Preakness 2020 Post Positions: Latest Odds, Historical Stats for Each Slot

There will be no Triple Crown awarded as the revised horse racing schedule comes to a close with the running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, but Kentucky Derby winner Authentic will be looking to finish with two out of three.

Tiz the Law, who won at Belmont, is not running Saturday in an effort to prepare for the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7, which opens up room for the Bob Baffert-trained colt to move ahead in this weekend's field. Authentic, who did not race in the Belmont Stakes after finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby on June 6, is favored to win at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. He takes off from the ninth post position with 9-5 odds.

Baffert has a second chance to record his record eighth victory at the Preakness in Thousand Words, who missed the Run for the Roses after he flipped over 20 minutes before post time. He'll be challenged by Art Collector, the second favorite racing out of post No. 3 with 5-2 odds.

Post Position and Odds

1. Excession (30-1)

2. Mr. Big News (12-1)

3. Art Collector (5-2)

4. Swiss Skydiver (6-1)

5. Thousand Words (6-1)

6. Jesus' Team (30-1)

7. NY Traffic (15-1)

8. Max Player (15-1)

9. Authentic (9-5)

10. Pneumatic (20-1)

11. LiveYourBeastLife (30-1)

via Preakness Stakes

Post Position History

No. 1

Before American Pharoah won at Pimlico in 2015, trainer Bob Baffert didn't have high expectations for the inner post.

"You don't like to be on the inside, but we'll have to deal with it," he said, per the Washington Post's Andrew Beyer.

With the victory, American Pharoah became the first horse to win out of the first or second post positions dating back to 1987, when a new course superintendent was hired to ensure fairness at all track positions. Last season, War of Will helped contribute to a new trust in the inner posts with his victory.

Excession, with 30-1 odds, will try to break the stigma Saturday.

No. 2

In almost 35 years, just two horses have won at Pimlico from the same spot Mr. Big News will take with 30-1 odds on Saturday, per Beyer. Before Cloud Computing won with 12-1 morning line odds in 2017, Snow Chief was the last horse to beat everyone to the finish from No. 2, in 1986.

No. 3

The third slot saw three winners from 1986 to 1993 before California Chrome became the 12th winner out of the post in 2014. It isn't the toughest draw for Art Collector, who at 5-2 has a strong chance to outrun the favorite Authentic.

No. 4

Curlin was the last to win out of the fourth post in 2007, and Red Bullet was successful seven years earlier. But before the new millennium, the last winners out of No. 4 won in 1991 and 1992. After hosting race favorite Improbable last year, the fourth post gets a solid competitor again this season in Swiss Skydiver, who has 6-1 odds to become the first filly to win the Preakness.

No. 5

Post No. 5 has produced just two winners since 1986.

In 2016, Exaggerator claimed the title out of post position No. 5, five years after Shackleford won. With 6-1 odds, Thousand Words will try to join them Saturday.

No. 6

The middle posts are the most successful at Pimlico, with six winners coming out of No. 6 since 1986. The most recent winner out of the middle was Oxbow in 2013. Jesus' Team has the worst odds heading into Saturday at 30-1, but history will be on his side.

No. 7

The last winner out of post No. 7 was Justify in 2018, who went on to win the Triple Crown that year. No. 7 is also one of the more successful slots, with five winners taking the title at Pimlico since 1986. The historical success out of No. 7 is good news for NY Traffic, who sits at 15-1 odds.

No. 8

The eighth slot has had its fair share of success, though no horses have been first to cross the finish line out of this post position since 2006, when Bernardini won. War Emblem also won from No. 8 in 2002.

This year's competitor, Max Player, has had a strong season that has included a third-place finish at the Belmont Stakes. With 15-1 odds, he hasn't totally been counted out.

No. 9

Heading toward the outside of the track, the abundance of winners starts to slim down again. Just two horses have won the Preakness out of the ninth spot since 1986: Funny Cide in 2003 and I'll Have Another in 2012. With 9-5 odds, Authentic is looking to round out the first 20 years of the 2000s with a third victory for post No. 9.

No. 10

The most recent winner out of the 10th spot was Real Quiet in 1998, though this pole position and those after it are not always in use. This year, Pneumatic looks to cause a shock with 20-1 odds.

No. 11

With one of the worst post positions and odds at 30-1, Liveyourbeastlife coming out on top of this year's Preakness field would only be fitting in one of the most unique years in horse racing history. Historically, there have been two winners out of this position: Display, in 1926, and Point Given, in 2001.