Preakness 2015 Post Time: Race Schedule, Live Stream and NBC TV Info

The 2015 Preakness Stakes features a small field but no shortage of drama. American Pharoah will look to continue his quest toward the Triple Crown with Firing Line and Dortmund, the other in-the-money finishers from the Kentucky Derby, highlighting the group looking to play spoiler.

Given the closing kick Pharoah showcased two weeks ago at Churchill Downs, the rest of the field faces an uphill battle on Saturday. That said, the quick turnaround, tough competition and tricky starting gate ensure the second leg of the journey is still a challenge.

Let's check out all of the important details for the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans, followed by a look at the field and a preview of the marquee race.

Viewing Information

Where: Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore

When: Saturday, May 16 at 6:18 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

2015 Preakness Field

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
1	American Pharoah	Bob Baffert	Victor Espinoza	10-13
2	Dortmund	Bob Baffert	Martin Garcia	15-4
3	Mr. Z	D. Wayne Lukas	Corey Nakatani	25-1
4	Danzig Moon	Mark Casse	Julien Leparoux	14-1
5	Tale of Verve	Dallas Stewart	Joel Rosario	50-1
6	Bodhisattva	Jose Corrales	Trevor McCarthy	50-1
7	Divining Rod	Arnaud Delacour	Javier Castellano	20-1
8	Firing Line	Simon Callaghan	Gary Stevens	17-4

Race Preview

American Pharoah put his finishing speed on display when Victor Espinoza asked for it in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. It was a situation where the race was close, but there was never a feeling he was going to get upset. He showed why over the final furlong.

As mentioned, there are some unknowns heading into the Preakness, though. The biggest one being how he'll perform on just two weeks rest. Up until this point, he's always received more than three weeks, and it's usually been closer to a month.

The horse racing feed from the Lexington Herald-Leader provided comments from Bob Baffert, who painted a positive picture about the energy level of both of his trainees. That's a good sign for the favorite's chances:

As for the post, breaking from the extreme inside decreases Pharoah's margin for error. Anything aside from a clean break will force jockey Victor Espinoza to play his cards exactly right the rest of the way to come out on top.

Jeff Siegel of HRTV isn't overly concerned with the positioning:

Then there's Firing Line and Dortmund.

Both horses proved capable of sticking with Pharoah for a large portion of the Derby. Firing Line was right there until the end but just couldn't reach the next gear he needed. Perhaps taking away half a furlong can make the difference.

Twitcapper provided a snapshot to highlight the difference the distance change could make:

Dortmund is also a physically gifted horse. He's built well and could respond to the quick turnaround better than the other contenders.

Divining Rod is a name to watch among the new shooters. He's finished in the money in all five starts, steadily improved each step of the way. His last outing was a victory in the Grade III Coolmore Lexington Stakes more than a month ago, so he's rested.

James Jones of Past The Wire is bullish about the horse's outlook:

"

Divining Rod could be one of the bigger "threats" in the Preakness, Improving son of Tapit, mother a half to kitten's Joy should run well.

— Horseplayer (@Dmrsurfside) May 4, 2015"

Ultimately, the bottom line remains the same: American Pharoah is the best horse in the Preakness. If he can avoid any issues at the start and doesn't illustrate any signs of fatigue, the chances of him crossing the finish line first are sky high.

There are enough question marks to at least expect a highly competitive race, though. If Pharoah isn't able to produce another top-tier performance for whatever reason, an opportunity will arise for another horse, most likely either Dortmund or Firing Line, to win the race.