BALTIMORE (AP) — In a field with no top three finishers from the Kentucky Derby, the odds that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert wouldn’t have the favorite in the Preakness are, well, Improbable.
Baffert will seek a record-setting eighth Preakness victory Saturday using 5-2 morning line favorite Improbable, who’ll begin in the No. 4 post in a field of 13 horses.
War Will, the second choice at 4-1, obtained the No. 1 post at Wednesday’s draw.
For the first time since 1951, the Preakness won’t incorporate the four horses that crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby. Improbable finished fifth and has been transferred to fourth after the disqualification of Maximum Security for hindrance.
It had been the only time in six career races that Improbable failed to finish first or second. On Saturday, co-owner Elliott Walden expects his horse gets back on track after watching a second of his horses, Justify, roll into a Triple Crown win in 2018.
“I feel like we are preferred by default this year,” Walden conceded. “But this horse has a good resume. He ran very well in the Derby without hitting the plank.”
Improbable can expect a ride within a small field after being bunched closely in the Kentucky Derby.
“Happy with the 4 post. Post positions here are a bit anti-climactic,” Walden said. “There’s not a lot lot for this. We just hope he gets off clean and he’s able to get at a nice rhythm.”
Baffert did not attend the attraction, but he will undoubtedly be in the middle of things Saturday. Baffert and R.W. Walden, who saddled seven winners in the late 1800s, are now tied atop the Preakness leaderboard.
War Will, meanwhile, is stuck onto the railroad with the No. 1 place — the same place he started from at the Kentucky Derby, when he finished eighth and has been moved up to seventh.
“We definitely know it is not as bad as the Derby,” coach Mark Casse explained. “One thing about it: the 1 hole can be extremely good or it can be exceedingly bad. From the Derby it was extremely bad, so I’m thinking we’re going to have extremely good this time.”
The other two Derby participants in this race are Bodexpress and Win Win Win. Bodexpress (14th in the Derby, moved up to 13th) will separate from the No. 9 article and is 20-1 on the morning line. Win Win Win (10th to 9th in Churchill Downs) is 15-1 from the 13 hole.
Bodexpress is striving for his first career success, together with hopes of becoming the first maiden to win the Preakness since Refund captured a four-horse race in 1888.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 83, is looking for his seventh Preakness success with Market King, 30-1 on the morning lineup and beginning from the No. 8 article.
“I really don’t think the post position matters much because he’s an excellent gate horse,” Lukas said. “I don’t think he is the fastest but he’ll be shut. By the time they get to the clubhouse turn, he should be placed somewhere where we’re comfortable.”
This is Lukas’ 44th Preakness entry, more than any trainer at the 144-year history of this race.
Alwaysmining attracted the No. 7 post and odds of 8-1. Not only is Kelly Rubley trying to become the first female coach to win the Preakness, however, the last Maryland-bred horse to finish first in the race has been Deputed Testamony in 1983.
“I think it’s about the horse compared to the simple fact that I am a woman trainer,” Rubley said. “The horse brought me , and I am very proud of him.”
Everfast, entered before the draw on Wednesday, was the greatest shot in the area in 50-1.
The horse is trained by Dale Romans, who won the 2011 Preakness with Shackleford.
“A few of the top contenders are missing, so we’ll have a chance,” Romans said from Louisville, Kentucky.
Preakness chances and starting posts (Westgate)
WAR OF WILL 4/1
BOURBON WAR 12/1
WARRIOR’S CHARGE 12/1
IMPROBABLE 9/4
OWENDALE 10/1
MARKET KING 40/1
ALWAYSMINING 8/1
SIGNALMAN 25/1
BODEXPRESS 20/1
EVERFAST 50/1
LAUGHING FOX 30/1
ANOTHERTWISTAFATE 7/1
WIN WIN WIN 12/1
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