2024 Preakness Stakes Tips - Can Cox's star reverse the Derby form?
Two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes gathers the best three-year-olds for the middle leg of the US Triple Crown. Mystik Dan, the surprise Derby winner, will compete again but faces challenges. The race offers promising betting opportunities, with Catching Freedom being a notable contender to watch. Our guide provides odds, runner insights, and top tips for the 2024 event.
- Odds and betting predictions for the 2024 Preakness Stakes
- This US Classic will take place at Pimlico racecourse on Saturday 18th May
- Catching Freedom is our selection at 4/1
Two weeks after the Kentucky Derby has been run at Churchill Downs, many of US horse racing's best three-year-olds will clash again in the Preakness Stakes. The Preakness Stakes is the middle leg of the US Triple Crown, and many of the runners who impressed at Churchill Downs will take their chance this weekend.
Here's our free guide to the 2024 Preakness Stakes, including our best betting tips.
2024 Preakness Stakes Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| Mystik Dan | 5/2 |
| Imagination | 11/4 |
| Catching Freedom | 4/1 |
| Tuscan Gold | 9/2 |
| Just Steel | 12/1 |
| Bar | 16/1 |
2024 Preakness Stakes Runners
Mystik Dan might have gone off as an 186/10 outsider in the Kentucky Derby, but there was no fluke about his victory. Brian Hernandez Jnr tracked the early pace and stole three lengths on the field with a crafty manoeuvre on the final bend. Sierra Leone and Forever Young closed hard late on, but Mystik Dan was strong enough to repel them.
Ken McPeek's star should be well suited by this drop back in trip and boasts valuable form on muddy tracks. However, a look through his form card will tell you that Mystik Dan struggles to back up his victories. It takes a special horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, and I don't think Mystik Dan falls into that bracket.
With Muth out of the race, Frankie Dettori should be able to dictate the pace on Imagination. I doubt stall nine will cause the legendary Italian too many problems. Yet, whenever Imagination has been involved in a battle, he usually comes out of it second-best. His will to win has to be questioned.
Just Steel faded rapidly after helping to make the running in the Kentucky Derby and his strike rate is fairly poor. Seize The Grey was well beaten on his only previous start at the highest level, and I'm not convinced he wants to be going any further than a mile.
Uncle Heavy has run well on a wet track before and could potentially outrun his odds. Mugatu, drawn on the rail, looks to have little to no chance of competing.
2024 Preakness Stakes Tips
Chad Brown's two most recent winners of the Preakness were beaten in the Louisiana Derby and skipped the Kentucky Derby. Tuscan Gold has been taken down the same road and remains open to improvement after just three lifetime starts.
That being said, Tuscan Gold was no match for CATCHING FREEDOM (4/1) when they met at Fair Grounds. Tuscan Gold came under pressure early behind a fair sedate pace and kept on late to finish third. Ctahcing Freedom, meanwhile, was held up by Flavien Prat, sweeping home around the outside of the leaders to claim a cosy victory.
Prat held his mount up again in the Kentucky Derby. As fellow closers Sierra Leone and Forever Young took the outside route, Prat pushed his mount into a gap on the rail entering the home straight and had to make another effort to take the same path forged by Mystik Dan on the turn for home.
After expending valuable energy around the bend, I was half expecting Catching Freedom to fade late on. Yet, Prat's mount found a little extra in the closing stages and was only beaten by a length-and-a-half back in fourth.
Catching Freedom has good tactical speed. If Imagination goes forward early, along with another likely front-runner in Just Steel, then the race should set up perfectly for Prat to make a telling late move. If he was to reverse that Kentucky Derby form with Mystik Dan, I wouldn't be shocked in the slightest.
Live Stream
Visit our Preakness Stakes Live Stream page if you want to watch this US Classic via a mobile or tablet.
Verdict
I've been lucky enough to back National Treasure and Rombauer in recent years and my selection for this year's Preakness Stakes is Catching Freedom, who ran fourth behind Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby, but could reverse that form at Pimlico.
Catching Freedom
2024 Preakness Stakes Tips
@4/1 - 10 Units
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