Saturday’s field for the 2020 Preakness Stakes, which marks the end of horse racing’s Triple Crown schedule this year, will feature only one of the two previous race winners.
The Preakness is scheduled for Saturday at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD, and will be broadcasted on NBC from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Originally scheduled as the second leg of the prestigious American Triple Crown in May, the Preakness Stakes is a highly anticipated race covering a distance of 1 ³⁄₁₆ miles (9.5 furlongs). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent adjustments in the racing schedule, the 2020 Preakness will now conclude this renowned series.
Many residents of northern Virginia can reach the renowned track in less than an hour by car. Nevertheless, similar to the previous Triple Crown events in 2020, the race on October 3 will take place without any spectators due to COVID-19 and social-distancing protocols.
What should horse bettors anticipate when they tune in this weekend for the 145th running of the Preakness Stakes? They can expect to see a mix of favorites, long shots, and several other hopeful contenders.
How to bet on the 2020 Preakness Stakes
Do you reside in Virginia and have an interest in watching the 2020 Preakness Stakes? Are you considering placing a bet on the race?
You can access the TVG betting app and streaming service, which is a lawful online platform for race betting in the United States. It is also readily accessible in VA.
TVG is an ADW site, enabling bettors to effortlessly place bets by funding their accounts beforehand. This grants them the opportunity to wager on various horse-racing events worldwide, including the 2020 Preakness Stakes.
TVG stands out as a leading ADW platform, offering an array of deposit options and attractive promotional deals. Apart from providing a livestream of thrilling races, users can easily access racing schedules, previews, and valuable handicapping advice.
In addition, Virginia offers off-track betting (OTB) facilities where bettors can conveniently place their bets. These facilities are spread across different cities within The Old Dominion State.
Tiz the Law skipping 2020 Preakness
The remaining two Triple Crown races of the year were the 2020 Belmont Stakes, held on June 20, and the 2020 Kentucky Derby, which took place on Sept. 5.
Tiz the Law, the winner of the Belmont Stakes but unfortunately fell behind Authentic in the Kentucky Derby, will not be competing in Saturday’s event. Instead, the owner Jack Knowlton and trainer Barclay Tagg have decided to give the 3-year-old colt some rest in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky on November 7th.
The appeal of Saturday’s race diminishes slightly as there will be no horse competing for the prestigious Triple Crown championship, a feat achieved last by Justify in 2018. Nonetheless, a rematch between Tiz the Law and Authentic could have provided an intriguing alternative.
Instead, Authentic will aim to win two out of the three legs of the Triple Crown as he faces a field of 10 other horses in the 2020 Preakness.
In addition, he aims to surpass the 1 ³⁄₁₆ mile track record of 1:53, which was established by Secretariat in his triumphant Triple Crown victory of 1973.
2020 Preakness Stakes odds and favorite
Following his recent victory in the Kentucky Derby, Authentic (9-5) has emerged as the frontrunner in this year’s Preakness Stakes competition.
Art Collector (5-2) is hot on his heels, boasting a flawless record of 4-0 this year, including impressive victories at the Blue Grass Stakes and Ellis Park Derby.
According to the current odds, Swiss Skydiver (6-1) and Thousand Words (6-1) are within close reach. However, there are also some longshots like Excession (30-1), Jesus’ Team (30-1), and LiveYourBeastLife (30-1).
Here are the starting positions and latest odds for the 2020 Preakness Stakes, as you prepare to watch it in Virginia.
Post Position | Horse | Jockey | Opening Odds | Morning Line Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Excession | Sheldon Russell | 30-1 | TBD |
2 | Mr. Big News | Gabriel Saez | 12-1 | TBD |
3 | Art Collector | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 5-2 | TBD |
4 | Swiss Skydiver | Robby Albarado | 6-1 | TBD |
5 | Thousand Words | Florent Geroux | 6-1 | TBD |
6 | Jesus’ Team | Jevian Toleldo | 30-1 | TBD |
7 | Ny Traffic | Horacio Karamanos | 15-1 | TBD |
8 | Max Player | Paco Lopez | 15-1 | TBD |
9 | Authentic | John Velazquez | 9-5 | TBD |
10 | Pneumatic | Joe Bravo | 20-1 | TBD |
11 | Liveyourbeastlife | Trevor McCarthy | 30-1 | TBD |