Is It Safe To Bet On Always Dreaming To Win the 2017 Preakness Stakes?

Is It Safe To Bet On Always Dreaming To Win the Preakness Stakes?

Written by on May 18, 2017

Always Dreaming was the betting favorite to win the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago at Churchill Downs and did on a sloppy track. On Saturday, Always Dreaming is again the betting favorite (-125) to win the 142 nd running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. So is it safe to bet the colt to win a fifth straight race? The Preakness will be contested at 1 3/16 miles and post time is 6:48 p.m. ET.

Click Here for More Horse Racing Odds

Is It Safe To Bet On Always Dreaming To Win the 2017 Preakness Stakes?

Always Dreaming will go up against four horses he beat at the Kentucky Derby and five new shooters. Those types of horses, who didn’t run in the Derby, often aren’t a threat in the Preakness. Since 1997, just three Preakness winners did not race in the Kentucky Derby: Red Bullet in 2000, Bernardini in 2006, and the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009. It has been the Derby winners and, to a lesser degree, losers in the Derby who have fared best in the Preakness. The Derby winner has won 10 of the past 20 Preakness Stakes, with horses who lost in the Derby winning seven times over that period. Always Dreaming will start from Post 4 in the 10-horse field – post position isn’t nearly as important in the Preakness with the smaller field as it is in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he might have wanted to be outside Classic Mo Money, a speed horse who will break from the No. 10 post. But Always Dreaming won the Derby from the No. 5 post and the Florida Derby from the No. 4 post. Thirteen winners have started the Preakness from the No. 4 post, most recently Curlin in 2007. Always Dreaming will be only the ninth horse Pletcher has run in the Preakness, a race he has yet to win. “It’s fine,” said Pletcher of the post position. “He’s usually a very good horse coming away from the gate.” Four times this decade, the Derby winner failed to take the Preakness, including last year when Exaggerator romped home to a 3 ½ length victory. Triple Crown dreams were dashed as Derby winner Nyquist finished third. Always Dreaming is likely going to have a tougher test here. Now he is the horse everyone else in the race will be trying to beat, and it will be a very tactical affair. Always Dreaming will be racing on two weeks’ rest after normally getting a month in between. Always Dreaming will be the first Derby runner Pletcher has run in the Preakness since Super Saver in 2010. He’s had just two Preakness starters since then, Dance City in 2011 and Stradivari last year, but neither ran in the Derby. I believe Classic Empire wins this race, just as I did the Derby. The son of Pioneerof the Nile finished fourth in the Derby. His finish in the Run for the Roses is impressive considering the bumping he took after the start when Irish War Cry veered in. Here’s the full field with post positions. 1) Multiplier Owner: Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, and George Kerr Trainer: Brendan Walsh Jockey: Joel Rosario Morning line odds: 30-1 2) Cloud Computing Owner: Klaravich Stables Inc. and William Lawrence Trainer: Chad Brown Jockey: Javier Castellano Morning line odds: 12-1 3) Hence Owner: Calumet Farm Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Florent Geroux Morning line odds: 20-1 4) Always Dreaming Owner: MeB Racing Stables LLC, Brooklyn Boyz, Teresa Viola, St Elias, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez Morning line odds: 4-5 5) Classic Empire Owner: John Oxley Trainer: Mark Casse Jockey: Julien Leparoux Morning line odds: 3-1 6) Gunnevera Owner: Peacock Racing Stables LLC Trainer: Antonio Sano Jockey: Javier Castellano Morning line odds: 15-1 7) Term of Art Owner: Calumet Farm Trainer: Doug O’Neill Jockey: José Ortiz Morning line odds: 30-1 8) Senior Investment Owner: Fern Circle Stables Trainer: Ken McPeek Jockey: Channing Hill Morning line odds: 30-1 9) Lookin At Lee Owner: L and N Racing LLC Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Corey Lanerie Morning line odds: 10-1 10) Conquest Mo Money Owner: Judge Lanier Racing Trainer: Miguel Hernandez Jockey: Jorge Carreno Morning line odds: 15-1