Heat and humidity will be on the racing card Saturday for the 140th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Post time is 6:18 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 16, 2015.
Pimlico Race Track - Site of The Preakness
On Saturday May 16, Kentucky Derby winner American Pharaoh will lead seven other horses around the Pimlico track for the $1.5 million purse in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. Post time is 6:18 p.m. EDT.
© 2015 by Pimlico Race Track
Midsummer-like warmth and humidity will envelop the Preakness Stakes on Saturday with highs reaching near 90 F. as Kentucky Derby winner American Pharaoh joins seven other horses on the 1 13/16-mile track for the $1.5 million purse in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Bob Baffert can only hope the finish of the Preakness Stakes turns out better than the post-position draw. The trainer watched in disbelief Wednesday as his Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah drew the No. 1 post position for Saturday's second leg of the Triple Crown. A moment later, his other entry, Dortmund, came up with the No. 2 post.
The post drawing happened after American Pharoah made the 4-5 morning-line favorite and Dortmund the 7-2 second choice in an eight-horse field.
The eight-horse field is the smallest at the Preakness since 2000. Firing Line drew the outside gate and was made the third choice at 4-1. Next comes Divining Rod, No. 7 pole and 12-1 odds; Danzig Moon out of No. 4 at 15-1; Mr. Z in No. 3 and Bodhisattva in No. 6 at 20-1, and longshot Tale of Verve out of No. 5 at 30-1.
Some horse enthusiasts are saying Firing Line is the horse to watch in the Preakness. Firing Line ran a tremendous race to finish second in the Derby, beaten just one length by American Pharoah. He should get a good, stalking trip from his outside post.
The Preakness is 1/16th of a mile shorter than the Derby, and it wasn't until that final sixteenth that American Pharoah finally put away Firing Line. Dialing back that distance might be just the right amount for a horse that has proven he can match or beat American Pharoah in the early stages of a race.