We're only a couple days removed from the Kentucky Derby, and already, the winner of the first leg of the Triple Crown, Nyquist has made his way to Baltimore to get ready for the Preakness Stakes. Nyquist will be the odds-on favorite to win the second leg of the Triple Crown, but he's got a long way to go to match the immortality of American Pharoah.
Preakness Stakes Odds at BookMaker.eu
Nyquist -180
Exaggerator +450
Gun Runner +1000
Suddenbreakingnews +1000
Brody's Cause +2000
Creator +2000
Cherry Wine +2500
Lani +2500
Fellowship +2800
Laoban +2800
Uncle Lino +2800
Collected +3000
Cupid +3000
Stradivari +3000
Awesome Speed +3200
Dazzling Gem +3500
Abiding Star +4000
Decorated Soldier +4000
Sharp Azteca +4500
It goes without saying that the horse of the hour in a couple weeks will be Nyquist. He opened up on Sunday as a 3 to 1 choice to win the Triple Crown, but he's now under 2 to 1 and has had a ton of momentum from a betting standpoint building up.
Nyquist was unbelievable at the Kentucky Derby, winning the race without really breaking much of a sweat, and the only horse which challenged him in the last sixteenth of a mile was Exaggerator. There's a reason these two are the only colts who are lined at less than 10 to 1 on the Preakness Stakes odds.
Once again, these two are going to be running opposite races. Nyquist is going to be starting towards the front of the field just like American Pharoah before him, while Exaggerator is going to try to come out of the proverbial parking lot.
On one hand, Exaggerator will have fewer horses to contend with in this field which should cut down on his traffic. There will only be a maximum of 14 horses in this field, and that should help him make his move a little earlier.
That said, there's a sixteenth of a mile less to run at Pimlico than there was at Churchill Downs. Exaggerator didn't really challenge at the Derby until the last furlong, so he'll have to make his move a lot earlier.
There aren't many horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby and will be trying their hand at Nyquist once again. Gun Runner, Suddenbreakingnews, Creator and Brody's Cause are all being considered to run in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Gun Runner and Suddenbreakingnews are both 10 to 1 on the early Preakness Stakes odds, while Brody's Cause and Creator are 20 to 1.
Lani, the Japanese horse who won the UAE Derby, is essentially assured of running in the second leg of the Triple Crown after a poor run at the Kentucky Derby, and he's set at 25 to 1.
Cherry Wine and Laoban were alternate entries who didn't get a chance to run in the Kentucky Derby. They're both headed to Pimlico though, and they're set at +2500 and +2800 respectively to win the Preakness Stakes.
Of the horses who didn't qualify for the Kentucky Derby or were never considered, there aren't many notable entrants. Uncle Lino has the best odds of the bunch at +2800, but there isn't another pony in the field that didn't run at the Kentucky Derby set at better than 30 to 1.
Preakness Stakes odds at BookMaker.eu
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