Preakness Predictions 2012: Bold Projections for Top Contenders

The top contenders of the Preakness Stakes have been established, and one of them will prove they are worth their standing as a favorite.

As of now, Bodemeister is the favorite at 8-5 odds and Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another is second at 5-2. This is Bodemeister's time to shine and I expect him to hold off any late charge from the field at Pimlico.

It's something he wasn't able to do at Churchill Downs, as he lost steam in the final stretch, and I'll Have Another bucked 15-1 odds to take the first leg of the Triple Crown. At the Preakness, the field won't have an opportunity to catch Bodemeister.

He will benefit from the shorter track and his signature fast start will carry him through.

He drew a less than favorable seventh post position, but he proved he could still run a great race from the inside at the Kentucky Derby, when he started in the sixth position. I expect Bodemeister to take the Preakness by at least three-lengths.

As for the Derby champion, obviously I don't predict that things will be as sweet in this Triple Crown event. I'll Have Another did not draw an outside position, which will drastically impair his chances.

He benefited from the 19th spot at the Derby, as it gave him more room to work free of the pack. At the ninth spot, he will have two horses on one side, with the rest of the field on the opposite side.

It's not exactly smashed in, but he certainly won't have a ton of real estate to stay in striking distance for his great closing abilities.

Compound this issue with the shorter distance, and I'll Have Another is set up to fall short in his attempt to capture the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

I am predicting a fifth-place finish for the Derby champion.

Here are the complete odds and post positions from Horse Racing Insider:

PP	Horse	Odds	Jockey	Trainer
1	Tiger Walk	30-1	Kent Desormeaux	Ignacio Cortreas
2	Teeth of the Dog	15-1	Joe Bravo	Michael Matz
3	Pretension	30-1	Javier Santiago	Chris Grove
4	Zetterholm	20-1	Junior Alvarado	Rick Dutrow
5	Went the Day Well	6-1	John Velazquez	Graham Motion
6	Creative Cause	6-1	Joel Rosario	Mike Harrington
7	Bodemeister	8-5	Mike Smith	Bob Baffert
8	Daddy Nose Best	12-1	Julien Leparoux	Steve Asmussen
9	I'll Have Another	5-2	Mario Gutierrez	Doug O’Neill
10	Optimizer	30-1	Corey Nakatani	D. Wayne Lukas
11	Cozzetti	30-1	Jose Lexcano	Dale Romans

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