2009 Preakness Stakes Preview
Written by Steve Janus
The third Saturday in May (May 16th, 2009) means the second leg of Horse Racing’s 2009 Triple Crown as the contenders meet at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland for the 134th Running of the Preakness Stakes. In case you missed it, long shot, Mine That Bird, shocked the experts in this year’s Kentucky Derby and will be running for a chance at a piece of history in this year’s Preakness. History is on his side, as 7 of the last 11 Kentucky Derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness (and probably would have been 8, if it weren’t for the tragic breakdown of Barbaro). Was Mine That Bird’s Kentucky Derby run a fluke, or does he have what it takes to make run at the Triple Crown? Let’s take a look at all of this year’s Preakness contenders.
Big Drama – 20/1 – Quick from the gate, but I am concerned about this distance for a horse that has just one start prior to this race.
Flying Private – 20/1 – Bombed in the Kentucky Derby. Distance suits this horse well, but he is a long shot for a reason.
Friesen Fire – 8/1 – Suffered a minor injury in the Derby, partly accounting for a poor finish, so be sure to check his status leading up to Saturday. Pedigree says he should be a contender.
General Quarters – 9/1 – Won the Sam F. Davis Stakes at 1 1/16th miles and the Blue Grass Stakes at 9 furlongs. The additional distance of the Preakness my be just beyond his reach.
Luv Gov – 30/1 – Performed well, winning in the 3rd race of the day at Churchill Downs on Derby day, but stiffer competition makes him a long shot in the Preakness.
Mine That Bird – 7/2 -Amazing win in the Kentucky Derby makes him one of the favorites. Derby showed that this distance should not be a problem, but a repeat performance will be difficult.
Musket Man – 8/1 - Pedigree leans toward shorter distances, which should work in his favor after a 3rd place finish at the longer Kentucky Derby.
Papa Clem – 8/1 – Similar to Musket Man in that the shorter distance should help his cause after a strong finish in the Derby.
Pioneerof The Nile – 6/1 – Ran well in the Derby for his first start on dirt. Good pedigree and long stride make him a strong contender.
Rachel Alexandra – 3/2 – This Filly dominated her competition in the Kentucky Oaks at nine furlongs. The extra sixteenth of a mile should not hurt her chances here as the favorite.
Take the Points – 22/1 – Pedigree shows that stamina should not be an issue, but has performed better at shorter distances. The 1 3/16th miles against this competition will be difficult.
Terrain – 25/1 – Better horse at middle-distance races, but his pedigree indicates this distance shouldn’t be a major concern.
Tone It Down – 35/1 – The local horse of the bunch. While it’s a nice tradition to feature a horse from Maryland in the Preakness, they are usually out-classed, which appears to be the case here once again.
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2 Responses to “2009 Preakness Stakes Preview”
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That would be “Filly” (not a cheesesteak sandwich)
Sorry – Baseball on the brain! Thanks for the catch! Correction made.