As the 137th Preakness Stakes is ready to run tomorrow, predictions are beginning to roll in and it’s clear that Bodemeister is the clear favorite for most once again heading into the second leg of the Triple Crown. Bodemeister was far ahead in the Kentucky Derby before being overtaken by I’ll Have Another late, but the Washington Post’s Andrew Beyer says that speed will be enough to win the Preakness.
Beyer writes, “Who can beat Bodemeister? While I’ll Have Another and Went the Day Well probably ran their optimal races in the Derby, Creative Cause did not. Most clockers didn’t like the way he had trained at Churchill Downs; he had a difficult trip in the race itself, yet he lost by just three lengths. He is a consistent, seasoned runner who defeated Bodemeister earlier in the winter, and under neutral conditions he might do it again, but not when his rival gets an uncontested lead.”
Bodemeister will start at the No. 7 post position. I’ll Have Another is at No. 9.
For more on the upcoming 137th Preakness stakes, be sure to check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come.