Latest Vegas Odds for Preakness 2019 After Post Draw

Improbable received a favourable draw for Saturday's Preakness Stakes, with the colt starting from the No. 4 gate and earning 5-2 odds to lead the field. 

The 13-strong race is missing a number of top names, leaving an even field to battle for supremacy at Pimlico Race Course.

Kentucky Derby winner Country House will miss the meeting due to illness, with Maximum Security also absent due to injury.

Date: Saturday, May 18.

Start: 6:48 p.m. (ET), 11:48 p.m. (BST)

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland.

Post Positions And Latest Odds

Preview

The Preakness represents a huge opportunity for the riders in this year's race, with the top three horses from the Derby missing out from the second leg of the Triple Crown.

However, Improbable will set off from gate No. 4 in his bid for glory, and the Bob Baffert-trained colt was the pre-race favourite at the Run For The Roses after the withdrawal of Omaha Beach.

This year's race is difficult to call. What fans do know is there will be no Triple Crown winner this term after Justify's success last year.

War of Will travelled well at the Derby before being impeded by Maximum Security. The move saw the winner disqualified, with War of Will finishing seventh.

John Minchillo/Associated Press

With the raw pace of Maximum Security missing from the Preakness, Saturday's race could develop into a straight shootout between the two most fancied in the field.

War of Will assistant trainer Kim Carroll said the horse is ready for the next challenge and is unaffected by the events in Kentucky, per HorseRacingNation.com.

"He loves what he does," said Carroll during race preparations on Tuesday. "The only thing he didn't like [today] was that I didn't gallop him. But he wasn't [acting up]. He's totally professional, and all class; I never want to get off him. His mind is in the right place. He'll be excited to go out tomorrow again. He's so good at what he does. He's ready and he's going to show us what he's got."

The Preakness' official Twitter account shared an image of War of Will working out on Wednesday as he readies himself to cross swords with Improbable:

War Of Will was handed a tricky post at No. 1, but with the two favourites drawn close together, any advantage should be negligible.

Baffert is a master at preparing for this race. He will believe Improbable has the temperament to take the win after his fourth place at the Derby.

Justify ran the perfect race last year, and Baffert will be preparing his horse to repeat the feat on Saturday.