Betting the Preakness Stakes

 The second leg of this year's Triple Crown racing series for three-year old Thoroughbreds is set for Saturday with the running of the 146th Preakness Stakes. Post time at Pimlico Race Course is set for 6:47 p.m. (ET) as the featured event on an exciting card of racing at this famed Baltimore track.

This year's race comes with a cloud of controversy hovering over the winner of the Kentucky Derby along with this colt's famed trainer Bob Baffert. 

Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance shortly after his thrilling victory at Churchill Downs on May 1. He was given the green light to run in the Preakness. However, the results of a second test could still strip the Kentucky-bred colt of his Derby title.

None the less, the show must still go on. The post positions and morning line odds yielded a field of 10 entries for Saturday's Preakness Stakes. Medina Spirit has been opened as a 9-5 favorite breaking from the No. 3 gate with veteran jockey John Velazquez getting the ride.

Adding even more interest (and drama) to this race, Baffert's other entry is a 5-2 second-favorite. Held out of the Kentucky Derby to better prepare for this race, Concert Tour will go off as the No. 10 colt with Mike Smith as his jockey.

The third-favorite on the morning line at 5-1 odds is trainer Steve Asmussen's Midnight Bourbon. He will break from the middle of the pack at No. 5 with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. on board.  

My "one to watch" in this race is Crowded Trade at 10-1 odds. This Kentucky-bred colt is trained by Chad Brown with jockey Javier Castellano riding him out of gate No. 4.

I am also looking at Unbridled Honor at 15-1 in a few head-to-head matchup bets. Trained by Todd Pletcher, he has the ability to finish in the money with a clean start out of the No. 8 post. He will have Luis Saez as his jockey for this race.

A few of the other contenders that could be a factor in this race are No. 6 Rombauer and  No. 2 Keepmeinmind at 15-1 odds.

My Official Preakness Trifecta Bet

1) Concert Tour

2) Midnight Bourbon

3) Medina Spirit