The second of the Triple Crown races Preakness Stakes is finally upon us as nine horses go stride for stride in Baltimore, Maryland in one of the biggest horse racing events of the year.
Kentucky Derby winner Mage comes into the race as the favorite as they look to win the Triple Crown but they will have fierce competition at Pimlico, as jockey Javier Castellano looks to be successful in this race once again.
We'll take a look at the field and pick out our best free horse racing picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash while watching the race.
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Preakness Stakes 2023 information
- Saturday, May 20th 2023
- Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland
- 5:45pm ET
- 9.5 furlong race
| Preakness Stakes 2023 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mage | +150 | +137 | +137 |
| First Mission | +250 | +225 | +225 |
| Blazing Sevens | +1400 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Confidence Game | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| National Treasure | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Red Route One | +2800 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Chase The Chaos | +8000 | +6600 | +6600 |
| Disarm | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Perform | +1400 | +1000 | +1000 |
The Field
Blazing Sevens (+1400)
Chad Brown’s horse Blazing Sevens has solid Preakness Stakes odds at the 2023 Stakes but comes into this in poor form.
After winning two of three races, Blazing Sevens is now winless since October 2022 and the three-year-old is slumping badly. He could only manage a shocking eighth-place finish in March at the Fountain of Youth derby and because of that it would be a huge surprise if he found success in this race.
He almost certainly won't win it, and even backing him for a place finish seems like a stretch at this point.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
Confidence Game (+1600)
As the mastermind behind Exaggerator’s win in this race back in 2016, anything from the J. Keith Desmoreaux barn is worth looking at closely. Confidence Game broke so well out of the gate in the Kentucky Derby but faded into tenth spot, but we all know how good he can be considering the fact he beat Red Route One previously to that.
Confidence Game has twice let bettors down at Churchill Downs and it simply may not be his track. Pimlico is a different ballgame however and at +1600 shouldn't be totally overlooked. With that said, it would still be a surprise.
Check out our review for MyBookie sports betting here.
First Mission (+250)
First Mission is right up there with the favorites to win this race and with good reason too.
The Brad Cox-trained colt enters the race on a hot streak after winning two-in-a-row including in the Lexington G3 in April. If anyone is going to be able to stop the favorite Mage from winning the Triple Crown, it's First Mission.
He skipped the Kentucky Derby despite having the option of a wildcard entry to Churchill Downs after his Grade III win in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.
He is representing the worldwide phenomenon that is Godolphin and his form and quality means he's got to be a lock for a place at the very least, so long as he doesn't crumble when stepping up in class.
Mage (+150)
There were not many people who were expecting Mage to be the victor at the Kentucky Derby earlier this month, but he made it look easy by coming on late to take the line and win the race.
Mage brings strong form and a career best effort when triumphing in the Kentucky Derby last time out, so he’s the most popular horse among picks and in the betting. 16 horses that took part in The Run for The Roses at Churchill Downs have gone on to win this race since 2000, which obviously bodes well here.
His style of running where he takes the lead early and leads the back bodes well at Pimlico too and considering it's a smaller field and he's in great form, it's no surprise he's the favorite and our pick to win Preakness Stakes 2023.
National Treasure (+1000)
Given a short break after his fourth placed finish in the Santa Anita Derby, he’s run pretty consistently well at Grade I level without winning and may sneak into the top three at Pimlico.
Coming into a race with stakes as high as this and winning for the first time is unlikely, but ending up on the podium with a top three finish is most certainly not beyond the realms of possibility for this horse.
The margin for an upset is small but National Treasure certainly has the capability to take advantage if anyone else slips up.
Red Route One (+2800)
Steven Asmussen-trained colt Red Route One is one of the most experienced horses in the Preakness Stakes 2023.
The three-year-old has competed in nine races in the last nine months and is beginning to peak at the perfect time with two second-place finishes to start the year and a win in the Bath House Row in April.
Asmussen hasn’t won this race since 2009, but Red Route One is one from his barn who could outrun his odds. This Gun Runner colt placed in the Rebel Stakes before disappointing with a sixth-placed run at Arkansas Derby.
In that race he had a bad start and considering how well he is running right now while coming into this race, it's not the craziest suggestion to back Red Route One as your long shot.
