BALTIMORE (AP) — In a field with no top 3 finishers from the Kentucky Derby, the odds that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert would not have the favorite in the Preakness are, well, Improbable.
Baffert will seek a record-setting eighth Preakness victory Saturday using 5-2 morning line favorite Improbable, who will begin from the No. 4 post in a field of 13 horses.
War Will, the second choice at 4-1, received the No. 1 place at Wednesday’s draw.
For the first time since 1951, the Preakness won’t incorporate the four horses which crossed the finish line in the Kentucky Derby. Improbable finished fifth and was transferred to fourth after the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.
It had been the only time in six career races which Improbable failed to finish first or second. On Saturday, co-owner Elliott Walden expects that his horse gets back on track after watching a second of his horses, Justify, roll into a Triple Crown triumph in 2018.
“I feel like we’re favored by default this season,” Walden conceded. “But this horse has a good restart. He ran very well in the Derby without hitting on the board.”
Improbable can expect a ride inside a small field after being bunched closely in the 19-horse Kentucky Derby.
“Happy with the 4 article. Post positions here are a bit anti-climactic,” Walden said. “There’s not a lot whole lot to it. We only hope he gets away clean and he is able to get at a nice rhythm.”
Baffert didn’t attend the attraction, but he will undoubtedly be in the center of things Saturday. Baffert and R.W. Walden, who saddled seven winners in the late 1800s, are now tied across the Preakness leaderboard.
War of Will, meanwhile, is stuck on the railroad with the No. 1 place — the same place he started from at the Kentucky Derby, when he finished eighth and was moved up to seventh.
“We definitely know it’s not as awful as the Derby,” trainer Mark Casse explained. “One thing about it: the 1 hole can be extremely great or it may be exceedingly bad. From the Derby it was really bad, so I am presuming we are going to get really good this time.”
Another two Derby participants in this race are Bodexpress and Win Win Win. Bodexpress (14th at the Derby, moved around 13th) will break from the No. 9 post and is 20-1 on the morning . Win Win Win (10th to 9th in Churchill Downs) is 15-1 from the 13 hole.
Bodexpress is trying for his first career success, together with hopes of becoming the first maiden to win the Preakness since Refund captured a four-horse race in 1888.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 83, is looking for his seventh Preakness success with Market King, 30-1 on the morning line and starting from the No. 8 article.
“I don’t think the post position matters much since he is an excellent gate horse,” Lukas said. “I don’t think he is the quickest but he’ll be close. From the time they get to the clubhouse turn, he must be put somewhere where we’re comfortable.”
This is Lukas’ 44th Preakness entrance, more than any coach in the 144-year history of this race.
Alwaysmining drew the No. 7 article and odds of 8-1. Not only is Kelly Rubley trying to become the first female coach to win the Preakness, however, the final Maryland-bred horse to finish first in the race was Deputed Testamony in 1983.
“I think it’s more about the horse compared to the simple fact that I am a girl coach,” Rubley said. “The horse brought me here, and I’m very proud of him.”
Everfast, entered hours before the draw on Wednesday, was the longest shot in the area at 50-1.
The horse is trained by Dale Romans, who won the 2011 Preakness with Shackleford.
“A few of the best contenders are missing, so we’ll have a chance,” Romans said from Louisville, Kentucky.
Preakness odds and starting articles (Westgate)
WAR OF WILL 4/1
BOURBON WAR 12/1
WARRIOR’S CHARGE 12/1
IMPROBABLE 9/4
OWENDALE 10/1
MARKET KING 40/1
ALWAYSMINING 8/1
SIGNALMAN 25/1
BODEXPRESS 20/1
EVERFAST 50/1
LAUGHING FOX 30/1
ANOTHERTWISTAFATE 7/1
WIN WIN WIN 12/1

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