Preakness Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2020 Preakness Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2020 Preakness Stakes is set for Saturday at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Preakness Stakes Preview and Prediction
- Race: Preakness Stakes
- Purse: $1 million
- Track: Pimlico Race Track
- Date: October 3
- Post Time: 5:36 PM (ET)
- Live: Preakness Stakes Odds: Click Here
2020 Preakness Stakes Handicapping
The long and winding road of the 2020 US Triple Crown reaches its conclusion on Saturday with the running of the (G1) Preakness Stakes.
Typically the middle jewel of the TC, this year’s schedule changes due to the impact of Covid has the Preakness going last, following June’s Belmont Stakes and September’s Kentucky Derby.
And while there is no Triple Crown title on the line this year, the Preakness does carry added significance as a ‘Win And You’re In’ race for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The winner of the Preakness will receive an automatic fees-paid entry to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, to be run at Keeneland Race Course on November 7.
The race is run at 1 3/16 miles on the Pimlico dirt course.
Odds listed here are provided by Bovada’s racebook.
2020 Preakness Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Authentic Race Odds: 6-4
In winning the Kentucky Derby, Authentic answered the big question of if he could win going a distance beyond 1 1/8 miles. Now he gets a cut back in distance, and looms as the serious favourite.
A winner of five-of-six lifetime with one runner-up finish, Authentic has been running at the highest level of graded-stakes through his career since scoring his maiden win at first try. He’s now on a two-race winning streak, capturing the Derby and before that the (G1) Haskell Stakes.
His winning time for the Derby of 2:00.6 was the fastest since 1985 and tied for the fifth fastest ever.
Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Preakness on seven previous occasions, while Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez somewhat surprisingly tries for his first.
2020 Preakness Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Art Collector Race Odds: 5-2
A perfect four-for-four in his three-year-old season, Art Collector has shown big improvement in his second season of racing after managing only a maiden win in 2019.
He comes in off an open-length, wire-to-wire victory in the Ellis Park Derby after scoring his first stakes win when taking the (G2) Blue Grass Stakes in July. He missed the Kentucky Derby with an injury issue, but all signs point to him being healthy and ready to go.
Both trainer Tom Drury Jr and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr are looking for their first Preakness win.
2020 Preakness Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Thousand Words Race Odds: 8-1
He was supposed to be a contender for the Derby, but 20 minutes before the big race Thousand Words got spooked and flipped in the paddock, resulting in a scratch.
Now he’s back and looking for redemption. He’s won of four-of-seven lifetime, with two of those at the graded stakes level. His reputation mostly lies in having gone wire-to-wire to beat Honor AP in the Shared Belief Stakes. At the time Honor AP was a top Derby contender, but he too missed the race with an injury.
He’s another Bob Baffert trainee, while Florent Geroux gets the ride looking for his first Preakness win.
2020 Preakness Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Swiss Skydiver Race Odds: 8-1
A filly going up against the colts, Swiss Skydiver actually qualified for the Kentucky Derby on the strength of her second-place run in the Blue Grass, but the connections decided to run her in the Kentucky Oaks instead.
She ran very well in the Oaks but was beaten 1 1/2 lengths by stablemate Shedaresthedevil. With little to prove against her own gender, and the BC Classic berth up for grabs, she’ll try taking on males again.
She’s an outstanding filly, but tasked with having to run faster and further than she ever has before, she’s likely trying for a minor award at best.
Trainer Ken McPeek tries for his first Preakness title, jockey Robby Albarado won the race back in 2007.
Here’s My 2020 Preakness Stakes Free Pick.
On past and present form and class, this sets up as Authentic’s race to lose. The only question might be how much his tough Derby win took out of him if he gets into another stretch battle here. But given the fact he’s already beat several in here without any trouble, it’s hard to go against him for the win.
The one wild card might be Thousand Words, who comes in fresh after missing the Derby. He won the Shared Belief by getting to the front and controlling fairly slow fractions throughout, and you can expect him to try the same tactics on Saturday afternoon.
I’ll box those two in an exacta, and add Art Collector and Swiss Skydiver underneath in the tri.
Full Field: Preakness Stakes Betting Odds
- Authentic 6-4
- Art Collector 5-2
- Thousand Words 8-1
- Swiss Skydiver 8-1
- Mr. Big News 14-1
- Max Player 16-1
- Pneumatic 16-1
- NY Traffic 18-1
- Jesus’ Team 25-1
- Liveyourbeastlife 33-1
- Excession 40-1
What do you think of our 2020 Preakness Stakes Race Odds & Predictions? Weigh in below with a comment. We welcome your feedback.
Register here for a FREE Sports Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!
David Colegate says
I like your picks Brent but i have to throw in mr. Big news as well….ggood lick
Brent Sedo says
That’s one damn good filly, eh Dave? Have to wonder again if Authentic didn’t have to go 2 minutes flat in the Derby, does he get by her? On to the Breeders’ Cup!