SportsLine Preakness 2023 Picks & Predictions: Mage and National Treasure Will Battle For First

Preakness Stakes contender National Treasure trains.

SportsLine’s picks and predictions for the 2023 Preakness Stakes have been released. Find SportsLine’s Preakness 2023 picks and predictions for the second leg of the Triple Crown.

In a few hours, the Pimlico Race Course will be the capital of the sports world as all eyes will be on the 148th running of the Preakness Stakes. The post time for the race is 7:01 p.m. ET on NBC. Can Mage continue its magical season and win the second jewel of the Triple Crown?

Here are the picks and predictions from the experts at SportsLine for the 2023 Preakness Stakes.


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SportsLine’s Preakness 2023 Picks & Predictions

The oddsmakers at BetOnline still have Mage (-135) as the favorite to win the 2023 Preakness Stakes. SportsLine’s Mike McClure believes Mage should be the “clear favorite.” However, SportsLine’s Gene Menez predicts National Treasure (+300) will edge out Mage in the Preakness.

Mage (-135)

McClure’s pick to win the Preakness is Mage, the Kentucky Derby winner a few weeks back. Although Mage got a bad break at the start of the Derby, his elite speed was enough to overcome the deficit and chase down the leaders. With a smaller field, Mage will have less competition, which will be an advantage, according to McClure.

“The limited field really mitigates some of the concerns I had with Mage, which is clearly breaking at the start,” McClure said. “I’m not worried about the lack of activity here, the two weeks off here. I think this is the perfect timeframe. Give me Mage to win the Preakness.”

National Treasure (+300)

Unlike McClure, Menez is siding with National Treasure to win the Preakness. It’s been a rocky three-year-old season for National Treasure, with a third-place finish in the Sham Stakes and a fourth-place finish at the Florida Derby. However, it was one of the fastest two-year-olds last year. Menez cites the return of trainer Bob Baffert, in his first race post-suspension, as a reason why National Treasure can win. Baffert loves this race, having won it seven times.

“He’s training like a monster going into Saturday’s race. He’s turned in two bullets for the Preakness,” Menez said. “If Mage is not able to duplicate his Kentucky Derby effort, I fully expect National Trearue to have every opportunity to hold him off down the stretch in the Preakness Stakes.”


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