Preakness Odds 2022: Picks and Predictions Based on Recent Betting Lines

Rich Strike won't be participating in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday, so there won't be a Triple Crown winner this year.

The Eric Reed-trained colt surprised all-comers to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby 10 days ago, but he will be the first healthy winner of the Derby to forgo the second leg of the Triple Crown since Spend a Buck passed in 1985.

With Rich Strike out of the field, that leaves the door open for Epicenter as the favorite for the "Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" on May 21.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Epicenter finished second at the 148th Run for the Roses, so the horse is expected to do well running Pimlico's 9.5 furlongs.

Last year's winner Rombauer was a long-shot, so bettors may want to take a close look at the field before placing their wagers. 

Here's the latest odds for the 2022 Preakness Stakes and predictions for the top three finishers.

Preakness Odds

Simon Bruty/Getty Images

Simplification (6-1)

Creative Minister (10-1)

Fenwick (50-1)

Secret Oath (9-2)

Early Voting (7-2)

Happy Jack (30-1)

Armagnac (12-1)

Epicenter (6-5)

Skippylongstocking (20-1)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Predictions

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Now that there's no colt in search of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown this year, fans may feel that the excitement of the middle jewel in the sport's iconic racing trio has diminished.

But that shouldn't be the case, especially with the Derby 148's second place-finished Epicenter running in the Preakness.

Ridden by jockey Joel Rosario, the horse is considered the overwhelming favorite at Pimlico on Saturday, especially since there's no scheduled rematch with Rich Strike.

"He’s a legitimate favorite," Secret Oath trainer D. Wayne Lukas told Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun. "He’s a very good horse. Nobody can go over there and think they’ll just run by him. He is going to be awfully tough to beat. You are taking a shot if you take him on."

Epicenter won't be the only colt out to prove he's the best three year-old in his class with strong competitors like Simplification, who finished fourth at the Derby and Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath.

Early Voting is another strong challenger, who qualified for the Kentucky Derby but did not participate in the race.

Trainer Chad Brown is hoping the horse follows in the fast footsteps of Cloud Computing in 2017 and bring them another win for he and owner Seth Klarman at Preakness.

"There's a lot of similarities between Early Voting and Cloud Computing," Brown told Bob Ehalt of Bloodhorse.com. "They both have good early speed on the stretchout. They are strong, sharp work horses; powerful horses. Both are good-moving, attractive horses and they are lightly raced."

As for Secret Oath, this is her last race against the boys. 

The Kentucky Oaks heroine will run the Preakness and will not run the Belmont, so the speedy filly may be looking to finish on a high note by winning in Baltimore.

“We’re not running in the Belmont,” owner Robert Mitchell told Tom Pedulla of HorseRacingNation.com. "We’re going to sit back and rest her. Whether she wins the Preakness or loses the Preakness, she’s going to get some time off. I’ve made that 100 percent clear to Wayne, and he’s on board with it. I don’t care if we win by 10 lengths, she’s getting some time off."

Should Secret Oath win, she'll only be the seventh filly to win the Preakness in 147 years.

Prediction: 1. Epicenter; 2. Early Voting; 3. Secret Oath.