Preakness 2013 Post Positions: What Experts Are Saying About Draw

The 2013 Preakness Stakes is approaching fast, and the excitement over where each horse will start the second leg of the Triple Crown has horse racing fans at a fever pitch.

Preakness Stakes' official Twitter revealed the post positions that were drawn earlier this week, and the experts have come out in force to give their options on where each horse starts on Saturday:

All of the following top contenders are under a microscope at Pimlico Race Course, and which post position each breaks out of the gate will play a role in where each of these horse's finish.

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Post Time: 6:20 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

2013 Preakness Stakes Post Positions 

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1/1
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O’Neill	8/1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	30/1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	6/1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5/1
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	15/1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12/1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12/1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10/1

*Odds via Preakness.com.

Orb

The favorite coming into the Preakness has been Orb all along. With Weather.com forecasting rainy conditions in Baltimore Saturday, the Triple Crown contender looks to run his way out of the No. 1 post position and to the front of the pack.

While the wet conditions at Pimlico Race Course will play into orb’s favor, Daily Racing Form’s David Grening reminds us that the No. 1 position is less-than-ideal:

Orb proved at Churchill Downs that he can come through the pack in sloppy conditions to steal a win. As long as he avoids falling all the way to the back of the pack or getting trapped along the rail, the Derby winner will steal the Preakness Stakes.

Mylute

After a solid finish at the Kentucky Derby (fifth place), Mylute will look to prove the critics that say the colt can’t win on a track longer than a mile wrong by stunning Orb and taking the Preakness Stakes victory.

Mylute’s jockey Rosie Napravnik—one of the best in the sport and one of the few females in the male-dominated profession—took to Twitter to talk about her post position (No. 5) and her feeling about the draw:

Not only does Mylute have the speed and acceleration out of the gate to get an early lead, the experience running on sloppy conditions at Churchill Downs and the talent of jockey Napravnik will be enough to help this horse finish in the top three and contend for the win.

Oxbow

While Oxbow isn’t a betting favorite for Saturday’s race, this is a horse that was built for the course and conditions at this year’s Preakness. After finishing sixth at the Kentucky Derby, Oxbow starts in the No. 6 post position and is ready to prove his dominance.

Horse racing insider Stephen Panus reveals on Twitter what makes Oxbow's draw for the 2013 Preakness Stakes very favorable:

Not only did Oxbow draw a favorable starting spot, the horse is trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. With everything going his way, watch out for Oxbow to contend Saturday.