The Grade I, $2 million Preakness Stakes will be contested once again at Pimlico racecourse in Baltimore on Saturday, May 18.
The middle jewel of the Triple Crown will see the return of Mystik Dan — he, of course, won the 2024 Kentucky Derby earlier this month.
Mystik Dan will be one of the favorites, but is he the best bet among the other Preakness Stakes horses? Join me as I make my Preakness win, place, and show predictions.
2024 Preakness Stakes picks
I don’t see Mystik Dan running well on short rest in the Preakness and will wager accordingly.
Best Bet: Tuscan Gold to win (+800 at FanDuel Racing)
Win Prediction: Tuscan Gold (8-1)
Tuscan Gold could become trainer Chad Brown’s third Preakness winner. He took the 2017 renewal of Maryland’s most famous race with Cloud Computing, and the 2021 rendition with Early Voting.
Both of those horses were slightly late bloomers, much like Tuscan Gold, getting in minimal stakes experience before the Preakness. Tuscan Gold was last seen running third in his stakes debut in the Grade II Louisiana Derby. While he did finish behind Catching Freedom, he’ll have the advantage of racing fresh in this spot while that foe exits a grueling fourth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago.
If Tuscan Gold takes a slight step forward, he could have a late say. I’ll gladly bet him to win the Preakness with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons again.
Place Prediction: Imagination (6-1)
The "other" Bob Baffert entrant in the 2024 Preakness is now the Hall-of-Famer's lone charge in the "Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" following the scratch of Muth due to a fever.
Imagination is as consistent as they come with six exacta finishes in six career starts. After placing second in both starts at age two, Imagination broke his maiden on New Year’s Day as a heavy favorite. He was defeated just a neck by Maymun, another highly-regarded Baffert pupil, in his next race before taking the Grade II San Felipe Stakes. He was then a narrow loser of the Grade I Santa Anita Derby behind Stronghold, who was far from disgraced in Louisville on the first Saturday in May (seventh in the Derby).
Imagination is training well ahead of this Triple Crown start and retains Frankie Dettori.
Show Prediction: Just Steel (15-1)
Just Steel's run in the Kentucky Derby wasn't very pretty, as he disputed the pace before tiring in the stretch to finish 17th. So why should bettors back him to hit the board in the Preakness? Because pace makes the race.
This D. Wayne Lukas trainee flashed more early foot than usual under young jockey Keith Asmussen, but Just Steel will be ridden by Joel Rosario in the Preakness. With a more experienced and patient jockey in the irons, don't expect Just Steel to burn himself out chasing Imagination or whoever else decides to set the tempo.
Cutting back a 1/16th of a mile should aid this son of Justify that has yet to win a two-turn race, and it's worth noting he beat Mystik Dan soundly in the Arkansas Derby two-back.
Picks made on 5-15 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Preakness Stakes picks and predictions
Our experts are making Preakness Stakes picks and building bets all week.
Preakness Stakes 2024 odds
| Post | Horse |  * |
 ** |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mugatu | +2,000 | 20-1 | +4,000 |
| 2 | Uncle Heavy | +2,000 | 20-1 | +1,400 |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | +600 | 6-1 | +350 |
| 4 | OTB | OTB | OTB | |
| 5 | Mystik Dan | +250 | 5-2 | +225 |
| 6 | Seize the Grey | +1,500 | 15-1 | +1,400 |
| 7 | Just Steel | +1,500 | 15-1 | +1,100 |
| 8 | Tuscan Gold | +800 | 8-1 | +400 |
| 9 | Imagination | +600 | 6-1 | +400 |
Odds as of 5-17-2024.
*FanDuel Racing odds available in AZ, CO, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY
**bet365 Preakness odds are not available in the United States
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Where can I bet on the Preakness Stakes?
This all depends on where you live. If you’re in the USA, betting on the Preakness Stakes online isn’t as simple as simply launching your favorite sportsbook app. Instead, you’ll have to use a specialist-pooled horse racing betting site.
Those in Canada or the UK have it much easier as most sports betting sites offer horse racing markets. Take a look at the top horse racing betting sites available in your area.
