Preakness Stakes odds will be the hot play this week as the second jewel in horse racing‘s Triple Crown will be up for grabs on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Animal Kingdom was a longshot bet in the Kentucky Derby, but that didn’t stop him from taking the “Run For The Roses”. Now, how will he fare in the “Run For The Black-Eyed Susans” as a favorite? Here is Animal Kingdom and four more horses to watch on Saturday.
Animal Kingdom (+270): His closing kick at Churchill Downs wasn’t all that surprising, but still, no one expected this horse to come as it did. Horse betting players will give Animal Kingdom a long look as four horses in the last nine years have won the first jewels in the Triple Crown, and he’ll have a very good chance to become the fifth.
Mucho Macho Man (+425): This horse has finished out of the top three in only one of his nine races, and he’s probably the most balanced horse in the entire field. The Kentucky Derby was his first Grade-1 race, and he should earn some strong consideration at Pimlico as well.
Nehro (+500): Nehro finished one spot ahead of Mucho Macho Man at Churchill Downs as the two battled with Shackleford heading into the final turn, and he has now finished second in his last three races, including a pair of Grade-1 races. Like the above horse, Nehro is very balanced, but he may be a little bit better when it comes to closing.
Shackleford (+1000): If pressed for a pick, Shackleford would be the way to go after his performance at Churchill Downs, in which he finished fourth, but he led a large portion of the Kentucky Derby. Shackleford’s problem has been closing races as Dialed In (who is rated at +400 after an eighth-place run in the Derby) caught him in the Florida Derby, but he may not be exposed as badly at Pimlico, which is shorter and faster than Churchill Downs. He should be the play in your sports bookie software.
King Congie (+2000): King Congie has a very strong stable that has motivation; jockey Robby Albarado was taken off Animal Kingdom in favor of John Velazquez after breaking his nose, even though Albarado says he could have raced. He has also won the Preakness before, claiming the black-eyed Susans with Curlin’ in 2007, and his trainer Tom Albertrani won in 2006 with Bernardini. King Congie finished third in the Grade-1 Blue Grass Stakes, and even though he hasn’t raced on dirt in four races, it shouldn’t bother him too much. King Congie is definitely the darkhorse to watch in your online sports book.
