The 149th running of the Preakness Stakes is set to take place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore this weekend, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan looking to become the first Triple Crown winner since 2018. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert returns to the Triple Crown races with Imagination, seeking his record-extending ninth Preakness victory.
The Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, is a 1 3/16-mile race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. This year's edition promises to be an exciting one, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan leading the field.
Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, captured the Kentucky Derby in thrilling fashion, and is now the favorite to win the Preakness. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will be aboard Mystik Dan, who will be looking to become the first Triple Crown winner since Baffert's Justify in 2018.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who was not eligible to enter a horse in the Kentucky Derby due to his ban at Churchill Downs, makes his return to the Triple Crown races with Imagination. Imagination is owned by Zedan Racing Stables and will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.
Baffert has a record eight Preakness victories, and Imagination is one of the favorites to add to his tally. Muath, another Baffert-trained colt, was the early favorite for the Preakness but was ruled out due to a fever.
Along with Mystik Dan and Imagination, several other horses are expected to challenge for the Preakness victory. These include:
* **Catching Freedom** (6-1 odds): Trained by John Shirreffs, Catching Freedom finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby.
* **Seize the Grey** (15-1 odds): Trained by Dallas Stewart, Seize the Grey has won three of his four starts this year.
* **Just Steel** (15-1 odds): Trained by Carlos Guerrero, Just Steel is a son of Gun Runner, who won the 2017 Preakness.
* **Tuscan Gold** (8-1 odds): Trained by Michael Stidham, Tuscan Gold has won three consecutive races, including the Wood Memorial Stakes.
The 149th Preakness Stakes will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 18, 2024. The projected post time is 6:50 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.
The purse for the Preakness Stakes is $2 million. The winner will receive $1 million, with the remaining prize money distributed to the other finishers.
Mystik Dan has a chance to etch his name in history by becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Justify. The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes was Big Brown in 2008.
Imagination is also a contender for the Triple Crown, though he will need to overcome his inexperience to do so. Imagination has only raced twice before, but both times he has won.
The Preakness Stakes promises to be an exciting race with a field full of talented horses. Mystik Dan and Imagination are the favorites, but several other contenders could challenge for the victory.
