Preakness Odds 2020: Post Positions Info and Vegas Lines for All Horses

The 145th Preakness is set to go off Saturday evening, bringing an unusual Triple Crown to a thrilling conclusion at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore. 

The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans takes on a slightly different role in horse racing's big three in 2020. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the traditional second leg has been moved to October and will now serve as the final leg, with Kentucky Derby winner Authentic looking to make it two of three. 

The Triple Crown isn't in play this year. Tiz the Law won a shortened version of the Belmont to kick off the trio of races. However, the colt won't make an appearance at the Preakness. Instead, his connections have shifted their focus to the Breeders' Cup Classic set to run in November. 

Tiz the Law's absence hurt the field, but it didn't render it without intrigue. Authentic will see challenges from some familiar and unfamiliar faces in a 1 3/16-mile race that should be competitive, even when considering the Derby winner's impressive performance at Churchill Downs. 

Here's a look at the latest post-position info and odds as we get ready for the Triple Crown finale. 

Post Positions and Odds

1. Excession 40-1

2. Mr. Big News 16-1

3. Art Collector 5-2

4. Swiss Skydiver 8-1

5. Thousand Words 8-1

6. Jesus' Team 66-1

7. Ny Traffic 20-1

8. Max Player 20-1

9. Authentic 6-4

10. Pneumatic 25-1

11. Liveyourbeastlife 50-1

Odds via Oddschecker

Predictions

Win: Art Collector (5-2)

Authentic is the popular choice here for obvious reasons. After watching him run in the front early on and hold off Tiz the Law down the stretch, he's coming off of a thorough performance in the Derby. 

That's enough for him to be the odds-on favorite to win, but it isn't enough to make him a virtual lock. It's tough to win two of these races in a row. That's why few horses have done it. Not including Triple Crown winners, only 23 horses have won both the Derby and the Preakness. 

Art Collector stands the best chance to be the one to pull off the upset. The colt would have been the second choice behind Tiz the Law in the Derby, but a minor foot injury forced trainer Thomas Drury and owner Bruce Lunsford to scratch his horse from the big race. 

Lunsford is feeling good about his decision and his horse leading up to this opportunity. 

"I feel good about the horse. I like the way he runs. He looks like he's special, and it looks like the smart bettors like him, too, because he's gone from whatever, 4-1, to 5-2, and (Authentic) has gone up a little," Lunsford told BloodHorse. 

When Art Collector has been on the track he's been dominant. He is four-for-four as a three-year-old, including wins at the Blue Grass Stakes by 3½ lengths and the Ellis Park Derby by 3¼ lengths. 

Art Collector appears to be in the same class as Authentic, and with the colt's time to heal from his injury, he could be the fresher of the two in a tight race. 

Place: Authentic (6-4)

Picking Art Collector to win doesn't necessarily mean a prediction that Authentic is going to collapse. He's still a cut above most of the horses in this field. 

Authentic's early pace-setting or willingness to chase the pace sets up well on the shorter Pimlico race. He'll likely either be leading the pack on the first turn or at least in the mix, and he's already shown he has the endurance to keep that pace. 

It helps that trainer Bob Baffert has a proven track record at the Preakness. He's seeking a record-setting eighth victory in the race and certainly has the horse to do so.

The nice thing about backing Authentic is that he's been incredibly consistent. He's made five starts as a three-year-old and has won four of them, with the only second place coming at the Santa Anita Derby where Honor A. P. edged him out for the win. 

It won't be shocking if Authentic gets second. It would be if he finishes outside of the top three. 

Show: Pneumatic (25-1)

Mr. Big News ruined a lot of exotics when he scored a surprise third-place finish at the Derby. It's not uncommon for a longshot to find his way on the board, and this race could be no different. If you're looking to back a longshot to at least show on Saturday, Pneumatic is the choice. 

He was close to hitting the board at the Belmont with a fourth-place finish. Since then, he put together his most impressive race, winning the Pegasus Stakes and earning an Equibase speed figure of 113. 

That's easily among the fastest in the field, and with the shorter race in the Preakness, that speed becomes an even bigger factor. It's going to take a smart trip from jockey Joe Bravo, but he should be in with the front pack. 

The only question is whether he'll get chased down at the end by one of the closers in the field. There are a few, most notably the aforementioned Mr. Big News, but if Pneumatic can avoid it, he could be a lucrative bet.