The field for Saturday's $2 million Preakness Stakes was winnowed by one when morning-line favorite Muth was scratched after spiking a temperature of 103 degrees following his arrival at Pimlico Race Course on Tuesday night.
With trainer Bob Baffert looking to extend his lead in career Preakness wins to nine, he'll have to do so with Muth's stablemate Imagination as his only shooter. The Baffert-trained National Treasure won last year's Preakness.
“We are sick about this," Baffert told Bloodhorse. "(Muth) had been doing really well, but we have to do what’s right by the horse.”
Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan's chances to win the Triple Crown have increased. He'll try to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Justify in 2018.
At 5-2, Mystik Dan is now the betting favorite for the 2024 Preakness Stakes.
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2024 Preakness Stakes field: Odds, post position draw, trainers, jockeys
Here is the field for this year's Preakness Stakes, along with each horse's morning-line odds*, post position, trainer, and jockey.
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| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | ML odds |
| 1 | Mugatu | Jeff Engler | Joe Bravo | 20-1 |
| 2 | Uncle Heavy | Robert Reid Jr. | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 20-1 |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | Brad Cox | Flavien Prat | 6-1 |
| 4 | Muth | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez | Scratched |
| 5 | Mystik Dan | Kenny McPeek | Brian Hernadez Jr. | 5-2 |
| 6 | Seize the Grey | D. Wayne Lukas | Jaime Torres | 15-1 |
| 7 | Just Steel | D. Wayne Lukas | Joel Rosario | 15-1 |
| 8 | Tuscan Gold | Chad Brown | Tyler Gaffalione | 8-1 |
| 9 | Imagination | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez | 6-1 |
Morning-line odds are predictions about a horse's closing odds and have no bearing on what a bet will actually pay. With pari-mutuel wagering, odds are determined by the amount of money bet on each entry, and unlike in sports betting, closing odds are the prices at which each bet is effective.
2024 Preakness Stakes horse profiles
Here's a look at the eight starters in this year's "Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" at Pimlico.
No. 1 Mugatu (20-1 odds)
Mugatu's namesake owes to the villain character in the movie "Zoolander" and the stalker has produced just one victory in 12 starts. Mugatu won his fifth career start, which came at Gulfstream Park. Mugato, who hasn't finished better than third since, came home fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland last month.
No. 2 Uncle Heavy (20-1)
This is trainer Butch Reid Jr.'s first appearance in the Preakness Stakes. His Pennsylvania-bred colt won his first time out at PARX in Philadelphia. Uncle Heavy is coming off an uninspiring fifth-place run in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
No. 3 Catching Freedom (6-1)
Trainer Brad Cox confirmed on Sunday that Catching Freedom would run in the Preakness. Flavien Prat gets the mount again after riding Catching Freedom to a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. "It's just eight days after the Derby," Cox told Bloodhorse. "It's very important to watch the horse. He has been galloping well. I'm happy with the way he's moving."
No. 4 Muth (Scratched)
Muth easily outran Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan to win the Arkansas Derby back in March. He wasn't allowed to compete in the Kentucky Derby, as trainer Bob Baffert (pictured above) continued to serve a suspension from Churchill Downs. Muth owns four career wins in six starts.
No. 5 Mystik Dan (5-2)
It wasn't certain whether trainer Kenny McPeek was going to enter Mystik Dan in the Preakness, but his entry gives horse racing a shot for the 14th Triple Crown winner. At closing odds of 18-1, Mystik Dan won the Kentucky Derby in a photo finish over Sierra Leone and Forever Young.
No. 6 Seize the Grey (15-1)
Seize the Grey won the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on the day of the Kentucky Derby. He's got three wins in nine career starts with one each at Saratoga, Oaklawn Park, and Churchill Downs. Seize the Grey will try to give trainer D. Wayne Lukas his seventh win in the Preakness.
No. 7 Just Steel (15-1)
Just Steel never fired in the Kentucky Derby, finishing more than 33 lengths off the pace in 17th place. Another horse with plenty of track experience, Just Steel has just two wins in 12 starts. He broke his maiden at Saratoga last summer before winning the Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs in the fall.
No. 8 Tuscan Gold (8-1)
This lightly raced colt has one win in three career starts. Tuscan Gold broke his maiden in the second start in January at Gulfstream Park. He finished third in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby the last time out. With trainer Chad Brown opting not to start Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone in the Preakness, Tuscan Gold will try to give Brown his third Preakness win.
No. 9 Imagination (6-1)
Imagination is coming off a second-place finish in last month's Santa Anita Derby. The Baffert-trained colt captured a win in the San Felipe Stakes prior to that. This will be jockey Frankie Dettori's first ride in the Preakness Stakes.
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