Preakness 2019 Post Positions: Draw Start Time, Horses Lineup and More

The Preakness is often a race that requires the most prescient strategy from both the trainer and the jockey.

The key elements of horse racing are speed, power and endurance, but the tight turns of Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, the shorter home stretch and the 1 3/16-mile distance must all be taken into account when devising strategy for the race.

This race does not always go to the swiftest. Instead, it often goes to the best strategists and the sharpest jockeys.

The luster may be off the Preakness for some horse racing fans because Kentucky Derby-awarded winner Country House is not racing due to illness. That means there will be no back-to-back Triple Crown winner as there was in 1977 and '78 when Seattle Slew and Affirmed took home all three jewels in the same racing season.

Maximum Security, the horse that was first under the wire at Churchill Downs and was disqualified, is not racing either.

Preakness Stakes

When: Saturday, May 18.

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland.

Post time: 6:48 p.m. Eastern

Distance: 1 3/16 mile 

Winner’s share: $900,000.

TV: NBC, 5 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Eleven horses had been scheduled to run in the Preakness, and Market King was added to the field Sunday afternoon, per The Blood-Horse. The 12-horse field is the largest for the race since 2011.

Post positions are scheduled to be drawn Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET at Pimlico. 

Improbable is the early favorite at 3-1, per VegasInsider.com, and Market King is a long shot at 50-1, per Neil Greenberg of the Washington Post.

Here's a look at the early odds in the race:

Improbable, 3-1
War of Will, 7-2
Alwaysmining, 5-1
Bourbon War, 6-1
Owendale, 6-1
Anothertwistafate, 10-1
Win Win Win, 10-1
Warriors's Charge, 12-1
Signalman, 15-1
Laughing Fox, 20-11
Bodexpress, 30-1
Market King, 50-1

Odds for all horses other than Market King via VegasInsider.com.

Early look at the favorites

Improbable was fifth under the wire at the Kentucky Derby but was moved up to fourth place following the Maximum Security disqualification.

The Bob Baffert-trained horse was the 4-1 favorite at Churchill Downs and had a relatively good trip. He was just behind the leaders with a quarter of a mile to run and had an opportunity to fire down the home stretch, but he could not improve his position.

The big question going into the race was Improbable's ability to go the distance, and he did not answer that in a positive manner. The Preakness is slightly shorter than the Derby, so that could work out well for him.

War of Will was fully involved in the Derby disqualification, because Maximum Security veered off into his lane as he passed the quarter pole and was turning for home.

The Mark Casse-trained colt was surging at the time of the incident, but he had to check up to avoid a collision and could not mount a further rally. However, he showed enough to be considered a dangerous runner.

These two have an excellent chance to impose their will in Baltimore.