2011 Preakness Stakes Odds and Betting Preview

by Bodog Racebook | May 16 2011

Likely the favorite for the Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby champion Animal Kingdom will face a tough field looking to play spoiler to his Triple Crown bid.

A smaller field and a shorter distance will benefit Mucho Macho Man, who ran third in the Kentucky Derby after being hemmed in by traffic early in the race.

A son of Macho Uno trained by Katherine Ritvo, Mucho Macho Man has turned in one consistent performance after another – he has finished third or better in eight of nine career starts. Mucho Macho Man also has speed on his side: he posted a solid 94 Beyer Speed Figure in his Gr. 2 Risen Star Stakes victory on Feb. 19.

Regular rider Rajiv Maragh will be in the irons on Saturday and has an excellent shot at adding even more Triple Crown earnings to his mount's $610,643 bankroll.

Shackleford, another Kentucky Derby graduate, will get a second chance at a Triple Crown race title. A son of Forestry, Shackleford nearly stole the Run for the Roses with a stellar front-running effort; he faded in the stretch run to end up fourth and should enjoy the shorter 1 3/16 mile distance of the Preakness Stakes.

A Dale Romans trainee, Shackleford will again be piloted by Jesus Castanon and will be looking to finally break through and win a graded stakes race – though he will likely face a faster pace that will truly test not only his speed but his stamina.

One of the speedy newcomers is Flashpoint, a son of Pomeroy who made a splash early on in the season with a dazzling Gr. 2 Hutcheson Stakes victory on Feb. 26. A subsequent longer race, the Gr. 1 Florida Derby, was a disappointment, however, and the colt has now been pointed to shorter races that will showcase his sheer speed.

Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., Flashpoint was unraced as a 2-year-old but burst onto the scene with a 6 ¼ length maiden-breaking win as his 3-year-old debut. Regular rider Cornelio Velasquez gets the task of setting up Flashpoint for success – he will need to fashion the perfect trip to take advantage of his mount's pacesetting style.

Speed isn't the only way to win the Preakness Stakes, as Lookin at Lucky showed us in 2010. A strong finishing kick will do just as well, and Nehro is one of the best closers in the field – though he and his jockey have gotten the timing right just once in 2011 so far.

Three consecutive runner-up finishes (including in the Kentucky Derby) succeeded his sole victory of the season – his maiden-breaking victory at Oaklawn Park in which he surged into striking distance off the second turn and easily strode home for the win. This Mineshaft colt, trained by Steven Asmussen, is still questionable for the Preakness, however – a decision will be made early this week.

Other Preakness Stakes contenders include Sway Away, King Congie and Dialed In.

Make all your 2011 Preakness Stakes bets at the Bodog Racebook!