The Preakness Stakes, held for the 147th time in 2024, is one of the most anticipated races of the year. On May 21, 2024, the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown will be held at its traditional venue, the historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Several Kentucky Derby winners are among the top contenders for the 2024 Preakness Stakes, with only the most formidable and healthiest horses coming back for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. And if you want to bet on the Preakness Stakes, you should watch out for the top seven contenders on the roster.
1. Midnight Bourbon
The Steve Asmussen trainee is currently the third choice in initial Preakness bets at Bovada at +500, and it has a new rider, Irad Ortiz Jr., as Mike Smith will ride Concert Tour. Also, Midnight Bourbon finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby, third in the Preakness, and did not take part in the Belmont.
However, following the tragic passing of Media Spirit, all of Midnight Bourbon’s chances of success have continued to rise, and Steve Asmussen seems to be confident that his horse will have a much better season. Thus, if you want to learn more about Midnight Bourbon, you can look up on tvg.com because they provide picks and coverage that might help you decide who to bet on in the upcoming 2024 Preakness Stakes.
2. Crowded Trade
Crowded Trade, a son of More Than Ready, won his debut at Aqueduct on Jan. 28 by one length in a maiden special weight race, and he finished second barely to Weyburn in the Gotham (G3) before actually heading on to the Wood. Also, Crowded Trade, who is being trained by Chad Brown. He won the Preakness with new shooter Cloud Computing in 2017, skipped the Derby in favor of going to Baltimore.
While Crowded Trade isn’t Chad Brown’s best bet in the Race for Black Susans for the year 2024, the horse does indeed have a background of shocking bookies. Crowded Trade won his first race – the Maiden Special Weights 2024, and although people have yet to witness the Crowded Trade race in 2024, if he has improved his form slightly, there seems to be a high likelihood he might make it into the Top 3 once more.
3. Concert Tour
Concert Tour appears to be the next big thing in horseracing, and with Bob Baffert as its trainer, bookies currently have them as being the most expected to come out on top in all three Triple Crown races this year.
Concert Tour is a stablemate of Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby winner in 2024, but Concert Tour is the faster of the two. Concert Tour is the second favorite, trailing stablemate Medina Spirit, and if he gets out to an early lead, he’ll be a formidable competitor to defeat.
4. Keepmeinmind
Robertino Diodoro’s horse has only won one race, the Kentucky Jockey Club G2 race in 2020. Although, Keepmeinmind may be the most erratic horse in the field since it has finished between second and seventh in every other race.
Moreover, during his first start against winners, he came in second in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and then third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Keepmeinmind is a promising juvenile who has struggled as a sophomore but appears to be regaining shape and ought to get more than enough speed.
5. Rombauer
Rombauer won the 146th Preakness Stakes as an 11-1 long shot, coming on powerfully down the stretch to beat Medina Spirit, who finished first at Churchill Downs. And Rombauer clocked an unofficial time of 1 minute, 53.62 seconds for the 1 3/16th-mile course.
Even after not racing since June of last year, you must consider last year’s winner as a major contender for the Preakness Stakes in 2024. Rombauer has won three races, finished second once, and placed third twice in eight races, which is a good record for any horse.
6. Shake Em Loose
Shake Em Loose is one of the more experienced horses in the field, having won four of his 11 career starts. In addition, Shake Em Loose is a neutered son of Shakin It Up, who ended up winning his maiden at Laurel last November and was acquired for $16,000 by Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon.
His most recent win came two starts ago in the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel, in which he got the jump on huge favorite Joe and managed to hold well secured in the lane. Shake Em Loose, the third option in a field of seven at 5-1, won by 1 3/4 lengths in the approximately 1 1/16-mile Private Terms, his two-turn debut, defeating bookies’ favorite Joe late in the game.
7. Risk Taking
Chad Brown has previously won the Preakness Stakes, and Risk Taking is his best chance of doing so again. Last year’s Preakness was Risk Taking’s first step since completing seventh as the 2-1 favorite in the GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
And, prior to his Withers score, he broke his maiden at the Big A in December. What’s more, Risk Taking’s best length is 11/8 miles, so bookies are excited to see what the horse can do for the upcoming Preakness Stakes.
Final Thoughts
The horses who come out on top of the Kentucky Derby are always the main focus during the two-week turnaround for the Preakness Stakes, as they commonly compete for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. That’s why the Preakness Stakes, the second triple crown race, is the focus of so many bettors now.
And for the year 2024, The 147th Preakness Stakes will be held at Pimlico Race Course on a 1 3/16-mile dirt track. Ultimately, Preakness Stakes will showcase all of the best horses with a $1 million prize bag.
We don’t know the outcome of the race yet, but we can project who will win with these top 7 contenders. So knowing which colt has a good chance of winning before the Preakness Stakes in 2024 can help you decide who to bet.
