2021 Preakness Stakes Preview

The second leg of the Triple Crown will have a lot more attention than usual, but not for the right reasons. Medina Spirit has been all over the news for the last week after testing positive for betamethasone following his impressive Kentucky Derby win. That has led to trainer Bob Baffert being suspended from Churchill Downs, and he will not be in attendance at the Preakness Stakes this week. Medina Spirit might not be able to win the Triple Crown either, as they are still determining whether or not the horse will be disqualified from the Kentucky Derby after the fact.

The 146^th Preakness Stakes will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, May 15, 2021. This race is scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m. ET with NBC covering the action.

The Horse to Beat – Medina Spirit +180

It’s a shame that Medina Spirit’s Run for the Roses will be forever tainted. Although he might not have been the best horse, he ran the best race in Louisville. Medina Spirit led from the first turn to the finish as Essential Quality and the other top horses didn’t think he would be able to lead wire to wire.

His 110 Beyer Rating at the Kentucky Derby was impressive, and he has always shown that he can run with the best. He won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes earlier this year and finished runner-up at the Sham Stakes, San Felipe Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby. That has led to Medina Spirit being installed as the favorite per the Preakness Stakes betting odds.

The Contenders

Concert Tour +250

The biggest threat to Medina Spirit is probably Concert Tour. He rested rather than race at the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, and he was the winner of both the Rebel Stakes and the San Vicente Stakes. Concert Tour has posted a speed rating of 105 in both his wins before coming in third place at the Arkansas Derby a month ago. That makes him a solid choice at these odds.

Midnight Bourbon +500

The only other horse that currently has odds of less than 10-1 is Midnight Bourbon. He finished sixth at the Kentucky Derby, and he will be the only other horse that raced two weeks ago in the first leg of the Triple Crown. Midnight Bourbon won the Lecomte Stakes and hit the board at four other graded stakes races, so he might be worth a shot.

Longshots

France Go de Ina +2000

This horse is a major unknown. Although he does have a strong pedigree, his first three races were in Japan, and his only major race was the UAE Derby in late March. He finished a disappointing sixth at the UAE Derby, so it’s hard to have a lot of faith in him on Saturday.

Ram +3000

The biggest longshot in the race has a great lineage too. Ram is the son of American Pharoah, the second-most recent Triple Crown winner. However, it’s something of a mystery as to why he is running in this race. He needed eight tries to win his maiden, and he has yet to post a speed rating higher than 88.

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