Preakness 2012 Odds: Bodemeister a Worthy Betting Favorite

Bodemeister went into the 2012 Kentucky Derby as one of the odds-on favorites to win, and will rightfully step up to the starting gates at Pimlico as the front-runner to claim the Preakness Stakes and bring I'll Have Another's hopes for Triple Crown glory to a halt on Saturday.

The Bob Baffert-trained colt came within a length-and-a-half of finishing first at Churchill Downs on Cinco de Mayo. He led for most of the race before heavy legs and a hard-charging I'll Have Another turned a three-length lead into a second-place finish.

It was a remarkable accomplishment for a horse whose racing career was still in its relative infancy. The Kentucky Derby was Bodemeister's fifth run, all of which have come since the calendar changed to 2012 and the colt turned three. I'll Have Another clearly had the talent to win, but could've been discounted for his lack of experience.

That won't be quite so disconcerting for Bodemeister this time around, now that he has the experience of a marquee event under his belt (if horses do, in fact, have belts).

The competition doesn't figure to be quite as stiff, either. The Preakness will beckon 11 horses onto the track—a steep decline from the 20 that galloped to Churchill Downs for the Derby. There will be plenty of talented challengers to contend with (i.e. I'll Have Another, Went the Day Well, Creative Cause and Daddy Nose Best).

But Bodemeister remains arguably the most gifted of the bunch, and a smaller field makes it less likely that he'll be pinched out of contention or cut down by some other unfortunate turn of events.

The biggest difference for Bodemeister, though, figures to be the length of the track on which he'll be running. The Preakness is the shortest of the three Triple Crown races and, at nine-and-a-half furlongs, should land right in Bodemeister's wheelhouse. After all, he dominated the nine-furlong Arkansas Derby back in April and, again, came agonizingly close to capturing the 10-furlong Kentucky Derby.

Don't be afraid, then, to lay down some dough on Bodemeister. He's the favorite for a reason—because he's the best horse in the field and, as such, is worth the money that winds up on his head.

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