The 149th running of the Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, May 18 post time 6:50 p.m. ET, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan hoping to move one step closer to the Triple Crown.
Sporting News has everything you need to know about this famed historic event, including the FanDuel Racing betting odds, complete horse list, and information on how to watch.
Let's get right to the full details for the 2024 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Good luck, have fun, and enjoy the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans!
Preakness Stakes 2024: Odds to win
All odds courtesy of FanDuel Racing. Pos = post position.
| Pos. | Horse | Odds |
| 5 | Mystik Dan | 5-2 |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | 6-1 |
| 9 | Imagination | 6-1 |
| 8 | Tuscan Gold | 8-1 |
| 7 | Just Steel | 15-1 |
| 6 | Seize the Grey | 15-1 |
| 2 | Uncle Heavy | 20-1 |
| 1 | Mugatu | 20-1 |
BUY NOW: Cheapest tickets for 2024 Preakness on StubHub
Preakness Stakes 2024: Favorites
After odds-on favorite Muth was scratched this week due to a fever, the clear favorite is 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (5-2). If the three-year-old colt wins at Pimlico this weekend, he will move one step closer to becoming the 14th horse to win the Triple Crown.
Mystik Dan has solid pedigree, tremendous speed, impressive stamina, and proven ability to win on muddy surfaces. He was among the leaders at the midway point of the Run for the Roses and stayed the course to win by a nose. He will likely command the majority of the outright betting handle this weekend.
Catching Freedom (6-1)
Catching Freedom finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby with a speed profile of 99. The Brad Cox-trained colt has never finished lower than fourth in six career races, a decorated young career that includes three wins.
Catching Freedom's most impressive victory came at the Louisiana Derby, which ranks similarly to the Kentucky Derby in that it's a strong Preakness prep course. He's a stud closer with a fantastic jockey in Flavien Prat, who will look to ride Freedom to glory out of the third post.
MORE PREAKNESS STAKES:
Who will win? | Top sleepers/best posts | Fast facts to know
Imagination (6-1)
With Muth scratched due to fever, Imagination now becomes Bob Baffert's best bet to win this weekend and extend the legendary trainer's record to nine Preakness victories.
A colt with impressive tactical speed, Imagination has two career wins and four second-place finishes in six starts. Despite starting out of the ninth gate, Imagination will be a very popular exacta pick this weekend.
Preakness Stakes 2024 tune-in info
- Date: Saturday, May 18
- Post time: 6:50 p.m. ET
- Channel: NBC
- Stream: Fubo (free trial)
WATCH: 2024 Preakness live on Fubo (free trial)
Preakness Stakes 2024: Complete horse list
| Pos. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Mugatu | Jeff Engler | Joe Bravo |
| 2 | Uncle Heavy | Robert Reid Jr. | Irad Ortiz Jr. |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | Brad Cox | Flavien Prat |
| 4 | Muth (scratched) | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez |
| 5 | Mystik Dan | Kenny McPeek | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| 6 | Seize the Grey | D. Wayne Lukas | Jaime Torres |
| 7 | Just Steel | D. Wayne Lukas | Joel Rosario |
| 8 | Tuscan Gold | Chad Brown | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 9 | Imagination | Bob Baffert | Frankie Dettori |
MORE: Everything to know about every Preakness horse
What is the best pole position at the Preakness?
Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer wrote about the best Preakness post positions ahead of the 148th running of the famed Baltimore race last year. Here are the most successful starting posts, according to Iyer's research:
No. 4: This other inside post had a long drought until filly Swiss Skydiver made it two wins in 14 years in 2020, following up Curlin' from 2007. No. 4 was notably bad for Derby winner Always Dreaming in 2017, but that is anomalous, given it has produced 14 winners since 1909.
No. 5: Early Voting made it three wins from here in 12 years as the most recent Preakness winner in 2022, joining Exaggerator in 2016 and Shackelford in 2011.
No. 6: Rombauer made it three wins from here in 14 years by taking the 2021 Preakness, joining Oxbow in 2013 and Big Brown from 2008.
No. 7: This was fortunate for Justify in '18 and for another Bob Baffert horse, Looking at Lucky in '10. Since Sunday Silence in '89, six horses have won from No. 7, good for nearly 18 percent over 34 years.
No. 1: Somewhere in the middle has been consistently the best spot, but the lowest number has been kind of strong as of late. National Treasure won out of No. 1 last year, as did War of Will in an upset of Improbable in 2019. American Pharoah also won from No. 1 on its way to the Triple Crown in 2015.
Here's the full list of post position success rates in Preakness history:
| Pos. | Wins |
| 6 | 16 |
| 4 | 14 |
| 7 | 14 |
| 1 | 14 |
| 5 | 13 |
| 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 12 |
| 8 | 10 |
| 9 | 4 |
| 12 | 3 |
| 10 | 2 |
| 11 | 2 |
| 13 | 1 |
| 14 | 0 |
