Horse racing news and analysis from Saratoga, Santa Anita and the 2023 Breeders' Cup.

Preakness Horses 2022: Odds, Post Positions, Picks and Free PPs

Preakness Horses Photo: TheFreePPs.com

Free Preakness PPs for Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Pimlico

Kentucky Derby runner up Epicenter will open as the morning line favorite for Preakness Stakes 2022 from Pimlico. The horses will go to post for the Preakness at

147th Preakness Stakes 2022
Grade 1
Post Time: 7:01 p.m. Eastern
Race 13
Distance: 1 3/16 miles
Purse: $1.5 million

PP HORSE/Best BEYER/BRIS TRAINER ML ODDS Fantasy Finish
1 Simplification – 96/ Sano 6-1 5
Winner of the Fountain of Youth when rating as the favorite three back. Connections attempted a pace pressing strategy to victory two back in the 1 1/8 miles Florida Derby which proved too much. Found himself way back early in the Derby from post position 13 and showed he can come from off the pace while finishing 4th beaten just 3 1/2 lengths. Gets Velazquez for the first time as Ortiz sticks with the Brown entry and Wood runner up Early Voting. Note trainer Sano is only 7% with graded stakes runners.
2 Creative Minister 92/ McPeek 10-1 2
Untried at this level he’s on a two race win streak for McPeek who wins graded stakes at 15% rate. Only problem here is that the last two wins came with Lasix in his system. He won’t get it here but may not need it and has the right style to upset this field if he takes another step up. CHANCE.
3 Fenwick McKathan 50-1 9
At 50-1 to open you might think he’s an easy one to eliminate from consideration. Took five attempts to break his maiden finally getting it at Tampa when sent to the lead in a MSW wearing blinkers. Didn’t wear them in the Blue Grass (44 BSF) last time out when failing to out finish 10 others. Son of Curlin who won this race in 2007. He can probably run better than his odds will be on Saturday but this is a tough spot to see him taking this one a la Rich Strike.
4 Secret Oath 94/ Lucas 9-2 3
Very well bred and talented daughter of 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Arrogate faced the boys in the Arkansas Derby as the favorite two back. She returned to win the Kentucky Oaks in her last start and Lucas will try again against the boys. A change of rider last time helped her. She has the right style for this race if she’s good enough and Lucas is seeking his 7th victory saddling the Preakness winner. She’ll make them run if they want to beat her. Contender.
5 Early Voting 96/ Brown 7-2 4
A $200K Keeneland September sale purchase, he’s well bred son of Gun Runner who skipped the 2016 Preakness after a third place finish in the ’16 Derby. Won his first two starts for high percentage stakes winning trainer Brown (20%) and was 2nd LTO in the Wood when caught late by Mo Donegal (5th in the Derby). He will be the pacesetter without much effort on a track that favors stalkers. Chance.
6 Happy Jack 83/ O’Neill 30-1 8
Well bred son of Preakness winner Oxbow. He didn’t show much of anything in the Derby finishing 14th. O’Neill has a lowly 6% average in graded stakes races on the year. Horse broke his maiden at first asking in a Santa Anita MSW wearing blinkers and getting Lasix. He didn’t wear blinkers in the Derby but will in the Preakness — but no Lasix again this time. Sire had more early foot than him so don’t expect much in here on a track that favors stalkers making middle moves.
7 Armagnac 93/ Yakteen 12-1 6
His two wins were earned on the lead at Santa Anita. Connections removed the blinkers LTO to win easily over a small field of $100K optional claimers and logged a 10 point increase in his best BSF. But does he have the type of speed to go head and head with Early Voting without Lasix? Expect big effort from him.
8 Epicenter 102/ Asmussen 6-5 1
Should be undefeated in his last six but found himself as the runner up to longshot Call Me Midnight three back in the Lecomte and again LTO in the Derby when he was passed late by longshot Rich Strike. We had him as the controlling pace in the Derby with questions about his ability to complete the task at the Derby distance. Shortens up for the Preakness as the legit favorite and Rosario should have him tracking the pace to make the winning move turning for home.
9 Skippylongstocking Joseph Jr. 20-1 7
Third in the Wood, his sire won the 2016 running of this middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Like his sire, ‘Skippy’ has the necessary mid-pack running style and a late kick to close on horses. Can he take this one for the family? Could shock at a price.