Kentucky Derby favorite and runner-up Journalism leads a cast of nine runners for Saturday’s historic 150th running of the $2 million Preakness Stakes, middle jewel in Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. Saturday’s Preakness will be the final scheduled to be run at Pimlico before America’s second-oldest racetrack undergoes a demolition and complete rebuild.

The Santa Anita Derby winner starts from post 2 as drawn at a ceremony Monday night in Baltimore. Pimlico oddsmaker Dan Illman projects Journalism the 8-5 favorite with Sandman (post 7) next up at 4-1 odds. Journalism and Sandman also were the public’s top two wagering choices in the Run for the Roses. Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty’s connections opted to bypass the race and train up to the June 7 Belmont Stakes.

Horseplayers attacking Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Day and Saturday’s Preakness Day cards with Pimlico can take advantage of several great promos with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. Among the incentives are the $20,000 Exacta-Thon and a $10 Money-Back Special for win bets in the two daily featured races.

None of the Kentucky Derby’s early pace players lasted for the superfecta in Louisville, but American Promise (post 3) was prominent early in that one and expected near the Preakness pace as well. Two-time Oaklawn winner Clever Again (post 8) has led wire-to-wire in his victories and could be first to show Saturday. The likes of Goal Oriented (post 1) for 8-time Preakness winner Bob Baffert and River Thames (post 6) for Todd Pletcher also can force the tempo, the latter more so with the rail draw. Local star Pay Billy (post 5) and Lexington winner Gosger (post 9) want to be in the hunt from close-up range as well.

The race could set up nicely for a stalking Journalism and a deeper-closing Sandman, not to mention international invader Heart of Honor (post 4), runner-up in the UAE Derby at the Preakness distance of 1-3/16 miles. Journalism’s post 2 draw between a pair of speed horses could make for a challenging trip if he engages from the start.

Saturday’s Preakness Day program gets underway at 10:30 am ET and includes undercard stakes like the Grade 2 Dinner Party, Grade 3 Maryland Sprint and Grade 3 Gallorette. Advance wagering will be available at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet on the full Saturday card beginning on Friday.

The wagering menu includes a Black-Eyed Susan / Preakness daily double as well as a pair of 2-day pick 5 wagers connecting key stakes. The first pairs Friday’s The Very One Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan with Saturday’s Jimmy Murphy, Dinner Party and Preakness; the other matches Friday’s Miss Preakness and Pimlico Special to Saturday’s Chick Lang, Sir Barton and Preakness.

Preakness Stakes 150 | Pimlico | Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Race 13 | 7:01 pm ET

1-Goal Oriented (Bob Baffert / Flavien Prat) 6-1
2-Journalism (Michael McCarthy / Umberto Rispoli) 8-5
3-American Promise (D. Wayne Lukas / Nik Juarez) 15-1
4-Heart of Honor (Jamie Osborne / Saffie Osborne) 12-1
5-Pay Billy (Mike Gorham / Raul Mena) 20-1
6-River Thames (Todd Pletcher / Irad Ortiz Jr.) 9-2
7-Sandman (Mark Casse / John Velazquez) 4-1
8-Clever Again (Steve Asmussen / Jose Ortiz) 5-1
9-Gosger (Brendan Walsh / Luis Saez) 20-1