One of the most anticipated horse races in the United States is the Triple Crown Event. This iconic contest is divided into three categories: the Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes.
Because of this year’s pandemic, the committee rescheduled the entire event. So, for the first time in history, the Preakness Stakes will conclude the Triple Crown Series.
But before dwelling on the top contenders, let’s have a brief recap of the recently concluded leg divisions of the Triple Crown event. The Belmont Stakes, also called the “Test of the Champion,” took place last June 20th in Belmont Park in New York.
This year, Tiz the Law, jockeyed by Manny Franco and trained by Barclay Tagg, emerged victorious in the race.
Months later, the Kentucky Derby took place in Churchill Downs, Louisville. On September 5th, Authentic, jockeyed by John Velasquez and trained by Bob Baffert, emerged victorious in this second event.
Today, horse racing enthusiasts are looking forward to the Preakness Stakes to conclude the Triple Crown. With that, here are the top contenders for the race.
Authentic
Authentic immediately became the crowd’s darling when he emerged victorious in this year’s second jewel of the Triple Crown Event. With odds of 8-1, Authentic managed to finish the race within 2 minutes.
His triumph caused his Preakness odds to increase by 5-4, a safer bet than other contenders for the upcoming Preakness Stakes.
Max Player
Max Player is set to perfect his attendance in three jewels of the Triple Crown Event. Never finishing last in the two previous events, Max Player has odds of 18-1. Max Player is a considerable safe bet.
Recall that this Thoroughbred finished 3rd and 5th in the Belmont and Kentucky, respectively.
Art Collector
Art Collector is one of the top contenders for the Preakness Stakes. Moreover, this colt is one of the most experienced horses in the tracks. With an astonishing record of winning almost all of the races he was in, he has favorable odds of 7-2.
It is his first time joining a Triple Crown Event, and he is already a crowd favorite who wish for his triumph in the iconic race.
Thousand Words
With a probability of racing in the Preakness, Thousand Words indeed has the potential and skill with odds of 8-1. A veteran on the tracks, Thousand Words has a long history of wins in his racing career.
Though he was a no-show in the Triple Crown’s previous events, his recent win in the Shared Belief Stakes in August puts him in a safe spot.
Pneumatic
Finishing 4th in the Belmont Stakes, Pneumatic is scheduled to run in the Preakness Stakes on October 3rd. This Colt was given favorable odds of 18-1 after he emerged victorious in the Pegasus race last August.
Though his racing records are not as flawless as Authentic, he has the skills to give a good show in the Preakness Stakes.
Mr. Big News
Mr. Big News finished third in the recently concluded Kentucky Derby. He has also competed in the big leagues, against Authentic, Tiz the Law, and many more.
Mr. Big News has established his reputation upon winning the Oaklawn Stakes in April. This Colt was given favorable odds of 10-1 as analysts pointed out his chances against other competitors.
Rushie
It will be the first time for Rushie to compete in a Triple Crown Event. With an odds of 10-1, Rushie has the speed and endurance to make his way to the top in the upcoming Preakness Stake.
Rushie became famous when he won in the Pat Day Mile (G2) last September 5th. This colt is trained by Michael McCarthy and owned by Jim & Donna Daniell.
NY Traffic
NY Traffic is also a contender in the recently concluded Kentucky Derby, where he finished in 8th place. With a long history in the racing tracks, NY Traffic is given a favorable odds of 16-1.
Though he didn’t make it to the top in the Kentucky Derby, his Haskell Stakes performance wowed the crowd. In this race, he competed against Authentic, where he finished 2nd.
Cezanne
This rising star is supervised by Bob Baffert, a renowned horse trainer, and owned by the St. Elias Stables. The Preakness Stakes is his 4th race in the tracks, but he has a flawless record of winning most of his races.
He had established his reputation when he won in the AlwOC race last July. Fans and other competitors anticipate his performance in the Preakness.
Takeaway
With the Preakness Stakes nearing, horse racing enthusiasts have also devotedly studied the horse’s performance while making a list of their personal favorites.
The list above is composed of some of the strongest contenders racing in the last jewel of the Triple Crowd event. Don’t forget to mark your calendars and bet on the strongest contender to secure your win