Preakness 2015: Latest News, Live Stream, TV Info for Post Positions Draw

The 2015 Preakness Stakes is expected to be chock-full of drama, as American Pharoah aims to continue his quest to achieve the elusive Triple Crown; however, he may be doing so in a very small field.

Famed trainer Todd Pletcher announced Wednesday that he would not be entering any of his four horses—Materiality, Carpe Diem, Competitive Edge and Stanford—in the Preakness. Pletcher explained his decision during an interview with Jonathan Lintner of the Courier-Journal:

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We were considering it very seriously. Basically, it came down to we just felt two weeks was a little bit risky. We felt five weeks to the Belmont would be an advantage for [Materiality]. He's been at Belmont since two days after the Derby and has been training well. He's by a Belmont-winning sire. If you come back in two weeks and you turn out to be wrong, not only could you not run well in the Preakness, it could compromise your chances in the Belmont as well.

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With some of Pimlico's top contenders out of action, American Pharoah's chances of claiming the middle jewel of the Triple Crown must certainly increase; however, there's still the matter of the post position draw. Even in a small field, getting a favorable starting gate is of the utmost importance, as every contender will be looking to gain every possible advantage over the opposition.

Here's a look at the post draw's essential viewing information, followed by the race's updated outlook.

2015 Preakness Stakes Post Draw Info

When: Wednesday, May 13

Time: 5 p.m. ET

Channel: HRTV

Live Stream: HRTV.com and DRF.com

Preakness Outlook

Garry Jones/Associated Press

With four of the top contenders officially yanked from the field at Pimlico, we're likely to see another duel between the top three Kentucky Derby finishers, American Pharoah, Firing Line and Dortmund. So, here's the burning question: Can Pharoah emerge victorious against the talented duo once again?

There's reason to believe he will.

While a shorter race may lead horse racing enthusiasts to favor Dortmund—a powerful horse who led the majority of the Derby before running out of steam down the final stretch—keep in mind Pharoah's starting position at Churchill Downs and the added distance he was forced to run as a result.

Starting out wide in gate No. 16, Pharoah needed to make up ground quickly. He displayed brilliant acceleration, moving to third position before the first turn. Still, he was forced to run the bulk of the race three wide in an effort to avoid traffic, further increasing his total distance. Despite those obstacles, he remained the race's best closer, winning by a length over Firing Line.

Here's a look back at his Derby performance:

There's one other factor that currently appears to bode well for Pharoah in the Preakness—the weather.

According to Weather.com, we're likely to see the second race of the Triple Crown run on a rain-soaked track, as there is an 80 percent chance Pimlico will see thunderstorms Saturday afternoon. Why is that an advantage for Pharoah? Because he's already experienced racing in similar conditions this year.

In March's Rebel Stakes, Pharoah took the 1 1/16-mile race by an impressive 6 1/4 lengths on a very wet Oaklawn Park track. The colt didn't have any trouble accelerating out of the gate or maintaining his quick, smooth gallop throughout the race, earning a wire-to-wire victory.

Take a glance at his sparkling effort:

Adding to Pharoah's allure in the Preakness, trainer Bob Baffert continues to praise his horse's recent workouts, recently telling BloodHorse.com, "American Pharoah, he is something to see out there. He just floats over the track."

Now, it comes down to the post position draw. If Pharoah can come away with a favorable starting position, the Preakness may be his race to lose. If he doesn't, well, that only increases the drama and anxiety leading up to what should be a very entertaining competition at Pimlico.

All post draw information courtesy of Preakness.com.