It was Preakness day at Pimlico Race Course and it started to get wet. Rain is forecast to last until morning, with the possibility of more rain in the afternoon. The high temperature in Baltimore on May 18 is expected to be 69 degrees.
Posting time for the 149th Preakness Stakes (G1) is not until 7:01 p.m. ET and track conditions could improve if the rain eases. The main track and greens are currently graded as “good”. The first race was moved from grass to dirt.
The potential impact of rain was a storyline leading up to the Preakness largely because of the co-favorite character Mystik Dan handled a sloppy track skillfully to win the Southwest Stakes (G3) by eight lengths from his Preakness rival Steel only .
“I don’t think he needs a muddy track,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “We all knew he was going to run with it.”
If you’re wondering who the betting favorite will be in the Preakness, your guess is probably as good as anyone else’s.
At 9:45 a.m., with total winnings of $1.7 million, there were four horses listed at prices ranging from 3-1 to 9-2.
Seven 3-year-olds are listed at 9-1 or less in a field of eight.
Fellow 3-1 favorites are Kentucky Derby (G1) winners Mystik Dan and Seize freedom who placed fourth in the Race for the Roses.
Tuscan Gold priced at 7-2 and Imagination 9-2.
The remaining odds are: Mugatu January 21, Uncle is heavy 7-1, Embrace the gray 8-1, et Steel only 9-1.
Below are the full scratches for the day, as announced by Equibase this morning. There may be additional scratches:
Race 1: #7 take the fifth #9 Lieutenant-General
Race 2: #3 Midnight Award
Race 5: #6 Barbtourage
Race 7: #1 Sweet girl Dani #2 Dana’s beauty #5 Ninja Abarrio
Race 8: #5 Little Roo
Race 9: #1 Jeremy is lucky #4 Pivot point
Race 10: #7 Strong message #8 Tuscan sky
Race 11: #4 Mid-day image
Race 12: #7 Adhamo #ten Emmanuel #twelfth Happy again
Race 13: #4 Muth
Race 14: #1 Armando R
