Preakness Stakes Probables led by Derby winner Medina Spirit
The biggest question most casual fans ask whenever someone wins the Kentucky Derby is whether or not they’ll move on to the Preakness to take on the second race of the fabled Triple Crown?
Well we don’t know for sure what Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit will do next but it looks ever more likely that he’ll be in the starting gate at Pimlico a week on Saturday.
Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert said after the race that his three-year-old returned fine and that they would continue to monitor how he acts over the next week before making the final decision. However he said there was nothing discouraging him about Medina Spirit’s chances of going up to Pimlico for Preakness 146.
His position in the field would ensure plenty of attention for the second-leg of the Triple Crown. With plenty of the other contenders from the Derby looking likely to skip the race in favor of either the Belmont in June or other big races later in the summer - the early feeling is the race won’t attract many of the top names.
One horse though who would be fighting with Medina Spirit for favoritism in the betting pools would be another Bob Baffert horse - Concert Tour. He was one of the favorites for the Derby after a comprehensive win in the Grade II Rebel at Oaklawn before a lackluster run in the Grade I Arkansas Derby saw him taken off the Road to the Derby. A spot in the Preakness seems to make sense meaning the trainer could have the top two options in the market.
Brad Cox won’t commit to pointing either Mandaloun or Essential Quality to the Preakness. His two runners finished 2nd and 4th respectively at Churchill Downs but the quick turnaround may discourage him. Caddo River missed the Derby after developing a temperature but he’s a possibility to run in the race at Pimlico.
If Brad Cox sends any of his three-year-olds to the Preakness - I’d fully expect the Smarty Jones winner and the runner-up in the Arkansas Derby to be his pick.
King Fury was a very late scratch from the Kentucky Derby having developed a temperature but if he’s in good shape - he’ll be an option for trainer Kenny McPeek - who won the race last fall with superstar filly Swiss Skydiver.
With several days to go before entries are announced, expect plenty of volatility among the probables for the race as trainers monitor how horses are recovering from their Derby excursions.
Other potential big names set for the Preakness include Crowded Trade, Get Her Number, France Go De Ina and Rombauer.
The HorseRacing.net team will be covering the Preakness in detail next week so bookmark our Preakness hub page below for profiles on all the entries, latest odds and all the sign-up offers for new customers from our betting partners...