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 possess the favorite in the Preakness are, well, Improbable.
Baffert will seek a record-setting eighth Preakness victory Saturday with 5-2 morning line favorite Improbable, who’ll start in the No. 4 post in a field of 13 horses.
War Will, the second choice at 4-1, obtained the No. 1 place at Wednesday’s draw.
For the first time since 1951, the Preakness will not incorporate the four horses that crossed the finish line in the Kentucky Derby. Improbable finished fifth and has been transferred to fourth after the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.
It had been the only time in six career races that Improbable failed to finish first or second. On Saturday, co-owner Elliott Walden hopes that his horse gets back on track after watching a second of his horses, Justify, roll to a Triple Crown triumph in 2018.
“I feel like we’re preferred by default this season,” Walden conceded. “However, this horse has a great restart. He ran very well in the Derby without hitting on the plank.”
Improbable can expect a lot smoother ride within a field that is small, after being bunched closely from the 19-horse Kentucky Derby.
“Happy with the 4 article. Post places here are a little bit anti-climactic,” Walden said. “There’s not a lot whole lot to it. We only hope he gets off clean and he is able to get in a nice rhythm.”
Baffert did not attend the draw, but he will no doubt be in the middle of items Saturday. Baffert and R.W. Walden, who saddled seven winners in the late 1800s, are currently tied atop the Preakness leaderboard.
War of Will, meanwhile, is stuck on the rail with the No. 1 place — the exact 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 bad as the Derby,” coach Mark Casse said. “One thing about it: that the 1 hole can be extremely good or it may be exceedingly bad. In the Derby it was really bad, so I’m thinking we are going to get extremely good this time.”
Another two Derby participants in this race are Bodexpress and Win Win Win. Bodexpress (14th at the Derby, moved up to 13th) will separate from the No. 9 post and is 20-1 on the morning line. Win Win Win (10th to 9th in Churchill Downs) is 15-1 in the 13 hole.
Bodexpress is striving for his first career victory, with hopes of getting 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 victory with Market King, 30-1 on the morning line and starting from the No. 8 post.
“I really don’t think the post position things much because he’s an excellent gate horse,” Lukas said. “I don’t think he is the fastest but he will 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, over any coach at the 144-year history of the race.
Alwaysmining drew the No. 7 article and chances of 8-1. Not only is Kelly Rubley seeking to become the first female coach to win the Preakness, but the last Maryland-bred horse to finish first in the race was Deputed Testamony at 1983.
“I think that it’s about the horse compared to the fact that I am a girl coach,” Rubley said. “The horse brought me here, and I am very proud of him.”
Everfast, entered hours before the draw on Wednesday, was the longest shot in the field at 50-1.
The horse is trained by Dale Romans, who won the 2011 Preakness with Shackleford.
“Some of the best contenders are missing, so we’ll take an opportunity,” Romans said from Louisville, Kentucky.
Preakness odds and beginning 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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