Preakness: Epicenter Can Improve On Derby

Karl Rasmussen
By , Updated on: Dec 19, 2023 07:00 PM
Preakness: Epicenter Can Improve On Derby

The second jewel of the Triple Crown is upon us: the 2022 Preakness Stakes! The Preakness is one of the most important betting races of the year, and this year’s edition will be run on Saturday, May 21, 2022. The race covers 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Pimlico, and it offers a purse of $1.65 million.

The race drew a field of nine of the best three-year-olds in training. Though longshot Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike did not go to the Preakness, instead opting to go straight to the Belmont, the field still features some of the most important horses in the class. Epicenter and Simplification, who finished second and fourth in the Run for the Roses, resurface at the Preakness. Secret Oath, winner of the Kentucky Oaks, will also try her skills against males in this race.

Preakness Morning Line Odds

This is the official field for the 2022 Preakness Stakes including draw numbers, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:

  1. Simplification (Antonio Sano/John Velazquez) - 6/1
  2. Creative Minister (Ken McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.) - 10/1
  3. Fenwick (Kevin McKathan/Florent Geroux) - 50/1
  4. Secret Oath (D. Wayne Lukas/Luis Saez) - 6/1
  5. Early Voting (Chad Brown/Jose Ortiz) - 7/2
  6. Happy Jack (Doug O’Neill/Tyler Gaffalione) - 30/1
  7. Armagnac (Tim Yakteen/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 12/1
  8. Epicenter (Steve Asmussen/Joel Rosario) - 6/5
  9. Skippylongstocking (Saffie Joseph, Jr./Junior Alvarado) - 20/1
Epicenter To Win the 2022 Preakness Stakes
+100
BetUS

Preakness Stakes Online Betting

Not all of us can make it to Baltimore for the race, but fortunately you can still be part of the action from home, or anywhere with an internet connection. Before you bet a single dollar on the Preakness Stakes, you should make sure you have made an account at the most profitable place to bet the Preakness online.

Our expert reviews of the best online sportsbooks will help you find sportsbooks with trusted money management features, great user interfaces, and the best odds anywhere. They also offer a wide range of betting incentives. Since different sites suit different kinds of bettors, let our expert reviews help you find the betting bonuses that will make you the most money during the Preakness and all year long!

Preakness Favorites

Epicenter will be the favorite in the Preakness Stakes, and he has earned that status. He was the most consistent horse on the Derby trail, and he ran a good second in the Kentucky Derby after being closer to a nuclear pace than the winner. With the versatility to handle any race shape and a win at the Preakness distance already, he will be extremely hard to beat in Baltimore.

Epicenter To Win the 2022 Preakness Stakes
+100
BetUS

Secret Oath comes into the Preakness out of a Kentucky Oaks win, and horses who come from the Oaks to the Preakness have a strong record in recent years. She should benefit from the pace from Early Voting, Fenwick, and Armagnac, and should be able to roll late from midpack or a little further back under excellent jockey Luis Saez.

Simplification has been another extremely consistent horse, and he can run a good race from any race shape. Though Gulfstream horses can sometimes struggle to prove themselves elsewhere, he ran a strong fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, proving he can leave Florida and hold his form. Expect him to be able to carve out a good trip and be a factor late.

Preakness Longshots

Creative Minister was supplemented into the Preakness for $150,000 after an impressive allowance win on the Kentucky Derby undercard. That suggests some serious confidence in their horse. He should be able to sit off the contested pace, and his pedigree has enough stamina in it to suggest that he can take another step forward over the Preakness trip.

Skippylongstocking has a good chance to fill out the deepest exotics, as well. Though he has to take a step forward from his Wood Memorial second, he is another who can benefit from having some pace to close into. Being Florida-based should also help him significantly given the hot and humid forecast for the race day.

Preakness Jockeys

Jockey Joel Rosario rides the favorite in the Preakness this year, Epicenter. Though he has never won the race, he has finished second in three out of his seven Preakness rides, including with longshots like Tale of Verve and Everfast. He is an elite rider who knows how to get the best out of his horse at Pimlico, and with the best-proven horse in the race he should be a fitting partner.

The only jockey in the 2022 Preakness who has won the race before is Tyler Gaffalione. He has only ridden in the Preakness once, but he captured the black-eyed susans with War of Will in 2019. Though it will be an uphill battle with Happy Jack, given Happy Jack’s racing form, it also helps that trainer Doug O’Neill has won the race before.

Preakness Current Odds

As the Preakness Stakes draws closer, keep an eye on the odds at the best online sportsbooks. When you see odds that are better than your horse’s chances to win, go ahead and place that bet. That way, you can be sure to lock in the best odds on your Preakness horse, and you can watch the race confident that you have gotten the best price.

BovadaBetOnlineBetUS
Epicenter-125+100+120
Secret Oath+450+550+450
Early Voting+450+550+350
Simplification+750+1000+600
Creative Minister+1000+1200+1000
Armagnac+1400+2500+1200

Free Preakness Picks

  • $20 win: #8 Epicenter
  • $1 exacta key: #8 Epicenter with #1 Simplification, #4 Secret Oath
  • $1 trifecta key: #8 Epicenter with #1 Simplification, #2 Creative Minister, #4 Secret Oath
  • 20 cent superfecta key: #8 Epicenter with #1 Simplification, #2 Creative Minister, #4 Secret Oath, #9 Skippylongstocking
Epicenter To Win the 2022 Preakness Stakes
+100
BetUS

Meet the author

Karl Rasmussen

Karl Rasmussen leverages his journalism degree and passion for sports in his expert coverage of Major League Soccer (MLS) and fantasy leagues. Hailing from Denmark but a longtime resident of the Pacific Northwest, Karl brings an international perspective to his analysis...

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