2013 Preakness Stakes Free Picks: Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

2013 Preakness Stakes Free Picks: Vegas Odds, Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers: The 138th running of the Preakness Stakes is set to take place Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and while ‘The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” isn’t quite as well known as the Kentucky Derby, the second crown jewel race is just as important for any horse hoping to join the exclusive list of Triple Crown winners. The length of the race is 9.5 furlongs, and unlike the Kentucky Derby, the field is usually much smaller. This year’s field is no exception with around 11 horses being at the high end of the estimates. Last year, I’ll Have Another followed his win at Churchill Downs with a win the Preakness Stakes before an injury ultimately ended the horse’s bid at a Triple Crown. Here is a closer look at the horses that could add their name to the list of winners at Pimlico.

2013 Preakness Stakes Free Picks: Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

The Favorite

After capturing the Kentucky Derby on the strength of a late surge on a sloppy track, Orb will look to extend his winning streak to six races and put himself in position to become the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Orb has been next to unstoppable, and he was the class of a stout field at Churchill Downs. Now, the horse gets to face a smaller, weaker field this weekend at Pimlico. Throw in a hot jockey in Joel Rosario, who seemed to know exactly what buttons to push and when to push them two weeks ago at Churchill Downs, and there is no reason to think the combination can’t capture the Preakness Stakes.

Other Contenders

He was arguably the biggest disappointment at the Kentucky Derby, but there are a few reasons to believe Goldencents can rebound at Pimlico this weekend. For one, the horse’s jockey admitted that he basically pulled back on the reins after Goldencents struggled early handling the sloppy track, and clear skies are expected this weekend in Baltimore. Meanwhile, this is the same horse that was putting down the fastest times in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby on a clean track. A smaller field and sunny skies should bring out the best in Goldencents, and the Santa Anita Derby winner’s best has been pretty darn good in the past and could make amends after disappointing bettors at Churchill Downs.

While he didn’t participate in the Kentucky Derby, Departing could make a serious impact in his first Triple Crown event. After all, this is a horse that has four wins and a third-place finish in five starts, including a win in the Illinois Derby in his most-recent outing in April. Overall, both Departing and his jockey are a bit inexperienced in races of this magnitude, but the combo has placed in every start thus far and has won 80 percent of the time. Bettors could catch lightning in a bottle with Departing.

It has been a mixed bag of results for Mylute, but the horse has placed in seven of his 10 starts. Granted, he only has two wins in those 10 starts, but he did finish second in the Louisiana Derby in March. Mylute also finished fifth at the Kentucky Derby, and while that finish may not seem outstanding, he is actually the second-highest finisher from Churchill Downs that is in the field at Pimlico this weekend. If he delivers a similar performance this weekend against the smaller field, Mylute should be in the mix near the front of the pack.

Check out updated LIVE 138th Preakness Odds all week long from BOVADA!

Sleeper Special

Bettors looking for a longshot that could get the job done Saturday is Govenor Charlie. The horse hasn’t raced much, but he does have a second-place finish and two wins in three starts. He has also been practicing well in his warmup thus far and has been running up to six furlongs at a time. Yes, Govenor Charlie is basically an unknown, but he is practicing and performing like a horse that has plans on contending Saturday.