In 1960, Bally Ache drew the No. 1 post at Pimlico and still managed to win the Preakness Stakes.
Preakness Stakes Odds: Orb battles rail post jinx for Triple Crown push
Only one horse in the past 52 years has won the Preakness Stakes starting from the No. 1 post. Favorite Orb drew the rail but remains a huge favorite in betting odds win the 2013 Preakness Stakes.
Matthew Stockman
Since then, only one horse has won from that rail position, a run of bad luck that top betting choice Orb needs to end if he plans to challenge for the Triple Crown. That was Tabasco Cat back in 1994.
“The No. 1 post in the Kentucky Derby is more of a problem than the Preakness, despite what the statistics say,” said horse expert Michael Dempsey, a guest analyst at USRacebook.com.
“And don’t forget Orb broke from the rail in his Fountain of Youth win at Gulfstream Park, defeating heavily favored Violence.”
Orb, the Kentucky Derby winner and huge betting favorite for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, drew the rail in Wednesday night’s draw. The draw occasionally tweaks the betting line, but Orb did not budge from his 1-1 favorite status among the Preakness Stakes contenders.
Only eight runners will challenge the Shug McGaughey trainee, five of whom he beat two weeks ago at Churchill Downs. Mylute is the second betting at 5-1 after running fourth in the Derby, while Departing is the third betting choice at 6-1.
Orb is seeking his sixth consecutive victory and would go to Belmont as the favorite with a shot at the Triple Crown.
Preakness Winners Since 2000 (favorites in bold)
Year | Winner | PP | Jockey | Trainer | Time | Odds |
2012 | I'll Have Another | 9 | M. Gutierrez | D. Oneil | 01:55.9 | 3 |
2011 | Shackleford | 5 | J. Castanon | D. Romans | 01:56.5 | 12.6 |
2010 | Lookin at Lucky | 7 | M. Garcia | B. Baffert | 01:55.5 | 2.4 |
2009 | Rachel Alexandra | 13 | C. Borel | S. Asmussen | 01:55.1 | 1.8 |
2008 | Big Brown | 7 | K. Desormeaux | R. Dutrow Jr. | 01:54.8 | 0.2 |
2007 | Curlin | 4 | R. Albarado | S. Asmussen | 01:53.5 | 3.4 |
2006 | Bernardini | 8 | J. Castellano | T. Albertrani | 01:54.6 | 12.9 |
2005 | Afleet Alex | 12 | J. Rose | T. Ritchey | 01:55.0 | 3.3 |
2004 | Smarty Jones | 7 | S. Elliott | J. Servis | 01:55.6 | 0.7 |
2003 | Funny Cide | 9 | J. Santos | B. Tagg | 01:55.6 | 1.9 |
2002 | War Emblem | 8 | V. Espinoza | B. Baffert | 01:56.4 | 2.8 |
2001 | Point Given | 11 | G. Stevens | B. Baffert | 01:55.5 | 2.3 |
2000 | Red Bullet | 4 | J. Bailey | J. Orseno | 01:56.0 | 6.2 |
Watch for Preakness Stakes betting updates closer to post time.
