Preakness Stakes cheat sheet: What to know for the 137th running of the Triple Crown's middle jewel
(CBS News) The Triple Crown contest shifts Saturday to Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course, where surprise Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another will attempt to be the Run for the Roses' first victor to win the Preakness Stakes since Big Brown in 2008.
Before picking up a case of Natty Boh and tweeting a shout-out to Preakness mascot Kegasus, check out our handy cheat sheet to get ready for the 137th running of the Triple Crown's middle jewel.
Preakness: Derby winner is second-favorite
I'll Have Another wins Kentucky Derby
Who's the favorite to win?: As he was for the Derby, Bodemeister was listed as the odds-on favorite (8-5) in the morning line released Wednesday evening. The colt set the pace for most of the Derby but couldn't outrun a charge down the stretch by I'll Have Another, whose 5-2 odds put him once again on Bodemeister's tail. Scroll down for all morning-line odds.
How many horses are in the race?: As of this writing, post positions have been assigned to 11 3-year-old colts, five of whom didn't race at Churchill Downs May 5. Newcomers to the field include Teeth of the Dog (15-1), who made his debut in December, Zetterholm (20-1), who comes to Pimlico riding a three-race winning streak, and Pretension (30-1), who spent Derby Day winning the Canonero Stakes at Pimlico.
When does the race start?: Post time is 6:18 p.m. ET. The race should start soon after that. The Preakness is the 12th race of the day at Pimlico.
What's the weather forecast?: Great race weather. According to the National Weather Service, the Baltimore forecast calls for sun with highs near 80 degrees during the day and mostly clear at night, cooling down to around 58 degrees.
What are these "milkshakes" in the news recently?: Not a reference to "There Will Be Blood." They're illegal mixtures of baking soda, electrolytes and sugar that are, according to The New York Times, "delivered through a tube down a horse's nose to combat fatigue." I'll Have Another's trainer, Doug O'Neill, was fined and suspended in 2010 for giving a milkshake to a horse in the Illinois Derby, and he's been accused in California of giving a milkshake to a horse four months after that, which he denies, the Times reported.
What's the Preakness' traditional adult beverage?: Named for the Maryland state flower, the Black-Eyed Susan features a mixture of rum, vodka and juice, as these three recipes show. The recipe on the Preakness' website calls for a mixture of vodka and whiskey.
Preakness Stakes field with post position, horse, jockey and odds
- 1. Tiger Walk - Kent Desormeaux - 30-1
- 2. Teeth of the Dog - Joe Bravo - 15-1
- 3. Pretension - Javier Santiago - 30-1
- 4. Zetterholm - Junior Alvarado - 20-1
- 5. Went the Day Well - John Velazquez - 6-1
- 6. Creative Cause - Joel Rosario - 6-1
- 7. Bodemeister - Mike Smith - 8-5
- 8. Daddy Nose Best - Julien Leparoux - 12-1
- 9. I'll Have Another - Mario Gutierrez - 5-2
- 10. Optimizer - Corey Nakatani - 30-1
- 11. Cozzetti - Jose Lezcano - 30-1