BALTIMORE (AP) — In a field with no top three finishers in the Kentucky Derby, the odds that Hall of Fame coach Bob Baffert wouldn’t 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’ll begin in the No. 4 post in a field of 13 horses.
War of Will, the second choice at 4-1, received the No. 1 place in Wednesday’s draw.
For the first time since 1951, the Preakness won’t include the four horses that crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby. Improbable finished fifth and has been transferred to fourth following the disqualification of Maximum Security for hindrance.
It was 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 course after watching another of his horses, Justify, roll to a Triple Crown triumph in 2018.
“I feel as if we’re favored by default this year,” Walden conceded. “However, this horse has a great resume. He ran very well in the Derby without hitting on the board.”
Improbable can expect a ride within a field after being bunched closely from the Kentucky Derby.
“Happy with the 4 post. Post positions here are a bit anti-climactic,” Walden said. “There is not a lot lot to it. We just hope he gets away clean and he is able to get at a Wonderful rhythm.”
Baffert did not attend the draw, 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 currently tied atop the Preakness leaderboard.
War of Will, meanwhile, is stuck onto the railroad with the No. 1 place — the same place he started from in the Kentucky Derby, when he finished eighth and was moved up to seventh.
“We definitely know it is not quite as bad as the Derby,” trainer Mark Casse said. “One thing about it: the 1 hole can be immensely good or it may be extremely bad. In the Derby it was extremely bad, so I am thinking we are going to have extremely good this time.”
The other two Derby participants in this race are Bodexpress and Win Win Win. Bodexpress (14th at the Derby, moved up to 13th) will break from the No. 9 article 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 striving for his first career success, together with hopes of becoming the first maiden to win the Preakness since reluctantly recorded a four-horse race in 1888.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 83, is searching for his seventh Preakness success with Market King, 30-1 on the morning lineup and beginning from the No. 8 post.
“I don’t believe the post position things much since he is a very good gate horse,” Lukas said. “I really don’t think he’s the fastest but he’ll be shut. By the time they reach the clubhouse turn, he should be put somewhere where we’re comfortable.”
This is Lukas’ 44th Preakness entry, over any trainer at the 144-year history of the race.
Alwaysmining attracted the No. 7 article and odds of 8-1. Not only is Kelly Rubley trying to become the first female trainer to win the Preakness, but the final Maryland-bred horse to finish first in the race was Deputed Testamony in 1983.
“I think it’s more about the horse than the simple fact that I’m a girl trainer,” 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 area 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 chances 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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