Preakness Draw 2012: When and Where to Catch Post Positions Release

It isn’t how you start, but how you finish.

But don’t tell that to the trainers of the horses that lost the Kentucky Derby because of a slow start. While a strong I’ll Have Another-like finish is a key to victory, failing to explode out of the starting gates eliminates any hope a horse has to triumph. And that’s where the post position draw of the 2012 Preakness Stakes comes in to play.

According to Preakness.com, starting pole positions for Saturday’s race will be drawn on Wednesday, May 16^th at 6 p.m. ET. Racing officials will perform the honor in the International Pavilion at Pimlico Race Course.

Bodemeister is the favorite heading into the 137^th running of the Preakness. He finished second in at Churchill Downs, but his team is confident in the horse’s ability to bounce back.

I’ll Have Another is looking to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive. The thoroughbred is being seen as a close second-favorite to Bodemeister. But those are much higher odds than I'll Have Another entered the Kentucky Derby with.

Middle-of-the pack horses that will hear their names called this afternoon include Creative Cause, Went the Day Well and Optimizer. Creative Cause and Went the Day Well also participated in the Derby.

Long shots to win this year’s Preakness include Cozzetti, Teeth of the Dog, Tiger Walk, Zetterholm, Pretension, Daddy Nose Best and Brimstone Island. Cozzetti has big hooves to fill after he replaced one of the race's favorites in Dullahan earlier in the week. Tiger Walk is owned by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank.

Each team will know the horses that’ll be competing to their right and left by sunset.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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