2018 Preakness Stakes Betting Picks: Exacta, Trifecta & Superfecta.

2018 Preakness Stakes Picks: Exacta, Trifecta Superfecta

Written by on May 15, 2018

The second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, is now just a few days away, with the race set to go on Saturday, May 19. As it stands right now, there are only going to be 8 horses on the track for this one, with the performance of Justify in the Kentucky Derby causing many trainers to skip this race in favor of the Belmont Stakes in a couple of weeks. The smaller field would suggest that you have a better shot at placing a winning 2018 Preakness Stakes Betting ticket, but things don’t necessarily play out that way. The Preakness Stakes is a race that has become known as a horse racing betting slip killer, as it’s often the longshots that come good. Keep in mind that in 142 years, only 23 horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

2018 Preakness Stakes Betting Picks: Exacta, Trifecta & Superfecta

  • When: May 19, 2018
  • Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
  • Distance: 1 3⁄16 mi (9.5 furlongs; 1,900 m)
  • Surface: Dirt
  • Purse: $1.5 million

Exacta Play at the Preakness Stakes

While the historical data places a big question mark on Justify heading into this race, the reality is that he is far and away the best horse in this small field. If he runs his race, he should win the Preakness Stakes and take the next step towards the Triple Crown. With that in mind, I am playing him on top in all my wagers. Okay, so now that we have a winner pegged, who do we place in the second spot? I like to improve my odds by choosing two horses here, although you could totally hedge your bets by playing Justify with every other horse in the field. Given that we are going to have a small field here, you are not looking at a major investment, and you have an opportunity to cash a nice winning ticket if one of those longshots takes second place. If you want to play a straight exacta, I would play Justify with Quip. At only a dollar to wager, you would still make a tidy little profit, assuming Quip stays at his current odds of 16/1.

Trifecta Play at the Preakness Stakes

Again, you can save yourself some money by playing Justify on top in your exacta 2018 Preakness Stakes betting slip. I then like to cover each of the next two finishing positions with 3 horses. Your slip would look like this – 1 with 2,3,4 with 2,3,4, with the post positions being the numbers that you use on your slip. Betting that way would cost you just $6 for a $1 stake. This would mean playing Justify with Quip, Good Magic, and Sporting Chance. Alternatively, if you have a little bit extra in your bankroll, you might want to play Justify on top with all the other horses in the field, which would be a Justify with all with all, at a cost of $30 for a $1 stake.

Superfecta Play at the Preakness Stakes

Picking the exact order of finish for the top 4 is no easy feat, which is why I often just play a straight wager here. There are countless different ways to box and wheel this particular bet, but the more permutations you put in, the more you are going to pay. Good Magic should be on your 2018 Preakness Stakes Betting ticket. With a field this small, you may not get the value you desire by going that route. For the superfecta wager for the Preakness Stakes, I would have the horses in this order: Justify, Quip, Good Magic, Sporting Chance. If you are looking to box or get creative, I would consider adding Bravazo to this Preakness Stakes Betting ticket.

Last 10 Preakness Stakes Winners

  • 2017: Cloud Computing
  • 2016: Exaggerator
  • 2015: American Pharoah
  • 2014: California Chrome
  • 2013: Oxbow
  • 2012: I’ll Have Another
  • 2011: Shackleford
  • 2010: Lookin At Lucky
  • 2009: Rachel Alexandra
  • 2008: Big Brown