Preakness Stakes Odds & Post Position 2025: Favorites to Win Today at Pimlico Race Course

There will be no Triple Crown winner in 2025. Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty won't be participating in today's 150th Preakness Stakes, leaving Derby runner-up Journalism as the top name in the field as an 8-5 morning-line favorite.

The Preakness Stakes odds and post positions were drawn Monday evening. The 1 3/16-mile exam is rounded out by Derby also-rans Sandman and American Promise, along with six Triple Crown newcomers.

The action from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore (NBC) starts at 2 p.m. ET this afternoon, with the post time for the Preakness Stakes at approximately 7:01 p.m. ET.

See the Preakness Stakes post position for how those slots can impact betting strategies.

🐎 Preakness Stakes odds & post position 2025

Here are latest Preakness Stakes odds for the 2025 Race for the Black-Eyed Susans, with odds via FanDuel Racing.

🌩️ Preakness Stakes weather

Today's weather at Pimlico Race Course looks generally favorable, despite fears that rain could impact things earlier in the week. Yesterday's storms brought about an inch of rain to the track.

Temperatures range from 70-88 F today in Baltimore, with a brief period of thunderstorms in the mid-afternoon. Unlike the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Friday, it looks like today's races shouldn't face delays.

🔮 Preakness Stakes expert picks

• Preakness Stakes odds and post position
• Preakness Stakes AI predictions
• Preakness Stakes long shots

🥇 Preakness Stakes favorite

Journalism (8-5)

Two weeks ago, our 3.4-1 Kentucky Derby favorite did everything right. He overcame a jostling start in the 20-horse free-for-all, settled into his stalking position in the backstretch, then made his move in the far turn, taking the lead in mid-stretch. Journalism did everything according to trainer Mike McCarthy’s playbook and jockey Umberto Rispoli’s guidance - except win.

He couldn’t hold off a surging Sovereignty in deep stretch, falling 1 1/2 lengths short.

All of which is to say that from the moment his connections announced he would tackle the second jewel of the Triple Crown on May 11, you’re once again looking at the best horse in the Preakness 150 field. Nothing that happened two weeks ago at Churchill Downs has dissuaded oddsmakers from tabbing the son of standout sire Curlin the proper favorite.

He’s hit the board (4-1-1) in all six of his races, owns the best Beyer Speed Figure in the field (a 108), has a proper running style (stalking) that Preakness winners have and has already vanquished two horses in the field - Sandman and American Promise - by comfortable margins.

There are a few drawbacks, both from a wagering and racing standpoint. Journalism’s dominant status vis-à-vis his peers means that value will be non-existent. And Pimlico has not been kind to recent Derby expats; War of Will in 2019 is the last Derby alum to win the Preakness.

In this field, however, you can’t bury the lead and write off Journalism.

🎯 Preakness Stakes long shot to watch

Goal Oriented (6-1)

Why will we be doing the happy wagering dance Saturday if this Not This Time progeny goes off at anywhere near 6-1? Two words - Bob Baffert. The Hall of Fame trainer owns a record eight Preakness titles, with No. 8 secured two years ago with National Treasure, another pacesetter who started on the rail. This explains why Baffert horses take more than their share of money.

With only two races on his CV, Goal Oriented doesn’t bring nearly the experience or resume National Treasure brought to Pimlico. He didn’t make his racing debut until April 6, when he captured a six-furlong sprint at Santa Anita Park. While that may not send you to the window, his 1 1/6-mile allowance-optional claiming score a month later on the Kentucky Derby undercard should.

That three-quarters of a length victory not only featured Goal Oriented holding off numerous rivals in the stretch, but came on a sloppy track. Weather reports indicate a 60% chance of rain for Saturday.

Flavien Prat, who won the 2021 Preakness aboard 11-1 Rombauer, takes the reins of a horse who brings the front-end speed all recent Preakness winners possess. With Journalism in the field and with his light resume, Goal Oriented may not make the Preakness his first stakes victory. But you get one of the top jockeys in the world piloting a horse who has won off the pace and setting the pace.

And did we mention who his trainer was?

❌ Preakness Stakes pick to avoid

American Promise (15-1)

Given his seven Preakness victories, including last year’s near gate-to-wire triumph with 9.80-1 Seize the Grey, any D. Wayne Lukas horse will draw nearly as much money as his fellow resident on the Preakness Trainer Mt. Olympus - Baffert. And understand that this son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify is better than his 16th-place finish (out of 19 horses) in the Kentucky Derby - as witnessed by the fact he was running third after three-quarters of a mile.

We weren’t tempted by his 12.5-1 odds to put him on any Derby tickets and nothing has changed in this vastly weaker field. Your fifth betting favorite in the Derby still finished 38 1/2 lengths behind winner Sovereignty with a career-low Equibase Speed Figure (52) usually seen in maiden or claiming races.

Lukas is known for not dodging any opportunity to run one of his charges; this is American Promise’s 11th race (10 - 2-1-1). But the only victory of note is his 7 3/4-length dismantling of a Virginia Derby field that featured only one Derby horse: 17th-place Render Judgment.

The Virginia Derby is a Black Type stakes race, the lowest rung on the stakes food chain, and boat-racing an anemic field in such a race scares absolutely nobody here.

American Promise is a pace-pressing/stalker, a genus that typically does well at Pimlico. But there are better speed horses in the field - better speed horses who aren’t wheeling back on two weeks' rest.

📺 How to watch the Preakness Stakes

• When: Saturday, May 17
• Post time: 7:01 p.m. ET
• Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore
• How to watch: NBC, beginning at 2 p.m. ET

🧠 Preakness Stakes betting strategies

🧑‍🏫 What to know for betting the Preakness Stakes

As Exaggerator displayed in 2016, you can win the Preakness as a closer. And as every horse since then has shown, you probably won’t win it as a closer. That’s because front-runners, pressers and stalkers are the preferred genus of Preakness champions.

How preferred? Fourteen of the last 16 Preakness champions were in the front half of the field after the first half-mile. Take that deeper, and you find 10 of the last 16 winners were in the first three spots at that point. But we’re not done. Six of the last 16 led the race at the half-mile mark. This all includes last year’s winner - Seize the Grey, who seized the lead at the quarter-mile mark and never relinquished it.

Once again, the principal principle at the Preakness? Bet the front-end speed. In 16 of the last 20 editions, the winner was in the front half of the field after the first half-mile. The last three winners: Seize the Grey (first), National Treasure (first) and Early Voting (second) were in the top three at the half-mile mark.

When mudder Exaggerator won that 2016 Preakness, he not only took advantage of a sloppy track, but a fast pace that made it possible for him to fly out of the clouds from 11 lengths back. The other two horses who came from more than five lengths back were Curlin (2007) and Afleet Alex (2005) and both benefited on the fastest and second-fastest half-mile clocking in the last 20 years.

That said, when constructing a vertical ticket (exacta, trifecta, superfecta), throw a closer or two on. Your bankroll will usually thank you. Last year’s $1 trifecta paid a modest $183.70, courtesy of favorites Mystik Dan (2.40-1) and Catching Freedom (3.80-1) finishing second and third, respectively.

That’s been the exception. Five years ago, Jesus’ Team finished third behind Swiss Skydiver and Derby winner Authentic - at 40.90-1. Your trifecta payout - $1,205.70 on a $1 ticket. When War of Will won the 2019 Preakness, Everfast finished second at 29-1, producing a $473.50 exacta payout on a $2 bet. In 2017, when Cloud Computing won, Senior Investment capped a $2,194.60 payout on a $1 trifecta when he finished third at 31-1.

Other board-hitting, long-shot closers included Tenfold (third at 26-1 in 2018) and Tale of Verve (second to American Pharoah in 2015 at 28-1).

📈 Preakness Stakes trends and stats

• In Baffert, We Bet: As we mentioned before, the Hall of Fame trainer has won the Preakness a record eight times - all since 1997. That includes Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018), along with three others who came out of the Kentucky Derby. But it also includes the 2023 winner, National Treasure, who missed the Derby due to Baffert’s three-year ban from running on Churchill Downs tracks. You give Baffert a speed-favoring track and a front-end runner, and good things tend to happen.
• Derby Downers: Six of the last eight Preakness winners - including the five this decade - did not run the Kentucky Derby, heading straight for Pimlico. This is the latest Preakness plot twist that flipped the one-time shibboleth that running the first leg of the Triple Crown gives you a hoof up on the second leg. War of Will (2019) was the last Derby alum to win the Preakness. This is not a happy story for Derby runner-up Journalism, a day-at-the-beach trend for Sandman (seventh), or a promising omen for American Promise (16th).
• Favorite? What Favorite? Lately, favorites haven’t run to their odds at Pimlico. Since Justify’s 2018 victory en route to the Triple Crown, we’ve seen War of Will (6-1), filly Swiss Skydiver (11-1), Rombauer (11-1), Early Voting (6-1), National Treasure (3-1), and Seize the Grey (9.80-1) all beat their respective favorites. And along with the aforementioned, just since 2011, we’ve had Shackelford (12.60-1 in 2011), Oxbow (15.40-1 in 2013), and Cloud Computing (13.40-1 in 2017) win at double-digit odds. Six of the last 20 winners have gone off at double-digit odds.
• Look Outside: While post position isn’t as important in the Preakness as it is in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, posts 4-7 have produced the most winners. Post 6 (17 winners) leads the field in wins and win percentage (14.9%). Post 4, Post 5, and Post 7 have 14 winners apiece. River Thames will start from Post 6, with Heart of Honor (Post 4), Pay Billy (Post 5), and Sandman (Post 7) filling those favored gates. Conversely, Gosger is fighting a 4-for-79 record of colts starting in Post 9. Meanwhile, favorite Journalism in Post 2 and American Promise in Post 3 are trying to be only the second colts this century to win from those posts.

🎟️ How to bet on horse racing

Some other general strategies to consider for your Preakness Stakes picks that apply in when betting on horse racing include:

• Understanding the basics: Horse racing offers a variety of betting options, but the most common bet is to pick a horse to win, place, or show. A "win" bet means you're betting on a horse to finish first, a "place" bet means you're betting on a horse to finish first or second, and a "show" bet means you're betting on a horse to finish first, second, or third. Additionally, you can bet on multiple horses in different combinations, such as exactas (picking the first and second-place horses in order) or trifectas (picking the first three horses in order).
• Handicapping the race: Before placing your bets, it's important to do some research and analyze the horses, jockeys, trainers, track conditions, and past performances. Look at factors such as recent form, speed figures, class level, and how well the horse has performed on similar track surfaces and distances. You can also consider factors like post position, workout times, and any changes in equipment or jockey.

Placing your bets: Once you've done your research and identified potential winners, it's time to place your bets. Head to the betting window or use a betting app to place your wagers. Be sure to specify the type of bet you're making (win, place, show, exacta, etc.), the horse's program number, and the amount you want to wager. Double-check your bet slip before confirming to ensure accuracy.

❓Preakness Stakes FAQs

Who is the 2025 Preakness Stakes favorite?

Journalism, 8-5, opened as the betting favorite to win the Preakness Stakes at FanDuel Racing following the post position draw.

Who won last year's Preakness Stakes? 

Seize the Grey took last year's Preakness Stakes after entering as a +1500 long shot.

When is the 2025 Preakness Stakes held?

The 2025 edition of the Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, May 17.

Where is the 2025 Preakness Stakes held?

The Preakness Stakes is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Where can I bet on the Preakness Stakes?

Americans can legally wager on horse racing in the following states.

🏇 Horse racing betting odds pages

💵 Best Preakness Stakes betting sites

Want to bet on the Preakness Stakes? Here are the best horse racing betting sites and the best sportsbook promos for Saturday's race:

• FanDuel Promo Code
• DraftKings Promo Code
• Hard Rock Bet Promo Code

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Not intended for use in MA.
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