Grade 1 Preakness Stakes Predictions, Picks, Entries & Betting Odds - Can Bob Baffert stop Mystik Dan from winning again?

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione on Sierra Leone, left, puts his hand and whip on Forever Young with jockey Ryusei Sakai aboard as the two drive down the stretch trying to catch Mystik Dan.
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Ron Wood

Horse Racing

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Handicapper for Racing Post and Pickswise, specializing in US and Dubai horse racing with over two decades of expertize and experience. For Ron Wood media enquiries, please email contact@pickswise.com.
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When is the 2024 Preakness Stakes Race?

The 2024 Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, May 18, at Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland.

2024 Preakness Stakes Post Time

Post time for the 2024 Preakness Stakes is 7:01 pm ET.

If you’re looking to place a bet on the Preakness Stakes and need a racebook to sign up for, then make sure you check out FanDuel Racing! New users can secure a no-sweat first bet on the Preakness up to $500! Click this linkto find out more and sign up for FanDuel Racing.

Preakness Stakes Odds – Who is Favorite to Win the Preakness in 2024?

The current betting favorite for the 2024 Preakness Stakes is Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, who is trained by Kenneth McPeek and available at 9-4 odds. Close behind him is the Bob Baffert-trained and Frankie Dettori-ridden Imagination at 4-1, as well as Catching Freedom and Tuscan Gold who are also 4-1.

  • Mystik San 9-4
  • Imagination 4-1
  • Catching Freedom 4-1
  • Tuscan Gold 4-1
  • Just Steel 12-1
  • Seize The Grey 16-1
  • Uncle Heavy 25-1
  • Mugatu 100-1

Preakness Stakes 2024 Horses and Runner-by-Runner Guide

There are 8 horses declared to run in the Preakness Stakes after the Bob Baffert-trained Muth was announced a non-runner. Below is the name and number of each horse, as well as a quick guide to how they might perform from our horse racing expert Ron Wood.

1 Mugatu
Didn’t get off the reserves’ list for the Kentucky Derby; late-running 5th in 1m1f Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland; outsider.

2 Uncle Heavy
Off-the-pace; nose win in 1m1f muddy-track Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct in February; no impression in Wood Memorial next time; unlikely to be good enough.

3 Catching Freedom
No-excuses off-the-pace 4th behind Mystik Dan in Kentucky Derby; should still have improvement in him.

5 Mystik Dan
Helped by an inside run when clinging on to win 1m2f Kentucky Derby 2 weeks ago; earlier thrashed Just Steel in an 8.5f Oaklawn Grade 3 (muddy; better than he showed when behind that rival next time); this slight cutback in trip from Churchill Downs is a help.

6 Seize The Grey
More needed than when winning Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

7 Just Steel
Had some tough trips before improved 2nd in 1m1f Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn in March (3rd-placed Mystik Dan got too far behind); did too much up front in Kentucky Derby; potentially competitive again now.

8 Tuscan Gold
Had only 3 starts; most recently 3rd behind Catching Freedom in 9.5f Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds; comes in fresh, like his trainer’s 2 previous winners of this race; open to improvement.

9 Imagination
Didn’t build on narrow 8.5f Grade 2 San Felipe win when beaten in 1m1f Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby; still, he’s a form contender for a trainer who won this last year with a horse who’d finished 4th in the Santa Anita Derby.

2024 Preakness Stakes Picks, Predictions & Best Bets: Imagination (4-1)

Bob Baffert has trained plenty of winners of the Preakness Stakes and Imagination can become his latest success story. Top jockey Frankie Dettori will be in the saddle and Imagination can go one better on his neck second in the Santa Anita Derby last time.

If you’re looking to place a bet on the Preakness Stakes and need a racebook to sign up for, then make sure you check out FanDuel Racing! New users can secure a no sweat first bet on the Preakness up to $500! Click this linkto find out more and sign up for FanDuel Racing.

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