Preakness 2018 Post Positions: Horse Odds, Prize Money Predictions and More

Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore will play host to the 2018 Preakness Stakes on Saturday, and it figures to be a muddy affair, with plenty of rain in the forecast.

All eyes will be on Kentucky Derby winner Justify, who pulled away from the pack down the stretch at Churchill Downs to remain perfect in the four races he's won since his on-track debut in February. 

Below we'll break down Justify's odds of winning the second leg of the Triple Crown and provide some last-minute predictions as the 6:48 p.m. ET post approaches. 

2018 Preakness Post Positions and Odds

1. Quip 14-1 (Trainer: Rodolphe Brisset, jockey: Florent Geroux)

2. Lone Sailor 20-1 (Trainer: Tom Amoss, jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.)

3. Sporting Chance 40-1 (Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas, jockey: Luis Contreras)

4. Diamond King 20-1 (Trainer: John Servis, jockey: Javier Castellano)

5. Good Magic 13-4 (Trainer: Chad Brown, jockey: Jose Ortiz)

6. Tenfold 33-1 (Trainer: Steve Asmussen, jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.)

7. Justify 11-25 (Trainer: Bob Baffert, jockey: Mike Smith) 

8. Bravazo 18-1 (Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas, jockey: Luis Saez)

Odds according to OddsShark. 

Preview

Justify may be the overwhelming favorite, but it would be foolish to consider this race a lock for the three-year-old. 

While Bob Baffert's prized colt showed off his rare blend of power and speed to capture a title at Churchill Downs, Justify has dealt with a bruised heel on his left hind leg in advance of the Preakness, according to the New York Times' Melissa Hoppert. 

However, Baffert has maintained that despite intense media scrutiny, Justify's condition has not worsened and he will be 100 percent come post time.

"It's a Derby winner," Baffert said, per the Associated Press' Stephen Whyno (h/t ABC News). "It's not like any horse. I can understand why people were concerned because you don't want to see your Derby horse like that. We jumped on it right away. We didn't give it a chance for it to get any worse."

Even if Justify is striding at full strength, he figures to receive a major challenge from Good Magic, who finished 2 ½ lengths back and claimed second at the Kentucky Derby. 

"We're going to have to take another step forward, which I'm optimistic the horse can," trainer Chad Brown said, per the Baltimore Sun's Childs Walker. "And we're going to have to see if Justify, a horse that's moved forward every start of his life so far, we probably have to see him finally take a slight regression to make up that amount of distance between the two. And it's a horse race. That can happen. It's hard for horses to keep moving forward."

Assuming Good Magic is run in a close trail position behind Justify once again, jockey Jose Ortiz will have to hope his horse finds an extra gear down what's sure to be a sloppy back stretch. 

"[A wet track] is not a disadvantage for me or for my horse," Ortiz said, per Paulick Report. "We ran in the Derby, and we were beaten 2½ lengths on a sloppy track. Both horses like it; Justify just had a better day that day."

Lastly, keep an eye on Quip. 

The Tampa Bay Derby winner and Arkansas Derby runner-up was held out of the first leg of the Triple Crown, but he possesses top-notch speed that could be the difference on a shorter Pimlico track. 

And if can get a good break out of the first post, Quip could bolt ahead of the pack early and set the stage for a dramatic finish as Justify and Good Magic attempt to keep pace over what figure to be a compelling final few furlongs. 

Projected Order of Finish and Prize Money Payouts

1. Good Magic ($900,000)

2. Justify ($300,000)

3. Quip (165,000)

4. Bravazo ($90,000)

5. Sporting Chance ($45,000)

Purse information courtesy of TopBet.