Preakness Odds 2015: Sleepers with Best Chance to Win Triple Crown's 2nd Leg

American Pharoah's date with destiny in the 140th running of the Preakness Stakes is rapidly approaching. While it initially looked like he would be facing a large group of rivals, the field has diminished each day, and he will likely compete against only seven other horses.

Because of the limited amount of challengers, American Pharoah will be the heavy favorite, with the other contenders relegated to sleepers or long shots.

Should he lose, the race could join a list of some of the greatest upsets in Preakness history. While American Pharoah does tower over the field, there still could be some value and potential for an upset.

While American Pharoah has been dominant all year, several colts on this list have a lot of upside. Some are trying to redeem themselves after the Kentucky Derby, while others are fresh faces who are ready to peak in a big race. With Dortmund, Firing Line and Danzig Rod all looking for redemption and Divining Rod looming as a well-rested threat, American Pharoah may have his work cut out for him.  Read on for some sleepers who could surprise on Saturday.

Divining Rod, 22-1

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Of the newbies entering the Preakness Stakes, Divining Rod appears to be the only one who could be a legitimate contender. The consistent colt has done everything right since making his career debut as a juvenile last November and has been on the board in all five starts.

With Julien Leparoux committed to ride Danzig Moon, the decision on who would ride Divining Rod was contingent upon whether Todd Pletcher would enter any of his colts, as his two first-call jockeys, Javier Castellano and John Velazquez, would be obligated to ride them. With Pletcher sitting out the Preakness, the door opened for Castellano to ride Divining Rod.

He will be carrying the silks of Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables, the same connections that campaigned the ill-fated Barbaro, so there is a sentimental angle with him as well. 

Danzig Moon, 20-1

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Danzig Moon did not run a bad race in the Kentucky Derby and finished fifth, earning a chance to move on to the second jewel of the Triple Crown. He is a rugged, physical colt who should be able to withstand the two-week turnaround.

Trainer Mark Casse told Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form that his colt seems to be thriving post-Kentucky Derby: “He was training well coming into the Blue Grass, out of that he trained even better coming into the Derby, and we think he’s doing even better now."

Though the Canadian-bred has never won a stakes race and took three tries to break his maiden, he does look like a horse who is improving and maturing with each race. 

Firing Line, 4-1

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Though Firing Line is not a big long shot by any stretch of the imagination, he still has gotten nowhere near the attention and hype American Pharoah has despite only losing the Kentucky Derby by one length.

Firing Line has finished first or second in all six starts and proved he can show up and run his race on even the biggest of stages. However, there is always the possibility he bounces or takes a step backward after such a terrific effort in Louisville.

He will have Gary Stevens aboard, who stole the race in Oxbow's saddle in 2013. With that sort of expert as a pilot, his chances are sure to improve.

Dortmund, 9-2

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Dortmund looms as an imposing chestnut presence, and American Pharoah's greatest competition could come from his own barn. Though he finished third after setting the pace in the Kentucky Derby, Dortmund will get a cut back in distance at Pimlico. If he can control the pace again, he could prove difficult to get past.

Undefeated in six starts prior to the Run for the Roses, Dortmund has proved to be a resilient fighter and a difficult horse to defeat in a stretch duel. With his sheer size and physicality, he is structurally suited to handle the rigorous two-week turnaround and come back even better than before.

Though Dortmund would not be a huge surprise, as his odds reflect, people are quick to forget him heading toward Saturday. 

Odds are courtesy of Odds Shark.