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Preakness 2021: Odds, Post Positions, Picks

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Free Preakness Stakes PPs for Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Pimlico

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit will break from post position 3 as the 9-5 morning line favorite on Saturday in the 146th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse.

After prevailing over 18 other three-year-old horses who entered the starting gate for the 1 1/4 mile Derby, and a positive post-race drug test which threatened his chances for a Triple Crown, Medina Spirit will be allowed to enter gate 3 at Old Hilltop with the eyes of the world on the Derby winner, Baffert, and the sport of horse racing.

Preakness Stakes 2021 Official Post Positions, Morning Line Odds, and Wiz Capper’s Fantasy Finish

146th Preakness Stakes
Grade 1
Post Time: 6:47 p.m. Eastern
Television: NBC (2:30-7:30)
Race 13
Distance: 1 3/16 miles
Purse: $1 million

PP HORSE TRAINER ML ODDS Fantasy Finish
1 Ram Lukas 30-1 6th
‘Longshot Lukas’ doesn’t send them out unless they have a legit chance. His last two PPs has this son of TC winner American Pharoah looking like a spoiler. Allowance winner on the Derby Day undercard, he’s worth a win bet and a player on deep tickets in a race where the Derby winner opens at almost 2 to 1.
2 Keepmeinmind Diodoro 15-1 5th
Raced in last through the first call of the Derby before starting to make a move while passing tired runners. Bet down in the Rebel to start the year but met Concert Tour on the way to defeat. Can’t see him in the top three but if playing long he’s worth a deep spot on Superfecta tickets.
3 Medina Spirit Velazquez 9-5 2nd
Sent to the front from a favorable post position, he cruised on the lead in the Derby to hang on over Mandaloun who will sit out this one. Hardly feel that 21 picograms of any medication would have helped him go the Derby distance to the disadvantage of the rest of the field. He’ll be hard pressed from the start to prove he’s worthy of wearing the Susans.
4 Crowded Trade Brown 10-1 10th
Third in the Wood behind the 13th and 18th place Derby runners Bourbonic and Dynamic One, respectively, he’s lightly raced and will make his 4th career start for Brown who intentionally skipped the Derby to give him time and the shorter distance of the Preakness. Castellano in the saddle helps, but he needs more experience.
5 Midnight Bourbon Asmussen 5-1 3rd
Second in the Louisiana Derby before a troubled trip in Louisville had him far back and playing catch up. Smith opts for Baffert’s Concert Tour, but this guy should be given another chance in here. Should benefit from the cutback and forwardly placed with an eye on the early lead. But if Smith thought he could win this he’d be in the saddle on Preakness Day.
6 Rombauer McCarthy 12-1 9th
Earned his way in here as the winner of the El Camino Real Derby at 1/st owned Golden Gate Fields. When facing the best of his class on his way to this one, he’s best hasn’t been all that. Another with little chance of winning – but hard to eliminate from deep tickets.
7 France Go de Ina Mori 20-1 8th
There was a time when a EURO runner came stateside and could take advantage of the use of Lasix in America’s featured races. But Lasix is now prohibited in the TC series. So why is he here? Perhaps he doesn’t need any medication assistance. He was better than half of the 14 horse field in the UAE Derby LTO under Rosario who will ride him in the Preakness. Difficult spot for this international traveler.
8 Unbridled Honor Pletcher 15-1 1st
Pletcher has never won the Preakness and sends this one out with only a MSW victory at Tampa a few months ago. BRIS speed figures on the improve, but he comes from far back. And on a track that plays to stalkers he’ll need the pace to completely break down. UPSET SPECIAL
9 Risk Taking Brown 15-1 7th
The other half of the 1-2 punch that went in the Wood LTO for trainer Brown — both missing their mark and skipping the Derby. Whereas Crowded Trade wants less than 1 1/4 miles, Brown thinks Risk Taking will like it better the longer he goes.
10 Concert Tour Baffert 5-2 4th
Mike Smith will get the leg up but it won’t be from Baffert as he’ll stay in California to avoid being a “distraction” surrounding the betamethasone positive test results from the Derby winner. Baffert expected him to win the Santa Anita Derby. Sire Street Sense contested two of three in the 2007 TC series finishing 1st in the Derby, 2nd in the Preakness, but skipped the Belmont. Expect HOF Smith to make the lead from out here and try to carry him home.

Free Preakness Stakes Contender PPs courtesy of Brisnet