The 2019 Preakness Stakes will have a much different feel than the Kentucky Derby. When the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown is run Saturday at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course (6:45 p.m. ET post time, NBC), much of the field from Louisville's Churchill Downs will be missing two weeks later.
Even with Derby winner Country House bowing out to remove any chance of a second consecutive Triple Crown and Maximum Security not having an opportunity for redemption, there's still plenty of reason to watch, led by how new favorite Improbable can fare against mostly new horses.
Need help picking your horse in the 144th running of the Preakness? Here's everything to know, including updated odds, SN's expert picks and our guide to betting on horse racing.
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Preakness 2019 lines, odds, post positions
Here are the official track odds for the 2019 Preakness field, set by Pimlico Race Course oddsmaker Keith Feustie. They will be updated daily before Saturday's race.
| Position | Horse | Odds |
| No. 1 | War of Will | 4/1 |
| No. 2 | Bourbon War | 12/1 |
| No. 3 | Warrior's Charge | 12/1 |
| No. 4 | Improbable | 5/2 |
| No. 5 | Owendale | 10/1 |
| No. 6 | Market King | 30/1 |
| No. 7 | Alwaysmining | 8/1 |
| No. 8 | Signalman | 30/1 |
| No. 9 | Bodexpress | 20/1 |
| No. 10 | Everfast | 50/1 |
| No. 11 | Laughing Fox | 20/1 |
| No. 12 | Anothertwistafate | 6/1 |
| No. 13 | Win Win Win | 15/1 |
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What are Improbable's chances to win?
They are pretty good for the fourth-place horse from the Kentucky Derby. The top three finishers from Churchill Downs — Country House, Code of Honor and Tacitus are all out for the Preakness. So is the disqualified unofficial winner, Maximum Security. Same goes for Derby's fifth- and sixth-place thoroughbreds, Game Winner and Master Fencer.
Trainer Bob Baffert had three horses in the Derby, but without Game Winner and Roadster in the field at Pimlico, the Hall of Famer should feel great about a big rebound for Improbable, who had been the Derby favorite before another rainy, muddy race day at Churchill Downs. Both the shortest track in the Triple Crown (1 3/16 miles) and a cool, dry forecast for Saturday in Baltimore line up well for Improbable.
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Which Preakness post positions are most advantageous?
No. 7 was lucky for Justify in '18 and for another Baffert horse, Looking at Lucky in '10. Since Sunday Silence in '89, six horses have won in all from No. 7, good for 20 percent over a 30-year span.
Positions No. 5 and No. 6 have each seen two horses win since 2008. Although it's been more than a decade since a horse won from No. 4 (Curlin in '07) and it turned out very poorly for Derby winner Always Dreaming in '17, that position has produced 13 winners in the past 115 years.
Somewhere in the middle has been consistently the best spot, but the lowest numbers have been kind of late. American Pharoah won from No. 1 on its way to the Triple Crown in '15, following California Chrome from No. 3 in '14. Two years ago Cloud Computing shocked everyone out of No. 2.
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How many horses have won the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby?
Thirteen horses have won the Triple Crown, finishing off the Derby and the Preakness by also taking the Belmont Stakes, including Justify last year. Another 11 have won the first two jewels before failing to make history at Belmont. Baffert had this happen three times before Justify and American Pharoah in '15: I'll Have Another in '12 and California Chrome in '14.
This year, with Kentucky Derby winner Country House scratched, whoever wins at Pimlico will settle for attempting for a back-end "double crown", joining the list of 18 horses that have won both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes without winning the Derby.
How many times has a Baffert horse won the Preakness?
A Baffert entry has won the Preakness seven times, with three of the victories coming in the last nine races: Justify in '18, American Pharoah in '15 and Lookin at Lucky in '10. He also has enjoyed a couple of repeats, with Silver Charm and Real Quiet (1997-98) and Point Given and War Emblem (2001-02). Improbable following in Justify's hoofsteps would make it three times.
Which Kentucky Derby also-ran is most likely to push Improbable?
Bodexpress. There are only three options, as only War of Will and Win Win Win also join Improbable in running the Preakness after the Derby. Bodexpress was part of the mess at the Derby when Maximum Security obstructed War of Will and ended up finishing 13th. Although that result hurt Bodexpress' initial odds for the Preakness, trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. has confidence that his horse is better suited to succeed at Pimlico, especially after getting Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez to take its reins.
Velazquez has rode horses to victory twice each in the Derby and the Belmont Stakes but is chasing that elusive middle jewel in the crown to stamp his career resume. In relation to Bodexpress, War of Will and Win Win Win have limited upside to break through for the upset.
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Which new entry can pull the big upset?
Market King. Baffert's good friend and rival trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who has seen his horses win the Preakness six times over the years — including Oxbow with jockey Gary Stevens as late as '13 — has a new entry to try to make it seven. Market King is an intriguing long shot after looking good in training and coming into Pimlico with fresh legs.
Lukas nearly spoiled Baffert's Triple Crown run with Justify in '18 thanks to another unheralded horse that exceeded expectations. Bravazo was very close to beating a tired Justify down the stretch in last year's Preakness.
Preakness 2019 picks
With the field and track shortened and Improbable in position to regain momentum, Baffert's horse is both the strong and safe bet. With the weather looking much better, there will be no controversy and an unquestioned winner. It won't be domination, but Improbable will feel comfortable at the finish line.
Baffert will make it eight total victories at the Preakness and four winners in the past decade. He and jockey Mike Smith will also make it four wins together in the past five Triple Crown races.
| Win: Improbable |
| Place: Market King |
| Show: Bodexpress |
