History of the Preakness Stakes

The first Preakness Stakes was held in 1873. The race was named after the horse that won the Dinner Party Stakes by the former governor of Maryland.

Pimlico Race Course has a large audience for the race, only beaten in North America by the crowd that shows up to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby.

When the winner of the Preakness is finalized, the colors worn by the horse and jockey are painted on the wind vane that sits on top of the Old Clubhouse cupola replica. The owner receives the Woodlawn Vase, and the large share of the purse, which is just north of $1 million. The first time it reached $1 million was in 1997.

The race is 9.5 furlongs (1 3/16 miles), but that wasn’t the case in the beginning. It started as a mile and a half in 1873, changing a few times before settling at the current length in 1925.

Preakness Stakes Betting Guide

The 2022 Preakness Stakes is the 147^th running of the historical event, taking place on Saturday, May 21st. As the second leg of the Triple Crown, it is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

In our Preakness Betting Guide, we will display the best betting bonuses and promos for the big race. Plus, you will learn how to sign up for online racebooks and what kind of bets you can make!

How to Sign Up for Preakness Stakes Betting Sites

There are several sites that will have odds for the Preakness Stakes. The first item to consider is securing a welcome bonus. We have exclusive offers that you can use when registering for an account.

1. Find a sign up bonus
2. Register for an account
3. Make a deposit
4. Download the mobile app

All of the horse racing sites on this page are legal to use in the US. However, some states in the US will not allow every operator.

Once you have created an account, you can make a deposit into your account. Remember, many sign up bonuses will be determined by the amount of your first deposit!

After your account is funded, you will be ready to make wagers. The best racebooks continue to offer more betting bonuses, especially for popular races like the Preakness Stakes.

Types of Horse Racing Bets

There are a number of ways you can bet on the Preakness Stakes. Here are the most basic bets that you can place on the race.

Win: Selecting a horse to win the race.

Place: Selecting a horse to finish at least 2^nd.

Show: Selecting a horse to finish at least 3^rd.

Across the board: Placing a win, place, and show wager on the same horse.

There will be different payouts for win, place, and show, with the largest amount for win. If you place a place or show bet and it hits, you will be paid the place or show amount, regardless if the horse wins.

Here are more exotic bets that you can place on the race for bigger payouts.

Exacta: Picking two horses to finish 1^st and 2^nd.

Trifecta: Picking three horses to finish 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd.

Superfecta: Picking four horses to finish 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th.

If you place these bets straight up, you have to get the horses in the correct order. However, you can box these bets, meaning the horses you select can come in any order, but the ticket will cost a little more.

When placing exactas, trifectas, or superfectas, you can choose more horses. For example, you’re Trifecta box can include four horses to finish in the top three. But that extra pick will affect the odds, causing you to win less.

During the Preakness Stakes, there are races all during the day leading up to the main event. So, you can place the following wagers.

Daily Double: Picking the winner of two straight races.

Pick 3: Picking the winner of three straight races.

Pick 4: Picking the winner of four straight races.

Pick 5: Picking the winner of five straight races

The 147^th Running of the Preakness Stakes

The 2022 Preakness Stakes will be the 147^th running of the event. Also known as the “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans,” the winner is draped with a blanket of Maryland’s state flower.

The race is 9.5 furlongs around the dirt track at Pimlico Race Course. It is the second leg of the Triple Crown, always held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The 2022 Kentucky Derby winner, Rich Strike, will not be running in the Preakness after his owner pulled him out of the race.

The Preakness Stakes does not have a points system similar to the Kentucky Derby. Although, there are several races that horses can earn automatic bids. There can only be 14 horses, and if too many are fielded, it comes down to those who have the highest career earnings.

You can watch the Preakness Stakes on NBC. The post time is set for 6:50 pm ET.

Top Horses in the 2022 Preakness Stakes

Even though there we won’t be able to watch Rich Strike compete for the Triple Crown, it will still be an interesting Preakness Stakes with plenty of fantastic contenders.

When you are placing your bets, there are several horses to watch!

Epicenter

Epicenter was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby. And if the race was slightly shorter, he would’ve won. He came up just short as Rich Strike passed him up during the last half furlong.

He is trained by Steven M Asmussen, who is the winningest trainer in North America. Epicenter won the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby just before the Kentucky Derby.

Secret Oath

Likely to have the second-best odds, Secret Oath won the Kentucky Oaks, the race the day before the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Secret Oath is trained by D. Wayne Lucas, a legendary trainer in the industry. She will try to become the seventh filly to win the Preakness Stakes.

Early Voting

Jose Ortiz rode Simplification in the Kentucky Derby but has chosen to mount Early Voting for the Preakness Stakes.

The Kentucky colt has two wins in his three starts. He is trained by Chad Brown.

Simplification

Simplification’s team is ready to go. He was the first horse to get to Pimlico, arriving the Tuesday before Preakness week.

After a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, hall of fame jockey John Velazquez will be riding for his first Preakness win. He is winless in his 11 starts.

Un Ojo

I always look out for the horses that are coming into the Preakness well rested. Many of the horses that competed in the Kentucky Derby had a tough run just two weeks prior.

Un Ojo was supposed to be in the field for the Run for the Roses but was pulled after a bone bruise. However, he is healed up and will be looking for a late close against some of the early starters.

2021 Preakness Stakes Results

Medina Spirit was the favorite entering the 2021 Preakness Stakes after winning the Kentucky Derby. But he fell short, coming in 3^rd.

Jockey Flavien Prat rode Rombauer to the win. Trained by Michael McCarthy, a $2 win bet paid $25.60.

Horse	Post Position	Morning Line Odds
1. Rombauer	6	12-ene
2. Midnight Bourbon	5	05-ene
3. Medina Spirit	3	09-may
4. Keepmeinmind	2	15-ene
5. Crowded Trade	4	10-ene
6. Unbridled Honor	8	15-ene
7. France Go de Ina	7	20-ene
8. Risk Taking	9	15-ene
9. Concert Tour	10	05-feb
10. Ram	1	30-ene

Former Preakness Stakes Winners

Bob Baffert is tied with R. Wyndham Walden with most Preakness wins by a trainer with seven. Eddie Arcaro is the most winningest Preakness jockey with six wins between 1941 and 1957.

Six fillies have won the race:  Flocarline (1903), Whimsical (1906), Rhine Maiden (1915), Nellie Morse (1924), Rachel Alexandra (2009), and Swiss Skydiver (2020).

Here are the Preakness Stakes winners since 2010.

Year	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
2021	Rombauer	Flavien Prat	Michael W McCarthy
2020	Swiss Skydiver	Roby Albarado	Kenneth McPeek
2019	War of Will	Tyler Gaffalione	Mark E Casse
2018	Justify	Mike Smith	Bob Baffert
2017	Cloud Computing	Javier Castellano	Chad Brown
2016	Exaggerator	J Keith Desormeaux	Kent Desormeaux
2015	American Pharoah	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert
2014	California Chrome	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert
2013	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D Wayne Lucas
2012	I’ll Have Another	Mario Gutierrez	Doug O’ Neill
2011	Shackleford	Jesus Castanon	Dale Romans
2010	Lookin At Lucky	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert

Final Tips for Betting on the Preakness Stakes

If you are going to create an account to bet on the Preakness Stakes, there are several things to keep in mind.

First, be sure to get your account ready prior to the Preakness Stakes. Customer service lines will be busy with all of the activity, so it’s easier to have everything ready before the Saturday of the Preakness. Make sure you can create an account and make a deposit without any issues.

Take advantage of the handicapping tools on horse racing betting sites. There are previous performances and expert picks that will give you a little more information about the race.

Be sure to look out for all of the bonuses you can find for the Preakness Stakes. Moneyback specials are popular. For instance, you can place a win bet, and you will get a refund if your horse finishes 2^nd or 3^rd.

Most importantly, use the sign up bonuses we include on this page when getting started with an online racebook. Enjoy betting on the Triple Crown of horse racing!

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