Preakness 2019 Post Positions: Latest Odds, Historical Stats for Each Slot
After perhaps the most controversial Kentucky Derby in history, attention now shifts to the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
Neither Maximum Security—who was disqualified at the Derby—nor Country House, the eventual winner, will race at the Preakness, thus eliminating any possibility of a Triple Crown.
Despite all that, there is still some intrigue at the 144th edition of the Preakness.
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Trainer Bob Baffert is seeking a record-breaking eighth victory in the race as he sends Improbable back out to the track after a fourth-place finish at Churchill Downs.
In fact, three other horses from the Kentucky Derby—War of will (seventh), Win Win Win (ninth), Bodexpress (13th)—will also race at Pimlico.
Post Position and Odds
1. War of Will 4-1
2. Bourbon War 12-1
3. Warriors Charge 12-1
4. Improbable 5-2
5. Owendale 10-1
6. Market King 30-1
7. Alwaysmining 8-1
8. Signalman 30-1
9. Bodexpress 20-1
10. Everfast 50-1
11. Laughing Fox 20-1
12. Anothertwistafate 6-1
13. Win Win Win 15-1
Historical Stats for Each Slot
No. 1
American Pharoah won out of the inside rail in 2015, but historically this is one of, if not the worst position to be given at the Preakness.
Prior to the Baffert horse who went on to win the Triple Crown, an entrant in the No. 1 slot had not won since Tabasco Cat in 1994. Before that, it was Belly Ache in 1960.
Despite the lack of history on his side, War of Will still has the second-best odds in the race out of this position at 4-1.
No. 2
The second post position has been much kinder than the first, producing 12 winners in the history of the Preakness, including the 2017 champion Cloud Computing, who entered at 13-1 odds in a race that has mostly gone chalk in recent years.
However, most of those winners came long ago. Prior to Cloud Computing the last horse to win out of the No. 2 slot was Snow Chief in 1986.
No. 3
The third slot has also produced 12 winners, with the most recent being California Chrome in 2014.
Prior to that was Prairie Bayou in 1993, which capped a run of five Preakness winners between 1980-93 coming from the third slot before the drought began.
No. 4
The No. 4 spot has been one of the more successful draws with 13 champions. Curlin was the most recent in 2007 while Red Bullet won it in 2000, but they have been the only two winners from the fourth slot since 1992, which was the last time any post position produced back-to-back winners.
This year, Preakness favorite Improbable will start at the fourth slot at 5-2 odds and could become its 14th winner.
No. 5
The fifth slot has been kind in recent history, the only position to produce multiple winners this decade.
Exaggerator was the most recent winner in 2016, while Shackleford won the race in 2011 out of the No. 5 spot. Owenadale hopes to capture some of that magic at 10-1 odds.
No. 6
As we start to move toward the middle of the starting poles, we begin to see more positions with lots of success.
The No. 6 slot has produced 16 winners, including four since 1996, with the most recent being Oxbow in 2013. Triple Crown winners Omaha and Affirmed won the Preakness out of this position, too.
No. 7
Justify was the winner out of this spot last year en route to claiming the Triple Crown.
Seven horses have won out of this slot sine 1989, which is good news for Alwaysmining, who has 8-1 odds.
No. 8
Although we begin to start moving to the outside positions, there has been some success at No. 8, which has produced 10 Preakness winners.
Bernardini won out of this slot in 2006, which was four years after War Emblem did so. Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew also won out of the No. 8 berth.
No. 9
Only four horses have won out of the ninth slot, but two of them have come in the last 20 years.
I'll Have Another was victorious in 2012, while Funny Cide won the Preakness from the No. 9 position in 2003.
No. 10
Everfast already needs a lot of luck on his side as the long shot at 50-1 odds, but his post position is not necessarily the best, either.
The Preakness has only produced two winners from the No. 10 slot—although, like last year, there are not always 10 horses in the race—with the last winner being Real Quiet in 1998.
No. 11
This is another difficult position that has only produced two winners in the history of the Preakness.
The last to do it was Point Given in 2001, who was the first winner out the No. 11 position since Display in 1926. That's not great news for Laughing Fox at 20-1.
No. 12
Anothertwistafate has decent odds at 6-1, but the No. 12 position has only produced three Preakness winners. The most recent was in 2005, though, which belonged to Afleet Alex.
Prior to that, it was Pleasant Colony in 1981 and Kalitan in 1917.
No. 13
The final spot in the Preakness this year belongs to Win Win Win at 15-1.
Only one horse has won out of this spot and it came fairly recently, too. Rachel Alexandra won from the outside position in 2009 when the filly held off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird by a length to become the first filly since 1924 to win the Preakness.
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