Preakness 2012 Odds: Betting Tips to Make Sure You Win
Betting on horses can be and often is a tricky endeavor, even more so at a Triple Crown race like the Preakness Stakes.
There are so many variables at play, so many different factors that come into consideration—from track length and post position to past performance and pedigree—that it becomes all too easy to get lost in the details.
So, rather than plunge into bits about speeds at practice runs or what each trainer prefers for lunch, let's have a look at some simple, practical tips for making Saturday's run at Pimlico a fun one for your wallet.
Bet on Bodemeister
There's a reason Bodemeister was installed as the favorite to win the Preakness.
Because he's the best horse in the field.
Bob Baffert's latest phenom nearly came out on top at the Kentucky Derby despite charging hard amidst a breakneck pace set by Trinniberg out of the gate. A smaller, Trinniberg-less field, along with a shorter track and a post nearer the middle, should put Bodemeister in perfect position to back up his 8-5 odds.
No More For I'll Have Another
That's not to say that I'll Have Another won't finish near the front of the pack of 11 running at Pimlico on Saturday. He's a gifted colt who, like most Derby winners, was lucky to remain aloof of the chaos that tends to consume the crowd at Churchill Downs.
On the track, that is.
I'll Have Another has what it takes to finish second or third in a small field, but will be hard-pressed to keep up with Bodemeister this time around.
Steer Clear of New Names
Five of the 11 competitors at the Preakness didn't run in the Kentucky Derby, and none figure to finish at the top on Saturday. Nowadays, horses don't usually make the Derby unless they've earned enough (i.e. they're good enough to win), thereby flinging late Triple Crown entrants like Cozzetti, Pretension, Teeth of the Dog and Zetterholm off the pace.
The same goes for Tiger Walk, who has the added stigma of starting on the rail post, from which no colt has won at Pimlico since 1994.
