Preakness Odds 2012: Horses That Will Bring in Big Cash
While there is something dignified about the majesty of horse racing, the main reason people tune in to watch an event like the Preakness Stakes is because of the money at stake and the possibility of winning big.
It just so happens that this particular field is loaded with horses that have the potential to bring in a lot of dough, even if they don't end up celebrating in the winner's circle.
These are the horses should you keep on your radar if you look to score big at today's Preakness Stakes.
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Tiger Walk (20-1 Odds)
Tiger Walk is one of my dark-horse candidates to win the Preakness. He sat out the Kentucky Derby, which means his legs will be fresh and ready to go in this 11-horse Preakness field.
His career on the track has been all over the place, but he appears to have found his stride over the last seven months. Tiger Walk has two victories and three top-four finishes during that span, so don't be shocked to see him near the top of the leaderboard on Saturday.
While I don't expect him to win, I can easily see a place or show spot for Tiger Walk. Even though that won't give you the most bang for your buck, it is still a nice little payday.
Optimizer (25-1 Odds)
Optimizer's odds have been all over the place leading up to race day. He started out near the middle of the pack, around 12-1, before dropping all the way to his current spot at 25-1.
While that might be a red flag to some, it tells me that someone somewhere thought enough of this thoroughbred to consider him at least a viable contender and the action just wasn't there for him.
At 25-1, Optimizer is worth a look. Even if he doesn't win, place or show, at least the odds are good enough for you to take a risk.
Creative Cause (6-1 Odds)
Unlike the first two horses on this list, Cause won't make you a mountain of cash if he wins. However, he is more efficient than Tiger Walk and Optimizer, and he has a great track record of success that makes him a good betting favorite at the Preakness.
Creative Cause is not the most physically imposing thoroughbred, nor is he the fastest horse you will ever see, but don't underestimate him in this spot. He finished fifth in a loaded Kentucky Derby field, and could have gone higher if he had a little more room to play with.
As long as you bet Cause to win, he should provide the best value among the top contenders in this race.
Post Positions
*Post Positions according to NJ.com
*Odds via GoHorseBetting.com
| 1. | Tiger Walk | K. Desormeaux | 30-1 |
| 2. | Teeth of the Dog | J. Bravo | 15-1 |
| 3. | Pretension | J. Santiago | 30-1 |
| 4. | Zetterholm | J. Alvarado | 20-1 |
| 5. | Went the Day Well | J. Velazquez | 6-1 |
| 6. | Creative Cause | J. Rosario | 6-1 |
| 7. | Bodemeister | M. Smith | 8-5 |
| 8. | Daddy Nose Best | J. Leparoux | 12-1 |
| 9. | I'll Have Another | M. Gutierrez | 5-2 |
| 10. | Optimizer | C. Nakatani | 30-1 |
| 11. | Cozzetti | J. Lezcano | 30-1 |
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