Preakness Stakes Picks 2021
The 2021 Preakness Stakes will be run on Saturday, May 15, 2021. The second jewel of the American Triple Crown, the $1 million race drew a field of 10 horses. Find out the best contenders, and the best places to bet the race online!
The 2021 Preakness Stakes will happen at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, May 15, 2021. After a running in October of last year, it is back to its traditional time slot this year: two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, the second jewel of the American Triple Crown.
The field is set, with 10 horses slated to run 1 3/16 miles. At stake are a $1 million purse, the iconic blanket of black-eyed susans, and a spot in horse racing immortality. It is one of the most important horse races of the year, and this is the place to find out the top contenders and the best places to bet the race!
Horses | ||
---|---|---|
Medina Spirit |
+185 | TBA |
Concert Tour |
+200 | TBA |
Midnight Bourbon |
+500 | TBA |
Crowded Trade |
+800 | TBA |
Risk Taking |
+1200 | TBA |
Rombauer |
+1200 | TBA |
2021 Preakness Stakes Field
The 2021 Preakness field, with Preakness trainers and jockeys as well as official morning lines, is as follows:
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Ram - D. Wayne Lukas/Ricardo Santana, Jr. (30-1)
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Keepmeinmind - Robertino Diodoro/David Cohen (15-1)
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Medina Spirit - Bob Baffert/John Velazquez (9-5)
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Crowded Trade - Chad Brown/Javier Castellano (10-1)
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Midnight Bourbon - Steve Asmussen/Irad Ortiz, Jr. (5-1)
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Rombauer - Michael McCarthy/Flavien Prat (12-1)
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France Go De Ina - Hideyuki Mori/Joel Rosario (20-1)
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Unbridled Honor - Todd Pletcher/Luis Saez (15-1)
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Risk Taking - Chad Brown/Jose Ortiz (15-1)
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Concert Tour - Bob Baffert/Mike Smith (5-2)
2021 Preakness Analysis
Assuming he is allowed to run, Medina Spirit should be the favorite in the Preakness. (He has to pass a pre-race drug screening first.) The first-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit is trained by Bob Baffert. Baffert has won the Preakness seven times already and has never finished worse than second in the Preakness with a Derby winner.
Medina Spirit has an excellent running style for the Preakness, a forward type. Though there is another speed in the Preakness, Medina Spirit has been uncommonly game when challenged upfront. However, the price on Medina Spirit will be extremely short.
The other very short price in the Preakness is Concert Tour, Medina Spirit’s stablemate in the Bob Baffert barn. Unlike his stablemate, Concert Tour has a lot more to prove. He has to break from a tough outside post, and it isn’t a great sign that he couldn’t see out the Arkansas Derby despite facing a weaker-than-usual field going shorter.
Midnight Bourbon has every right to improve from the Kentucky Derby. His sixth-place finish was still good, considering the circumstances; after a poor start he was left well behind his usual forward spot, and he had to rally. With a better start, he should get a good spot for strong Preakness trainer Steve Asmussen, and be involved start to finish.
The most interesting horse in the Preakness, and one who should provide a lot of win bet value, is Crowded Trade. He drew well, the 4 gate, and he is tactically versatile. Though he cedes experience to several foes, he fits the same profile as his trainer Chad Brown’s other Preakness winner Cloud Computing: a later-blooming type in a three-year-old class without a clear standout.
Preakness Stakes Longshots
Rombauer is an intriguing longshot in the Preakness Stakes. He ships out for trainer Michael McCarthy, who does a great job placing his shippers. He finished third behind the top-class Essential Quality in the Blue Grass, and in that race, he showed better tactical speed than he ever had. If he does that again in the Preakness, he has a longshot chance.
Another who interests in those lower rungs of exotic wagers is Unbridled Honor. He is a later-blooming horse for trainer Todd Pletcher, and he comes off a strong second in the Lexington Stakes. Though his closing style may leave him with too much to do on the win end, he should get plenty of pace to chase and has a good chance to fill out exotics.
Betting the Preakness Online
Keep watching Off Track Betting New York for the latest information about where to play the races when you can’t make it out to the track. Our free reviews of the best online racebooks can help you find the best place to bet the Preakness online, from the comfort and safety of your own home.
These top reviewed sportsbooks have been carefully selected after vetting by our experts. They are all easy-to-use, offer trusted payment and cash-out options, and provide excellent bonuses and rebates to online horseplayers. They make wagering on the Preakness Stakes online as fun and profitable as possible.
Expert Preakness Picks
The Preakness Stakes is one of the best betting opportunities of the year! Don’t miss out: make sure to make a sportsbook account before the big day, and then get your bets down on the big race:
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$20 to win/place/show - #4 Crowded Trade
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$1 exacta box - #3 Medina Spirit, #4 Crowded Trade, #5 Midnight Bourbon
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$1 trifecta box - #3 Medina Spirit, #4 Crowded Trade, #5 Midnight Bourbon, #6 Rombauer
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20 cent superfecta box - #3 Medina Spirit, #4 Crowded Trade, #5 Midnight Bourbon, #6 Rombauer, #8 Unbridled Honor
2021 Preakness Undercard Picks
There are 9 other stakes races on the Preakness undercard, including eight for Thoroughbred horses. The undercard is full of excellent betting opportunities. Keep these horses in mind as you make your win, place, show, and multi-race exotic wagers:
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Race 1 - $100,000 Sir Barton S. - #1 The King Cheek
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Race 3 - $200,000 Chick Lang S. (G3) - #3 Hemp
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Race 6 - $150,000 Gallorette S. (G3) - #3 Flighty Lady
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Race 8 - $100,000 James W. Murphy S. - #7 Charles Chrome
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Race 9 - $100,000 Skipat S. - #2 Casual
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Race 10 - $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint S. - #4 The Critical Way
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Race 11 - $150,000 Maryland Sprint Match Series S. (G3) - #1 Laki
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Race 12 - $250,000 Dinner Party S. (G2) - #8 Bye Bye Melvin
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