Preakness 2016 Post Positions: Predictions for Each Horse in the Lineup

The Preakness Stakes field is officially set following the post position draw, but the outlook remains the same with Nyquist being a substantial favorite to build upon his Kentucky Derby win by taking the Preakness as well.

Nyquist is joined by an intriguing field of 10 additional horses that features a mix of Derby participants as well as shooters who enter the race on extra rest. That factor didn't matter when American Pharoah won the Triple Crown last year, and it may not impact the undefeated Nyquist, either.

Ahead of the 141st Run for the Black-Eyed Susans, here is a full rundown of predictions for how every horse will fare at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday.

Predicted Finish	Horse	Post	Jockey	Trainer
1	Nyquist	3	Mario Gutierrez	Doug O'Neill
2	Stradivari	11	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher
3	Exaggerator	5	Kent Desormeaux	Keith Desormeaux
4	Cherry Wine	1	Corey Lanerie	Dale Romans
5	Collected	7	Javier Castellano	Bob Baffert
6	Lani	6	Yutaka Take	Mikio Matsunaga
7	Uncle Lino	2	Fernando Perez	Gary Sherlock
8	Awesome Speed	4	Jevian Toledo	Alan Goldberg
9	Fellowship	10	Jose Lezcano	Mark Casse
10	Laoban	8	Florent Geroux	Eric Guillot
11	Abiding Star	9	J.D. Acosta	Ned Allar

Nyquist

After a transcendent performance in the Kentucky Derby, Nyquist was set to be a heavy favorite in the Preakness regardless of how the post draw went down.

Based on trainer Doug O'Neill's reaction, however, the draw only served to supplement Nyquist's status as the clear-cut top choice, according to the Associated Press (h/t the Altoona Mirror): "The 3 is exactly what I wanted. ... We're very optimistic that we're going to break good and get into position."

Post positions can be a big deal in 20-horse fields like the Kentucky Derby, but with just 11 participants in the Preakness, it is much easier to get through traffic and overcome any potential post issues.

Everything seems to be falling into place for Nyquist, but one thing that could potentially make things tricky is a sloppy track. Rain is expected, but Emerald Downs track announcer Matt Dinerman doesn't see it adversely impacting Nyquist:

All 11 horses will be forced to deal with poor conditions if the rain is heavy, so Nyquist certainly won't be alone in that regard.

With a record of 8-0, Nyquist has won races at different distances, under different conditions and against different horses. The one constant through it all has been his dominance.

There is some speed in the Preakness field, and the 10 other horses don't have much to lose, but that won't prevent Nyquist from taking the next step toward the Triple Crown.

Stradivari

Stradivari has yet to run in a stakes race, and it isn't yet known how he stacks up against elite horses, but he may be the biggest obstacle standing between Nyquist and a Preakness win.

Although Stradivari has run just three races, he won each of his past two in convincing fashion by blowing away the rest of the field.

Nyquist has made a habit of doing precisely that, but something has to give at Pimlico when the talented colts finally meet.

Horse racing enthusiasts only recently came to realize what Stradivari has to offer, but co-owner Tanya Gunther has seen something special in him since the start, according to Nicole Russo of Daily Racing Form (h/t ESPN.com).

"I think it's a mixed bag," Gunther said. "Some horses you might not like as much early on, and then they keep improving. Others just wow you from the start. So, some are 'boom, pow,' and others surprise you. But [Stradivari] was a foal I liked right away."

Stradivari will start on the far outside for the Preakness, which puts jockey John Velazquez in prime position to take him straight to the front if he so chooses.

Nyquist is likely to do the same, which means much of the race could be a battle between those two horses.

Although Stradivari has the speed to hang in there for a significant amount of time, Nyquist appears to be on an entirely different level than any other horse, which should allow him to outlast the Todd Pletcher-trained colt in the end.

Cherry Wine

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

While Stradivari and Exaggerator have the inside track on taking the place and show spots behind Nyquist, Cherry Wine is a horse worth watching for those interested in betting on superfectas.

He has just one victory to his credit, but Cherry Wine ran third in the Blue Grass Stakes and has plenty of big-race experience.

Cherry Wine is also fresh after not competing in the Kentucky Derby, and trainer Dale Romans believes that could work in his favor, among other factors, per Alicia Wincze Hughes of the Lexington Herald-Leader:

"

The only way we beat the champion is if the two weeks takes its toll on him. And we know that. But you have to be there in case it does. If everyone runs true to form, nobody beats [Nyquist]. But that could have been said for a lot of horses over history and, especially if it comes up a little wet or something, my horse loves an off track.

"

Cherry Wine will be forced to overcome some adversity as he'll start against the rail, but if jockey Corey Lanerie can navigate his way to the front early, Cherry Wine has the speed needed to dictate the pace.

It isn't realistic to expect him to hold off Nyquist unless something goes extremely wrong for the Kentucky Derby winner, but Cherry Wine has a chance to at least hang in there for a top-four finish.

A second- or third-place result isn't out of the question if Cherry Wine can maintain his speed throughout, so he could represent great value from a betting perspective on race day.

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