Preakness 2016 Contenders: Race-Day Overview for Entire Field and Undercard

Nyquist is a good bet to become the third-straight winner of a Kentucky Derby to also finish first in the Preakness Stakes. A slight field and potential rain will favor the thoroughbred pursuing Triple Crown glory.

Nyquist is the standout entry in an 11-horse field in Baltimore. But Exaggerator, the horse beaten to the post in Kentucky, is also a strong potential winner.

Here's how the post positions look for the two main contenders and the rest of the field ahead of the 141st race day:

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
1	Cherry Wine	Dale Romans	Corey Lanerie	25-1
2	Uncle Lino	Gary Sherlock	Fernando Perez	33-1
3	Nyquist	Doug O'Neill	Mario Guttierez	4-7
4	Awesome Speed	Alan Goldberg	Jevian Toledo	33-1
5	Exaggerator	Keith Desormeaux	Kent Desormeaux	15-4
6	Lani	Mikio Matsunaga	Yutaka Take	40-1
7	Collected	Bob Baffert	Javier Castellano	16-1
8	Laoban	Eric Guillot	Florent Geroux	40-1
9	Abiding Star	Ned Allard	J.D. Acosta	40-1
10	Fellowship	Mark Casse	Jose Lezcano	40-1
11	Stradivari	Todd Pletcher	John Velazquez	8-1

Doors will open at 8 a.m. at Pimlico on race day, per the official site. The race itself will start at 6:45 p.m.

Here's what the full program of racing looks like, including the Maryland Stakes-highlighted undercard:

Time (ET)	Race	Stakes
12:51 p.m.	(5) Grade III, Maryland Sprint Handicap	$150,000
1:29 p.m.	(6) James W. Murphy Stakes	$100,000
2:47 p.m.	(8) The Very One Stakes	$100,000
3:27 p.m.	(9) Chick Lang Stakes	$100,000
4:07 p.m.	(10) Grade III, Gallorrette Handicap	$150,000
4:43 p.m.	(11) Sir Barton Stakes	$100,000
5:39 p.m.	(12) Grade II, Longines Dixie Stakes	$250,000
6:45 p.m.	(13), Grade I, Preakness Stakes	$1.5 million

Preview

If this is a headline race set to be dominated by the first and second horses in Kentucky, Jonathan Lintner of the Courier-Journal believes he knows the strategies both will employ: "Nyquist figures to press the pace and Exaggerator rally from behind it in a Preakness field loaded with early speed. Nos. 2 (Uncle Lino), 4 (Awesome Speed) and 8 (Laoban) will all want the lead."

But if you're looking for a true outsider, consider the Todd Pletcher-trained horse in post position 11. Lintner dubbed intriguing Stradivari "lightly raced but highly respected."

Garry Jones/Associated Press

The hype is building around Stradivari, a horse Ellis Star of America's Best Racing believes is a bigger threat to Nyquist than Exaggerator and the rest of the field.

Yet there may still be some willing to chance a belief that Bob Baffert's Collected can surprise Nyquist and Co. Baffert trained American Pharoah to Triple Crown glory a year ago, but he'd likely be cagier about Collected's chances.

But this isn't a horse so easily overlooked, not when he has traits Baffert and jockey Javier Castellano can use wisely.

Specifically, Jay Hovdey of Daily Racing Form (h/t ESPN) highlighted how the Lexington Stakes winner's "natural speed puts him in the thick of what looks like a serious Preakness pace on paper."

Garry Jones/Associated Press

Meanwhile, Melissa Hoppert of the New York Times believes "you can never count a Baffert horse out."

But conditions in Baltimore could rule out the chances for several of the field. Rain is expected for race day, according to Dan Hoffman of the National Weather Service (h/t the Baltimore Sun's Scott Dance).

While the conditions might rattle some horses, Forbes' Guy Martin has insisted Nyquist won't be bothered even if the rain is consistent and heavy, after proving he can "swim" in "slop."

All signs point to Nyquist stocking one more win toward the Triple Crown.