Preakness Stakes 2017 contenders: Always Dreaming and Classic Empire will duel

In the run up to the Kentucky Derby, Classic Empire was named the morning line favorite while Always Dreaming sat behind as a close second. On the morning of the Derby, bettors rejected that line of thinking and made Always Dreaming the clear favorite. Smart thinking. He went on to win the Run for the Roses, while Classic Empire finished fourth.

Half of the 10-horse field may be new Saturday at the 2017 Preakness Stakes, but things should look similar. The second jewel of the Triple Crown is for all intents and purposes again a two-horse race. Always Dreaming is the heavy morning line favorite to begin. But this race could look more like was envisioned for two weeks prior, so a lot of experts like Classic Empire.

Beyond the two true favorites, a couple of other horses at least have a chance to win the thing. Looking at Lee, by way of his second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, has to be a part of the conversation. As does Gunnevera, who finished seventh in the Derby on a wet track. He could be better on the fast Preakness track. Finally Cloud Computing is interesting. He was not one of the Derby starters but earlier in the year showed he has what it takes to be near the front at the end of the race.

You can watch the Preakness on NBC or stream it live via NBC Sports Live Extra. The undercard will be televised beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The network broadcast picks up on NBC at 5. The horses will go to the post at approximately 6:45 p.m.

After winning the Derby, he’s the clear favorite to take the Preakness. And trainer Todd Pletcher’s horse probably should be. Always Dreaming vaulted into the discussion with a big win at the Florida Derby in April, then as Kentucky Derby race day favorite, jockey John Velazquez had him stalking the leader for much of the 1-1/4-mile race before pulling away down the front stretch to win by 2-3/4 lengths. Always Dreaming should be able to run at a quick pace that will put him at or near the front of the pack at Pimlico and then finish strong.

However, there’s good reason to believe it’s not going to be as easy as it sounds. And while Always Dreaming is starting from the fourth gate, his chief competitor will be right next door in the fifth ...

The reason Always Dreaming isn’t a surefire victory is the belief that Classic Empire will finally turn in the race that he was expected to be able to do. The half-brother of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has not had the easiest of seasons. Suffering a foot injury earlier in the year and having less than ideal runs this year, the thought goes that the top 2-year-old will be able to regain his form fully and live up to potential. The Mark Casse trainee got bumped at the start of the Kentucky Derby and had an incredibly difficult path to the front of the pack but still managed to close well enough to finish fourth. The Preakness has just 10 starting compared to the 20 of the Derby, giving him more room to run the race he and jockey Julien Leparoux want.

With a good chance at being able to win the race and odds that contain more value, he might be the best to wager on.

He finished second in the Kentucky Derby, so why does he feel like such a long shot in the Preakness? But he is. Trained by Steve Asmussen and with Corey Lanerie as jockey, Lookin At Lee seems to be good at finishing well but not as good at winning. He has not won in his past seven races, with the last victory coming Aug. 6, 2016, at a seven-furlong distance. Before Kentucky, he earned third-place finishes twice. He is a closer, so you never know, but shouldn’t be much more than taking a flier.

Cloud Computing defines lightly raced. He has just three races, all in 2017, none at a distance over 1-1/8 miles. He won his maiden in February, finished second at the Grade 3 Gotham, and finished third in April in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. He’ll have Javier Castellano along for the ride at Pimlico. However, he has some speed and comes across as one to keep an eye on.

As America’s Best Racing noted, one problem here is that nine of the past 10 Preakness winners competed in the Kentucky Derby, and 47 of the past 54 winners were Derby entrants. Conquest Mo Money was not an entrant in the Kentucky Derby. However, he does have some good results to his name, including two victories in four starts, all as a 3-year-old. He finished second in the other two, behind Hence in the Grade 3 Sundland and behind Classic Empire in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby. He’ll break from the outside gate and should show off some early speed.

Gunnevera finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby after having a bit of a slow start and falling far off the pace. The fact Churchill Downs featured a wet track following days of cold, wet weather may have been a factor there. That conditions are expected to be ideal a Pimlico means the Mike Smith-jockeyed horse, trained by Antonio Sano, should have a much better go of things.

From the Derby contenders, Hence will be at the Preakness. While he shouldn’t figure into the top two, there’s some chance he could finish in the money.

Three other entrees will be making their Triple Crown debut: Conquest Mo Money, Senior Investment, Multiplier, and Term of Art. Most of these are just not that interesting.

You can find up-to-the-minute Preakness 2017 odds and analysis from our friends at OddsShark, as well.