In spite of Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty skipping the race, the 2025 Preakness Stakes looks like a highly-intriguing affair.
Just like he did in the Derby, Journalism tops the Preakness Stakes odds. However, he won't be my top win pick for the 150th Run for the Black-Eyed Susans.
Find out how my free betting picks are attacking the Preakness Win, Place, & Show pools on Saturday, May 17.
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Win prediction: Clever Again (+500 at FanDuel Racing)
No. 8 Clever Again (+500 at FanDuel Racing) hinted at serious talent in the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park last time out. He took that one-mile heat in gate-to-wire fashion, bring his lifetime record to 3: 2-1-0.
Clever Again ran second on debut to a next-out winner at Keeneland in April of his two-year-old season before suffering a 10-month layoff. That clearly wasn't planned, but he overcame that obstacle by earning his maiden diploma, also while leading at every call, going 1 1/16th-miles.
Being by American Pharoah, he should appreciate the 1 3/16th-mile Preakness distance. Former Preakness-winning jockey Jose Ortiz has the call for two-time Preakness-winning trainer Steve Asmussen.
Place prediction: Journalism
Although No. 2 Journalism (+160 at FanDuel Racing) did not win the Derby, he still boasts the fastest Beyer speed figure of any three-year-old this season. That 108 came in the San Felipe Stakes in an upset win over Barnes, which perhaps stamped him as the potential three-year-old champion even more so than his follow-up triumph in the Santa Anita Derby.
Journalism has three straight 100+ Beyers under his belt, two more than the entire field combined. So why isn't he my best bet to win? There are two reasons.
The first reason is the price. He was a relative bargain, even in a 19-horse field, at just below 7-2 in the Kentucky Derby. He won't be anywhere near that price at Pimlico.
The second reason is the two-week turnaround. His connections were very hesitant to enter him back so quickly in the Preakness despite his obvious talent.
Trainer Michael McCarthy won the Preakness in 2021, but that came with a "new shooter" off a six-week layoff in Rombauer.
Show prediction: Gosger
No. 9 Gosger (+2000 at FanDuel Racing) needs to improve from a speed figure perspective in order to win the Preakness, that much is clear. But the lightly-raced son of Nyquist out of a Tapit mare stands to benefit from an increase in distance.
Gosger drew off in the stretch of the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland when last seen. He was also a comfortable winner going a mile at Gulfstream two-back, and that came on the heels of a closing second-place finish at Oaklawn going six furlongs in his career unveiling.
A bullet work on May 10 in anticipation of the Preakness further builds the case for a show bet on Gosger.
Preakness Stakes odds
Horses are listed here by their Preakness Stakes odds, with their Preakness Stakes post positions on the left.
| Post | Horse | * |
** |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Journalism | +160 | 8-5 | +160 |
| 7 | Sandman | +400 | 4-1 | +400 |
| 6 | River Thames | +450 | 9-2 | +450 |
| 8 | Clever Again | +500 | 5-1 | +500 |
| 1 | Goal Oriented | +600 | 6-1 | +600 |
| 4 | Heart of Honor | +1200 | 12-1 | +1200 |
| 3 | American Promise | +1500 | 15-1 | +1500 |
| 5 | Pay Billy | +2000 | 20-1 | +2000 |
| 9 | Gosger | +2000 | 20-1 | +2000 |
*FanDuel Racing odds available in AZ, CO, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY
**bet365 odds are not available in the United States
