USA Today has released their expert Preakness 2022 picks and predictions.
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USA Today Preakness Picks: Bet Epicenter (+125) at MyBookie
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The 2022 Preakness Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, and USA Today has given away its Preakness picks and predictions for Saturday’s race.
This Saturday’s event at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland is the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes.
Of course, this is the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The distance is 9.5 furlongs (1 3/16 miles). This race was first inaugurated on May 27, 1873. A maximum of 14 horses are allowed to compete, though, nine horses are racing this year.
Below, we’ll go over all of the USA Today Preakness 2022 picks and predictions for Saturday’s Triple Crown race.
- Epicenter (+120) at MyBookie
- Early Voting (+550) at BetOnline
- Simplification (+1000) at BetOnline
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Preakness Horses, Post Positions, Trainers, and Jockeys
The 2022 Preakness Stakes will feature nine of the best three-year-old race horses at Pimlico Race Course.
Horses that are exiting the Kentucky Derby have dominated the Preakness over the last two decades. In the last 20 years, 15 Preakness winners have raced at Churchill Downs in the first leg of the Triple Crown prior to winning at Pimlico.
That should make Simplification one of the best Preakness bets this weekend. After drawing the rail at Pimlico Race Course, Simplification comes into the 2022 Preakness with +1000 odds to trot into in the winner’s circle.
Simplification is trained by Antonio Sano but will have a new jockey for Preakness 2022. John Velázquez will be called upon to ride in the Preakness. Velazquez started 11 times in the Preakness and has come close to winning three times with runners-up Animal Kingdom in 2011; Itsmyluckyday in 2013; and Authentic in 2020.
Coming out of post 8, Epicenter will be well-positioned to win his first G1 race. Trained by the legendary Steve Ausmussen, Epicenter was the odds-on favorite to win the Kentucky Derby but finished as the runner-up at Churchill Downs. A two-time Grade 2 winner, Epicenter will be ridden by Joel Rosario, making him the overwhelming favorite to win Preakness 2022.
In the middle of the group, Secret Oath and Early Voting will be jockeying for position from post 4 and post 5.
Only six fillies have ever won the Preakness Stakes but the odds indicate that Secret Oath has a chance to make history in 2022. Trained by six-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas, Secret Oath won the Kentucky Oaks and has +550 odds to win the 2022 Preakness out of post 4.
This will be Early Voting’s first start away from Aqueduct but the horse is expected to attract a lot of attention from horseplayers this weekend.
The Gun Runner colt had the points necessary to qualify for the Kentucky Derby but trainer Chad Brown elected to give him six weeks between starts instead. Jockey José Ortiz has ridden all three of Early Voting’s races and should be familiar with the horse on Saturday.
At +550 odds to win the Preakness, Early Voting will be a popular pick out of post 5 for bettors that don’t want to back the favorite.
Another popular longshot bet will be Creative Minister, who will be racing out of post 2 this weekend.
After an impressive showing at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks and Derby cards, Creative Minister enters Pimlico with +1200 odds to win Preakness 2022. The 108 Equibase Speed Figure that Creative Minister earned at Churchill is the highest among Saturday’s field.
The Creative Cause colt is trained by Kevin McPeek, who won the Preakness two years ago when his filly Swiss Skydiver left Kentucky Derby-winner Authentic in the dust.
For a complete breakdown of the Preakness 2022 horses, trainers, jockeys, and sires, check out the chart below.
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Sire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simplification | Antonio Sano | John Velazquez | Gun Runner |
| 2 | Creative Minister | Kevin McPeek | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Creative Cause |
| 3 | Fenwick | Kevin McKathan | Florent Geroux | Curlin |
| 4 | Secret Oath | D. Wayne Lukas | Luis Saez | Arrogate |
| 5 | Early Voting | Chad Brown | Jose Ortiz | Gun Runner |
| 6 | Happy Jack | Doug O’Neil | Tyler Gaffalione | Oxbow |
| 7 | Armagnac | Tim Yakteen | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Quality Road |
| 8 | Epicenter | Steve Ausmussen | Joel Rosario | Not This Time |
| 9 | Skippylongstocking | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Junior Alvarado | Exaggerator |
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Preakness Odds | Preakness 2022 Odds
The second leg of the Triple Crown, Preakness 2022 will take place on Saturday, May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.
Rich Strike, the 80-1 longshot that won the Kentucky Derby, will not be running in the Preakness, which means there will be no Triple Crown winner in 2022.
Still, there is plenty of value for horseplayers that want to bet on the horse races at Pimlico Race Course this weekend.
The 2022 Kentucky Derby featured 20 horses but with just nine Preakness horses in the field at Pimlico, this should be a much friendlier horse race for bettors.
In fact, a double-digit longshot has finished first or second in nine of the last 10 Preakness Stakes. Favorites have also performed particularly well historically at the Preakness Stakes and 15 of the last 20 Preakness winners have run in the Kentucky Derby.
This year, Simplification, Happy Jack, and Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter are the only horses that raced in the 147th Run for the Roses earlier this month.
Following a second-place finish at Churchill Downs, Epicenter has emerged as the betting favorite with the best Preakness odds. At +145, BetUS is offering the best Epicenter odds for Preakness 2022 while BetOnline has Epicenter odds at +100 ahead of the Triple Crown race.
After Epicenter, Secret Oath (+550) and Early Voting (+550) are next on the Preakness odds board while Simplification (+1000) and Creative Minister (+1200) are among the longshots with a legitimate shot to win.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Oaks-winner Secret Oath is trying to become just the seventh filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 2022.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas will also be running with a chance to make history. If Secret Oath finishes as the 2022 Preakness winner, Lukas will tie legends Bob Baffert and Robert Wyndham Walden for the most Preakness wins all-time (seven).
Check out the table below for the best Preakness odds from BetOnline, one of the best horse racing betting sites in the US.
| Preakness Odds |  |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epicenter | +100 | +100 | +145 |
| Early Voting | +550 | +350 | +500 |
| Secret Oath | +550 | +450 | +550 |
| Simplification | +1000 | +800 | +850 |
| Creative Minister | +1200 | +1400 | +1250 |
| Armagnac | +2500 | +2800 | +1650 |
| Skippylongstocking | +2500 | +2800 | +2550 |
| Happy Jack | +3300 | +4000 | +3300 |
| Fenwick | +5000 | +8000 | +5850 |
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Preakness Betting Trends | 2022 Preakness Stakes Betting Trends
Before you make your Preakness picks, there are a few trends that have earned horse bettors a substantial profit at Pimlico Race Course.
Let’s go over some of the best Preakness betting trends below.
- Four of the last 15 Preakness winners have won in gate-to-wire fashion, including Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify.
- Only three horses in the last 15 years have rallied from the back half of the Preakness field to reach the winner’s circle.
- Horses exiting the Kentucky Derby have dominated the Preakness, visiting the Winner’s Circle 15 times in the last 20 years.
- 22 of the last 25 Preakness Winners had previously won a Graded Stakes Race.
- 17 of the last 25 Preakness Winners had previously won a Grade 1 Race.
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What is the Biggest Longshot to Ever Win the Preakness Stakes?
Throughout its storied history, the Preakness has been kind to favorites and short-priced runners.
The Preakness has been raced 146 times but the second leg of the Triple Crown has only crowned four winners at higher than 15-1 odds. At 23-1, Master Derby won the 1975 Preakness Stakes and is the current record-holder for the Preakness winner with the longest odds.
However, double-digit odds have performed well at the Preakness in recent history. Six of the last 16 Preakness winners have been priced at 10-1 odds or higher.
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USA Today Preakness Picks | USA Today Picks for Preakness 2022
On Monday morning, Epicenter was named the 6-5 favorite to win the 2022 Preakness Stakes. As the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter drew the No. 8 post position. Simplification is racing at the No. 1 post position, followed by Creative Minister and Fenwick.
Along with Epicenter and Simplification, Happy Jack also raced in the Kentucky Derby. However, the winner of the Kentucky Derby at 80-1 odds, Rich Strike, isn’t racing on Saturday. Trainer Eric Reed wants the horse to rest for the Belmont Stakes.
Below, we’ll review the best bets, picks, odds and predictions for the 2022 Preakness Stakes from the USA Today staff.
Epicenter (+120) at MyBookie | 2022 Preakness Expert Picks
First off, Epicenter has the best odds of winning the Preakness Stakes. Since Rich Strike isn’t racing, the Kentucky Derby runner-up has the greatest chance of finishing first this time around. Nonetheless, as stated above, the horse drew the No. 8 post position. For a nine-horse field, this is acceptable. A total of 10 horses have won the Preakness at this position.
Furthermore, in March, Epicenter came in first place of the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. The horse beat out Zozos and Pioneer of Medina. Not to mention, Epicenter finished first in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes in February, defeating Smile Happy and Zandon. Jockey Joel Rosario is due for another win. Bernardini was the last horse at position No. 8 to win the Preakness. And that was back in 2006.
Early Voting (+550) at BetOnline | 2022 Preakness Predictions
Next, if you’re a bettor who looks beyond probability, you might be interested in placing a bet on Early Voting. If Rich Strike could pull off one of the most surprising wins at a Grade 1 race, other underdogs have a chance, too. The USA Today staff are figuring that because it’s a midterm election year, it would be fitting if Early Voting won on Saturday. The name alone is certainly attracting superstitious folks.
But for good reason. Last December, Early Voting placed first in the Maiden Special Weight (MSW) race. Then, in February, the horse won the Grade 3 Withers Stakes. In April, Early Voting finished in second place behind Mo Donegal at the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes.
Having said all of this, gamblers might skip over this horse for the fact that it didn’t compete in the Kentucky Derby. On Saturday, Early Voting is racing at the No. 5 post position. For a reminder, Exaggerator won the Preakness in 2016 at position No. 5, the last horse to accomplish this feat.
Simplification (+1000) at BetOnline | USA Today Preakness Predictions
Moreover, Simplification is another horse returning after finishing in fourth place at the Kentucky Derby. The USA Today staff are hoping for another decent performance by Simplification, if not winning the Preakness Stakes itself. Over the last seven months, the horse won three races: MSW in October, Mucho Macho Man in January and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes in March.
Since Simplification is starting at the first post position, bettors are eyeballing this one. A total of 12 horses have won the Preakness at the No. 1 position, ranking fourth on the all-time winners list by gate spot. For one noteworthy point, Rombauer won the Preakness in 2021 starting from the same spot. At No. 1, War of Will won the race in 2019 as well. Therefore, contemplate picking Simplification to win.
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