Preakness 2015 Odds: Picks and Predictions Based on Recent Betting Lines
American Pharoah enters the 2015 Preakness Stakes looking to inch closer to the elusive Triple Crown, a feat that has not been accomplished since 1978. That 37-year drought won't come to an end easily.
Not only does the Kentucky Derby winner have to deal with several horses that made the first leg so difficult, but he also must contend with the fresh legs of Triple Crown newcomers and some potential nasty weather.
According to Weather.com, there is a 50 percent chance Pimlico Race Course will see scattered thunderstorms Saturday afternoon, which isn't a good sign considering the race's 6:18 p.m. ET post time. Of course, if the track is doused with rain, bettors will have to consider a couple of questions before placing their final wagers.
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Will Pharoah be able to hold off Dortmund and Firing Line in unfavorable conditions? Will the wet track be detrimental to the success of fatigued horses and give the advantage to fresh legs? Before predicting the answers to those questions, let's take a look at the most recent Preakness odds.
2015 Preakness Stakes Odds
| American Pharoah | 5-6 |
| Firing Line | 5-1 |
| Dortmund | 11-2 |
| Carpe Diem | 14-1 |
| Competitive Edge | 16-1 |
| Materiality | 16-1 |
| Danzig Moon | 22-1 |
| Divining Rod | 22-1 |
| Bodhisattva | 40-1 |
| Stanford | 40-1 |
| Grand Bili | 50-1 |
| Tale of Verve | 50-1 |
All odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
Preakness Predictions and Analysis
| Win | American Pharoah |
| Place | Firing Line |
| Show | Materiality |
| Fourth | Dortmund |
Once again, your predicted winner is American Pharoah. There is no competitor with better stamina and closing ability than Pharoah. That's why he won at Churchill Downs, and that's why he'll win at Pimlico.
He was forced to start out wide in the Kentucky Derby and remained three-wide for the majority of the race, but he mustered up enough endurance to torch the opposition down the final stretch. With a smaller field in the Preakness, he won't have difficulty getting into a better position this time around, and that should be a scary thought for his competitors.
If the track is soaked for the Preakness, that shouldn't bother Pharoah. He has experience racing on a similar surface, winning the 2015 Rebel Stakes by 6 ¼ lengths on a muddy track. Take a look at his sparkling wire-to-wire victory:
If any contender is going to keep up with Pharoah, it's Firing Line. The colt showed a great deal of closing ability in the Kentucky Derby but was edged out by a better horse. Expect a similar result this time around, as Firing Line should have no trouble finding his way to the front of the pack early and setting the tone for the race.
Carlos Santamaria, overseer of Firing Line's Preakness preparation, feels confident in his horse's ability to make the quick turnaround between races. Here's what he had to say during a press conference: "He has been galloping good and eating well and very happy with the last two days. I know he has a lot of heart and will give his best to the end (like he did in the Derby)."
An interesting pick to show, Materiality should have a better finish at Pimlico than his disappointing sixth-place showing in the Derby. He was undefeated in three starts prior to the Derby, but a poor start doomed his chances of continuing that streak. Materiality was forced to run much of the race in the rear of the pack before making up ground late.
With a smaller field in the Preakness, the colt should have little difficulty getting out to a better start, and his closing ability will allow him to come away with a better finish this time around.
Rounding out the top four is Dortmund. While a fourth-place finish seems a bit low for this powerful colt, the concern here is his lack of finishing ability. He set a solid pace at Churchill Downs but ran out of gas down the final stretch. He won't be able to keep pace with good closing horses such as Pharoah, Firing Line and Materiality at Pimlico.
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