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Kentucky Derby Favorite Mage is Preakness Chalk

Posted by Nick Brown
May 17, 2023

The 148th Preakness Stakes is often called “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans.” Specifically, the Preakness highlights the second leg of the 2023 Triple Crown. The 2023 event will occur on Saturday, May 20, at Pimlico Race Course from Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally, this year’s field could have up to 14 runners. As is normally the case, the Kentucky Derby winner (Mage) opened as the Preakness Stakes betting favorite. Should Mage win the Preakness on Saturday, he could clinch the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

2023 Preakness Stakes Information

Date:	Saturday, May 20, 2023
Time:	6:50 p.m. ET
Location:	Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland
TV Coverage:	NBC

2023 Preakness Stakes CashBet Overview

Following five scratches, only 18 horses ran in the Kentucky Derby after five scratches. Among the best sportsbook online scratches was Forte. To show, Forte was put on the veterinarian’s list and can’t compete for 14 days. The Maryland Racing Commission is reportedly honoring those rules. Thus, it won’t allow Forte to compete with the 2023 Preakness Stakes falling on Saturday.

At the onset, Kentucky Derby winner Mage is the 3-1 horse racing bet’s favorite to win in the 2023 Preakness Stakes odds and continue his Triple Crown journey. First Mission (5-1) follows closely behind Mage after the Bob Baffert-trained horse skipped the Kentucky Derby. Blazing Stevens, Confidence Game, Disarm, and Henry Q are all tied for the next-lowest Preakness 2023 odds at 12-1.

Confidence Game Gains Gambling Interest

Although Mage is getting almost all of the casual sector Preakness betting action, Confidence Game appeals to more sharps. Confidence Game won the Rebel Stakes in February to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby, but he finished a disappointing 10th at Churchill Downs. He appeared to be able to make a late charge, but he could never find his top gear.

Additionally, Confidence Game is another exotics candidate. He won the Rebel Stakes at 18-1 as a closer in the slop. Since he had enough Derby qualifying points, trainers laid him off until the Run for the Roses. That may have cost Confidence Game in the stamina department as he ran well to the turn but faded. Now, he could have a race in him with a drop in distance to 1 3-16 miles.

2023 Preakness Stakes Top Contenders

Mage Seeks Second Leg of Triple Crown

The Kentucky Derby winner has blossomed throughout the 2023 campaign. Now, Mage approaches the Preakness with a head of steam. Previously, Mage showed improvement over his first three races, all at Gulfstream Park. Including a nipped-at-the-wire second to Forte in the Florida Derby. The dream rematch with Forte did not happen in the Derby, nor will it in the Preakness.

Overall, Mage has a slow-starting, late-running style. Of great concern is that the Preakness track of 1 3-16 miles is not in his favor. But he did obtain the Derby lead before that point before winning.

First Mission Seeks to Disrupt Plans

It is true that gamblers love an improving horse who is lightly raced. Not much attention was given to First Mission when he captured the Lexington Stakes, a minor Derby prep. Consider that he ran near the front that day. And that rates as a favorable Preakness trait. First Mission soundly defeated Disarmed.

Once Disarmed finished fourth in the Derby, the stock of First Mission improved. Serious horse handicappers see him on an upward trend. But he must prove he can stretch from 1 1-16 to 1 3-6 miles.

Disarm Lurks in Background

Although Disarm hasn’t been winning, he does run well late. Late on, he got second in the Louisiana Derby to Kingsbarns. And then he was third in the Lexington and fourth to Mage in the Derby. Thus, Disarm is a strong online sportsbook candidate for the bottom of the exotics.