The 138th running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday pits nine elite thoroughbreds against each other in a 1 3/16 mile-long gauntlet. Orb, the winner of this year's Kentucky Derby, can move one step closer to making Triple Crown history with a win at Pimlico.
Temperatures in Baltimore are expected to be in the 60s. Coverage of the Preakness begins at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The gates open at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET.
Below are the race positions and the morning-line odds, pre-wagering (via the New York Times):
1. Orb: 1-1
2. Goldencents: 8-1
3. Titletown Five: 30-1
4. Departing: 6-1
5. Mylute: 5-1
6. Oxbow: 15-1
7. Will Take Charge: 12-1
8. Govenor Charlie: 12-1
9. Itsmyluckyday: 10-1
Going into Preakness, the most exciting storyline is the one that Orb could actually place first. The three-year-old bay colt is the even-odds favorite ahead of wagering. If Orb can win the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes next month, he'll become the 11th horse ever to win the Triple Crown and the first since Affirmed in 1978.
"We'd sure love to have that opportunity," Orb's trainer Shug McGaughey said. "Probably the racing world would love to see it, too. It brings a lot more attention to what we're doing from all standpoints."
Orb is the horse to beat. Mylute is the second favorite at 5-1 odds. Mylute also has a more favorable middle starting position, as opposed to Orb's inside slot. Since 1961, only one horse — Tabasco Cat in 1994 — has won from the rail, according to the Associated Press.
"Who knows how the race is going to go, but I don't think it will be a problem," Orb's jockey Joel Rosario said of starting from the rail. "He's a horse that comes from behind, so I really don't think it will affect him. I'm just excited to go into this with a horse who has a chance to win."
Rosario guided Orb two weeks ago at the Derby from 17th place to first in the final half mile of the track, eventually winning by 2 1/2 lengths. If Orb can make a clean break from the gates and not get stuck behind the competition, the resilient horse can become one step closer to history.
"Orb, he's a freak," rival trainer Bob Baffert said. "Right now, everybody should be rooting for Orb,"
