Preakness 2014 Lineup: Post Positions for All Entries of 139th Race

The 2014 Preakness Stakes post positions are finally set. Every jockey, owner, fan and oddsmaker will be looking at the lineup to decipher each thoroughbred's chances on Saturday, May 17, at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Preakness is the legendary second leg of the horse racing Triple Crown. For those who followed the Kentucky Derby, there will be plenty of new horses to examine, as just California Chrome, General a Rod and Ride on Curlin made their way from Louisville to Baltimore.

Here is the full lineup of post positions for each horse in the race.

Post	Horse	Jockey
1	Dynamic Impact	Miguel Mena
2	General a Rod	Javier Castellano
3	California Chrome	Victor Espinoza
4	Ring Weekend	Alan Garcia
5	Bayern	Rosie Napravnik
6	Ria Antonia	Calvin Borel
7	Kid Cruz	Julian Pimentel
8	Social Inclusion	Luis Contreras
9	Pablo Del Monte	Jeffrey Sanchez
10	Ride on Curlin	Joel Rosario

Social Inclusion is regarded as one of the main challengers to California Chrome's dominance and will have an excellent opportunity to overtake the favorite from the No. 8 post. 

Social Inclusion is a bit of a latecomer to high-stakes horse racing. He never raced as a two-year old, but he has come on strong with two victories in his first three starts. He's a quick starter who thrives by setting the pace, and owner Ron Sanchez laid out the strategy for his burgeoning colt in Saturday's race. Via Tom Pedulla of The New York Times: "He’s got speed. We’re going to try to get the lead and wire to wire.”

This is a bold statement and a big challenge for jockey Luis Contreras, who will have to make sure he gets out in front as soon as possible from a wide position. 

Things are lining up nicely for the lone filly in the event, Ria Antonia. She's got legendary jockey Calvin Borel at the helm and will be riding out from the No. 6 spot on Saturday. Daily Racing Form's Twitter account noted the historical success of this position:

Borel is famous for riding the rails in his events and will most likely be looking to take Ria Antonia inside at the first opportunity he gets. The No. 6 spot should give him ample opportunity to make his move. 

Dynamic Impact will be on the rails waiting for Ria Antonia. He drew the No. 1 position, which is usually viewed as unfavorable because horses get pinned on the inside rail and find it difficult to make late maneuvers. Daily Racing Form's Marcus Hersh believes the position could hinder Dynamic Impact's chances.

California Chrome showed a strong final burst in the Kentucky Derby and should be able to make a similar run in the Preakness. His jockey, Victor Espinoza, will be even more familiar with the horse in the two weeks since their Derby victory. Everything is lining up splendidly for the chestnut colt from the Los Alamitos Race Track.

If California Chrome polishes off the competition at the Preakness Stakes, many will tip him to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. To do that, California Chrome will have to maintain a steady pace at the Belmont Stakes, the longest of the three races. California Chrome's trainers and jockey will have to be prepared for potential challengers like Commanding Curve, who finished second and showed a strong late burst at the Derby.