The one hundred and fiftieth working of the Kentucky Derby delivered a end for the ages, as Mystik Dan edged out Sierra Leone and Ceaselessly Younger by a nostril in a photograph end. Sierra Leone positioned, whereas Ceaselessly Younger completed in third.
Can Mystik Dan seize the second leg of the Triple Crown later right this moment on the 149th Preakness Stakes?
The trail to conducting that aim grew to become just a little simpler this week as Muth, an early favourite within the discipline, was scratched on Wednesday. The Bob Baffert-trained Muth was scratched after spiking a temperature of 103 levels shortly after arriving at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
“We’re sick about this,” Baffert mentioned. “The horse had been doing very well. However we have now to do what’s proper by the horse.”
That will make the trail just a little simpler for Mystik Dan, however coach Kenny McPeek is aware of it simply provides to the strain of the second. “Oh, my goodness,” McPeek mentioned earlier this week. “I suppose it places added strain on us, however he’s prepared.”
The Discipline
With Muth scratched, Mystic Dan enters the Preakness Stakes right this moment as the favourite. However for McPeek, he believes that the horse, who he describes as an outdated soul, is prepared.
Which makes his job simple.
“He’s an actual quiet horse. I’ve used the terminology that he’s an outdated soul. Nothing a lot phases him in any respect, which makes our job very easy,” McPeek informed reporters this week. “He’s been within the paddock at Oaklawn earlier than and it’s an analogous paddock to Oaklawn. We’re not an advanced outfit, we maintain it easy.”
Nevertheless, the tight end at Churchill Downs a couple of weeks in the past would possibly pose an issue for Mystik Dan, because the horse was pushed to the restrict to win that picture end. As for who may problem Mystik Dan later right this moment, Catching Freedom and Creativeness have been each listed at 6-1, simply behind Mystik Dan at 5-2.
Creativeness is one other Baffert-trained horse, who final raced within the Santa Anita Derby, the place he completed second by a neck. “Creativeness is filling into his body,” described Baffert. He’s bred to go the [1 3/16-mile] distance. He’s a fantastically balanced horse.”
As for Catching Freedom, the Brad Cox-trained horse is coming off a fourth-place end within the Kentucky Derby. “It’s simply not as frequent to run these horses again in two weeks as possibly it was once,” mentioned Cox this week. “It principally comes all the way down to how the horse is doing, and we’re pleased with the best way he’s coaching. Primarily based off who we hear is working, he stacks up with that group of horses — backside line.”
Tips on how to Watch
Listed below are the main particulars.
When: Saturday, Could 18, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET
The place: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland
TV Community: NBC/CNBC
Streaming: Peacock
NBC Sports activities can have protection of the 149th Preakness Stakes all through the day on Saturday, Could 18. Protection will start at 1:30 p.m. ET on CNBC and run on that community till 4:30 p.m. ET. Protection will then shift to NBC at 4:30 p.m. ET, and is predicted to run till 7:30 p.m. ET.
Submit time for the Preakness is ready for 7:01 p.m. ET.
Followers may also stream all the protection via Peacock.
Odds
Listed below are the present publish positions following Monday’s draw, together with the most recent odds:
2024 Preakness Stakes
| Submit | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submit | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Coach |
| 1 | Mugatu | 20-1 | Joe Bravo | Jeff Engler |
| 2 | Uncle Heavy | 20-1 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Robert Reid, Jr. |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | 6-1 | Flavien Prat | Brad Cox |
| 4 | Muth | SCRATCH | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert |
| 5 | Mystik Dan | 5-2 | Brian Hernandez, Jr. | Kenny McPeek |
| 6 | Seize the Gray | 15-1 | Jaime Torres | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 7 | Simply Metal | 15-1 | Joel Rosario | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 8 | Tuscan Gold | 8-1 | Tyler Gaffalione | Chad Brown |
| 9 | Creativeness | 6-1 | Frankie Dettori | Bob Baffert |
