MAIN Recreation Sports Preakness

Preakness Stakes - Saturday, May 17, 2008 -
Riders Up... Post Time 6:15 PM

The Preakness features the top three Kentucky Derby finishers competing in a much smaller field in the run for the Black Eyed Susans, the second jewel in the Triple Crown.

Big Brown's spectacular showing in the 2008 Kentucky Derby also put the spotlight on potential Triple Crown spoilers, among them — Giant Moon, Kentucky Bear, Stevil, Tres Barrachos and Yankee Bravo — all of which joiined the lineup on race day.

BUT it was Big Brown who once again made a spectacular showing at Pimlico, coming in at the stretch 5 lengths ahead of the pack to win the 2008 Preakness Stakes.

Now its on to Belmont and an excellent shot on this year's Triple Crown...

133rd Preakness Post Positions

The May 17th running of the Preakness Stakes is the 133rd time that the race has been held. The second race in the coveted "Triple Crown" of horse racing attracts plenty of attention. The "Run For The Black Eyed Susans," at Pimlico offers the same crazy hats, parties and celebrations as the other Triple Crown Races. The Black Eyed Susan is Maryland's state flower and the signature drink of Preakness celebrations.

How to Pick a Preakness Winner

The Preakness is a bit easier to handicap than the Derby, but it's still a horse race. With only three of the same colts in contention, the rest of the field was unknown. Again, this was the first time most of these three year old thoroughbreds were running on the same track against each other. In the Preakness, every horse in the field is a champion. Most have competed successfully in other Stakes races, but never against the best three year olds in the racing world.

To chose the winner of this championship race, you need to know the pedigree of the horse and his past history in Stakes races. How the horse handles various track conditions can mean the difference between a win or an also ran. Who trains and rides the colt is another fact that handicappers look at. Pros can also look back on patterns of past Preakness winners and use that knowledge to predict the outcome.

Do you think Kentucky Derby winners stand out in the Preakness? Good guess! The horses that did well in the first leg of the triple crown typically perform well in the Preakness.

Doc's Sports provides this information, "Recent history has treated the Kentucky Derby winner very kindly in the Preakness. Six of the last 10 Derby winners have gone to the Belmont with a shot at the Triple Crown. All six of those horses - Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, War Emblem, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones - have looked solid coming into the Preakness off impressive Derby wins, and all have met the lofty expectations at Pimlico. It's early, but Street Sense so far looks like he is ready to follow in the footsteps of those before him."

The Preakness this year may have fewer Derby horses repeating, which adds a bit more suspense to the outcome. Many commented on the overall lack of star horses running in the first leg of the Triple Crown. The large number of new horses may mean some unexpected challenges to the Derby veterans as the Preakness unfolds. The smaller Preakness field means more room for manuevering through the pack and the shorter course may play an important part in the outcome.