Preakness is Just One Reason to Wager on Saturday
The headline bout on Preakness Day is the fantastic filly Rachel Alexandra versus Kentucky Derby upset winner Mine That Bird in the 134th running of the Preakness Stakes.
However, that is just one of thirteen reasons to stay up late Friday handicapping and getting up early on Saturday to crank up the triple crown wagering account.
The Preakness Day card is a marathon event, with post time for the opening race at 10:15am eastern time.
The day starts off with a first level allowance field that drew a field of eight. Then the stakes action begins in the second half of the early double with the $150,000 Allaire Dupont Distaff Stakes (G2), the first of nine stakes races on the card.
The fourth race on the card is the $100,000 William Donald Schaeffer Stakes (G2), which drew a field of seven older runners. The morning line favorite is Ready Set, trained by Michael Matz, who took the 2006 Kentucky Derby with Barbaro and had his most disappointing day as a trainer on Preakness Day when the Derby winner was pulled up with an injury that layer took his life.
The $35,00 Deputed Testimony drew a field of eleven Maryland breds in a wide open betting race.
The seventh race is the $100,000 Galorette Handicap (G3), the first turf stake on the card. The Bill Mott trainee Dynaforce makes her first start since running eighth in the Breeders’’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last fall.
She faces a field that comes to Baltimore from all over the country including runners that last raced at Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park, Fair Grounds, Tampa Bay Downs, Keeneland, and Belmont Park.
Three year old sprinters take center stage in the eight race, the $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs Stakes (G3).
Bay Shore Stakes (G2) runner up Taqarub will likely go off as the favorite in the field of nine.
The $100,000 Woodlawn Stakes is the ninth race on the card, a one mile turf event for three year olds.
The Todd Pletcher trained Affirmatif makes his stakes debut after checking in second in his last start against first level allowance company on the turf at Keeneland.
The son of Unbridled’s Song looks like he is going to be a short price as the speed figures he earned in his two career starts tower over the rest of the field.
Beacon Hill Road comes into the race with an edge in experience. The colt was a good third two back in the Dania Beach Stakes, and last out was fourth in the Hallandale Beach Stakes, both of those outings coming at Gulfstream Park.
The $100,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap (G3) is best known for a drunken fan, who ran out on the track and attempted to take a swing at the horses as they came down the stretch back in 1999.
This year’s running drew a field of eight, led by Ah Day, who is looking to rebound off a poor outing last out in the Charles Town Classic going nine furlongs.
The gelding’s last start at today’s six furlong distance produced a win in the Toboggan (G3) at Aqueduct.
The race preceding the Preakness Stakes is the $150,000 Dixie Stakes (G2), a nine furlong turf race for three year olds and upward.
The race drew a solid field of twelve, led by multiple stakes winner Proudinsky. The Bobby Frankel trainee checked in sixth last out in the Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.
The six year old won his two previous starts, both Grade 2’s.
His main competition will come from Ben Ali (G3) winner Parading and Appleton (G3) winner Kiss the Kid.
If you fail to get the Preakness Stakes correct, there is one “get out” race. The last race on the card is a maiden special weight race that drew a field of nine, which includes five first time starters.
It may be a good idea to have a couple of Red Bull energy drinks on standby. There is nine hours from post time of the opening race on the card until the nightcap.
It definitely will be an exciting day of racing, and with a little hard work and luck, hopefully it will also be profitable.
