Preakness 2020 Contenders: Race-Day Picks for Top Horses and Jockeys

A Triple Crown won't be on the line at the 2020 Preakness, but there's still plenty left to race for in The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans, not the least of which is a $1 million purse. 

The traditional summertime race has been shifted to the fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of being the second race that usually features a Triple Crown hopeful, it will close out the series of races. 

Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law won't be found in the paddock after his connections made the decision to focus their efforts on the Breeders' Cup Classic. But Kentucky Derby winner Authentic will aim to become the 24th horse in history to win the Derby and Preakness. 

It'd be quite the achievement, but a talented 11-horse field will require another great trip from jockey John Velazquez. The 48-year-old and the rest of the jockeys will be hoping to make big additions to their 2020 earnings with a win at Pimlico. 

With just 1 3/16 miles of track to make moves, shrewd handling of the horses will be crucial. Here's a look at all the jockey assignments for the field and some of the horse-jockey combinations expected to be in the mix. 

Post Positions, Jockeys and Odds

1. Excession, Sheldon Russell 40-1

2. Mr. Big News, Gabriel Saez 16-1

3. Art Collector, Brian Hernandez Jr. 5-2

4. Swiss Skydiver, Robby Albarado 15-2

5. Thousand Words, Florent Geroux 8-1

6. Jesus' Team, Jevian Toledo 66-1

7. Ny Traffic, Horacio Karamanos 20-1

8. Max Player, Paco Lopez 20-1

9. Authentic, John Velasquez 6-5

10. Pneumatic, Joe Bravo 25-1

11. Liveyourbeastlife, Trevor McCarthy 50-1

Odds via Oddschecker.

Top Horses and Jockeys

Authentic and John Velasquez

Saturday is a big day for Authentic, but it's also a big day for jockey John Velasquez, who will be going for a career Triple Crown. He's won the Derby three times aboard Authentic (2020), Always Dreaming (2017) and Animal Kingdom (2011), and he won the Belmont on Union rags (2012) and Rags to Riches (2007). 

The Preakness has always evaded him, though. His best finishes have come in 2013 and 2011, when he finished second aboard Itsmyluckyday and Animal Kingdom, respectively. 

Velasquez is a consistent player in the top 10 earners every year. In Authentic, he has a horse that can win this race with multiple strategies. Authentic has the speed and endurance to be an early pace-setter and still have enough gas to hold off any late challengers.

If he happens to get a bad line breaking from the ninth gate, though, he's shown enough closing speed to make his move and catch up with the pace. Either way, Velasquez is too talented of a jockey for Authentic to not at least make a strong play to etch his name into the history books. 

Prediction: Second Place

Art Collector and Brian Hernandez Jr. 

Art Collector enters the race as the second favorite behind Authentic, but a win would be a big upset. Art Collector isn't the only one looking for a big performance in the Triple Crown for the first time. 

Brian Hernandez Jr. is just outside of the top 20 earners in 2020 and has never placed in a Triple Crown race. Trainer Thomas Drury is a similar story. The trainer cracked $1 million in earnings for the first time in his career this year and has yet to place in a Triple Crown race. 

So Art Collector and his connections are new to the party, but they have a good chance to all make their first strong appearance in the Triple Crown on Saturday. 

Art Collector is 4-0 as a three-year-old and was installed as the second favorite in the Derby before a minor foot injury forced him to scratch. Now, he's had time to heal and once again enters with the second-best odds.

When he's been on the track, he has shown that he could be in Authentic's class. He'll be one to watch early too as Hernandez should want him at or near the top of the pack early. 

Prediction: Winner

Swiss Skydiver and Robby Albarado

Swiss Skydiver is looking to become just the sixth filly in history to win the Preakness. Fortunately, she'll have a rider with winning experience in the race to guide her along. 

Albarado won the Preakness with Curlin in 2007 and has a second-place finish in 2003 aboard Midway Road to his name. 

2019 Preakness-winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione rode Swiss Skydiver to a second-place finish at the Kentucky Oaks in her last start. She's been busy in 2020 with eight starts, finishing first in four of them and only failing to make the board once. 

That will be a tough streak to continue at the Preakness. With a talented field and lightly raced competition, she'll need one of her best performances to find the board again. 

Prediction: Sixth Place