Preakness 2015 live stream: How to watch second leg of Triple Crown online

No horse has completed the Triple Crown since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978, but if the odds prove to be true, American Pharoah will move one leg closer to accomplishing the feat on Saturday. American Pharoah is an overwhelming favorite to win the 2015 Preakness Stakes after surging late to win the Kentucky Derby.

Although he won by a comfortable margin, winning the Kentucky Derby wasn’t an easy task. American Pharoah ran in third place for much of the derby, trailing Dortmund and Firing Line until taking over at the final turn. He will have a similar challenge on his hands on Sunday at the Preakness with Dortmund and Firing Line the strongest contenders in a small eight-horse field. American Pharoah will also have to overcome a major obstacle right off the bat. He drew the No. 1 post and will start against the rail.

He may be a 10/13 favorite according to oddsmakers, but he will still have to avoid getting pinned on the rail if he’s going to claim the second leg of the Triple Crown. Plenty of great horses have had their chances squashed by getting caught up in traffic. American Pharoah could benefit by the reduced field. With only eight horses scheduled to run there won’t be as much traffic off the gate as their would be with a full 14-horse field. American Pharoah will have no issue keeping track of how Dortmund is running as Dortmund will start from the No. 2 gate.

Every time a Bob Baffert trained horse won the Kentucky Derby, it went on to also win the Preakness. American Pharoah could make that 4-for-4 for Baffert and set up plenty of intrigue heading into the Belmont Stakes.

NBC will handle the television coverage with the coverage scheduled to begin on NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. ET before shifting over to NBC at 4:30 p.m. Combined there will be more than three hours of coverage leading up to the race with post time scheduled for 6:18 p.m. Viewers will also be able to watch the action, both pre-race and the race itself, live online with a stream from NBC Sports Live Extra.

TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m.; NBC, 4:30 p.m.