 12th, my key horse 20-1 on the morning line had an incredible victory at the Keeneland Racecourse at the $400,000 Stone Street Lexington Stakes. He has to finish the second or third to win, and I mix some runners, I expect to handle the “off” track with rain in predictions – #1 Goal Orientation and #6 Revertames – I’m getting closer #7 Sandman.
Theatre
$5 triple: #2 #9 Journalism with Gosgar #1 Goal-oriented, #6 Revertames, #7 Sandman (total of $15)
$5 triple: #2 Goal-Oriented, #6 Revertames, #7 Sandman and Gosgar ($15 total) Journalism
Patrick Reed:
In my opinion, the race was lost after it was confirmed that journalism would start with Saturday’s Preakness. I think he is still in the “1 and 1A” situation with the sovereignty of the Kentucky Derby winner as the best 3-year-old sovereignty in his class. It’s unlikely that journalism will get caught up in trouble facing eight enemies rather than 18 years old, and even better if it rains in Pimlico on Saturday.
It’s the key #2 Journalism (9-5) On top of a $4 triple bell with three horses below: #7 Sandman (4-1), #8 Smart (5-1)and #9 Gosgar (20-1). Like my Kentucky Derby bet, I want a solid pace for Preakness. This colt is ready to take another step for trainer Steve Asmussen and I think you can stroll around on stretches. The other three move behind the position of stalking (journalism and gosgar) or closing (sandman). We hope that new jockey John Velazquez will continue to have more contact with the field throughout the first mile than in previous races this year.
If the two-week turnaround from the Derby shoots enough spring from the steps of journalism, I will put him second in a $1 triple continuation with the above horses. #1 Goal Orientation And especially #6 Revertames It’s a threat to split my tickets, but hey, you can’t bet everything. (In fact, you can, but you shouldn’t.)
Theatre
4 dollar win: #7 Journalism with Sandman, #8 Smart, #9 Gosgar #7 Sandman, #8 Smart, #9 Gosgar (Total $24)
$1 Triffet: #7 Sandman, #8 Smart, #9 Gosgar #2 Journalism and #7 Sandman, #8 Smart, #9 Gosgar ($6 total)
Noel Michaels:
Based on recent prequeness trends, I think what I’m looking for in a potential ideal prequeness is a horse that leads the post position to the outside half of the field where you can get double-digit winning payoffs, or has the speed to approach the pace. That standard leads to choosing me #6 Revertames As my top selection. He sits at an incredible distance of pace, but does not take part in the fight for the lead in a race that includes a speed hose already #1 Goal Orientation, #3 America’s Promise, and #8 Also smart. The Riverthames were able to ultimately push the sovereignty of the Kentucky Derby winner to the limit when he was seconded to him by his neck in March at the fountain of youth stakes. That’s telling me that it’s enough for him to win this.
Along with the Thames, the other horses who get the perfect setup at Preakness are runner-ups in the Kentucky Derby #2 Journalismwho seems to be the best of this field on paper. But the reluctance and obvious resistance that his connections will get into Preakness from two weeks of rest is enough to scare me off the bandwagon in terms of victory as a favorite, but I think he can still hit the board. There have been a lot of talk about excuses #7 Sandman In the Derby, no such legitimate excuse was seen in races dominated by other closers. Anyway, his slow running style is wrong for Preakness. Instead, I will close out Trifectas, perhaps the best speed hose above.
Play:
$4 Trifecta Box: #2 Journalism, #6 Reverthams (Top Selection), #8 Smart (Total $24)
1 dollar triple key: #6 Thames is goal-oriented over $1, #2 Journalism, #8 Smart (total $6)
and tordjman:
I think the more you look at this year’s Preakness Stakes field, the more you can set up the race for a bit of insanity that could actually lead to a solid triple payment. It’s hard to overlook Favorites and Kentucky Derby runner-ups completely #2 Journalism. But once you re-watch the Derby and take a closer look at how the horse came out of the race, you’re pleased with the idea of betting him on top. I think Derby might have taken a fair amount of starch from him.
That being said, I think the most logical horse that could potentially pull a gentle agitation is an improved light race. #8 Also smart or #6 Revertames. The clever thing is off the head from being a perfect 3-for-3 in his career, and he even posted a speed figure showing that progression will be placed in the winner’s circle. Thames’ ability to gain preakness distance is doubtful, but he ran a brave race of just a mile shorter in the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes. Moreover, he was only beaten to the neck by the sovereignty of the Derby winner. Used under Trifectas #7 Sandman and #3 America’s Promise.
Play:
$2 triple key: Smart again with #8 #2 Journalism, #3 American Promise, #6 River Thames, and #7 Journalism (total of $24)
$4 Trifecta Parts Wheel: #6 River Thames and #8 make smart again smart again with #6 River Thames and #8 smart again with #2 Journalism, #3 American Promise, #6 River Thames, #7 Sandman, and #8 Clever Again (total of $24)
