PREAKNESS UPDATE: May 19 - FIRST MISSION, who had been listed as the 5-2 second choice on the morning-line odds, has SCRATCHED from Preakness Stakes 148.

The Brad Cox trained horse is dealing with a left hind issue.

Kentucky Derby Winner Mage 8-5 Favorite for Preakness 148

Mage, the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, was installed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for the $1.65 million Preakness Stakes (G1) after drawing Post 3 at the Post Position Draw for the 148th running of the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown which runs Saturday, May 20 at Pimlico Race Course.

Gustavo Delgado-trained Mage, who captured the May 6 Derby by a length following a thrilling rally from far back in the field, will face seven rivals in the 1 3/16-mile classic for 3-year-olds at historic Pimlico Race Course.

The Preakness Stakes headlines an exciting Preakness Weekend with a menu of 16 stakes worth $3.75 million in purses, including the $300,000 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G3), a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies featuring undefeated Faiza.

Mage, owned by OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH, will make only the fifth start of his career.

"It doesn't make any difference. We can't think too much about the things we can't control," assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. said of Mage's inside post position. "I think everybody has a fair amount of time to get their position. It's an eight-horse field. All eight will have a shot to win the race, which is what you want."

Mage has won two of his four races. The Kentucky-bred colt graduated by 3 ¾ lengths before finishing fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and finishing second by a length behind Forte in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park and pulling off a 15-1 upset victory in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who notched his first Kentucky Derby success after providing Mage with a masterful ride, has the return mount for the Preakness.

The son of Good Magic is the only horse in the Preakness field that competed in the Kentucky Derby.

"It didn't cross my mind. I've really been focused as much as possible on our horse. I was more concerned with: did he ship well? how'd he walk on Sunday? how's he taking to the track? How are his energy levels? Who he faces is the last thing on my mind," Ramiro Restrepo said. "If I start worrying about all these extra things, I'll go mad. I'll have no hair left to lose. So, I try to focus on what we have. He's a handy horse. And we have one of the best in the game on top of him."

First Mission (Godolphin LLC) is rated second on the Preakness morning-line at 5-2 after drawing Post 8.

Brad Cox-trained First Mission will be making only his fourth career start in the Preakness. The homebred son of Street Sense finished second in his debut before graduating at Fair Ground and capturing the Stonestreet Lexington (G3) at Keeneland.

Luis Saez has the return mount aboard First Mission Saturday.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will seek his record eighth Preakness Stakes success with National Treasure, who is rated third at 4-1 on the morning line after drawing Post 1.

National Treasure has won only one of five career starts but was stakes-placed in the American Pharoah (G1), Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Sham (G3) before finishing fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) last time out.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has retained the mount aboard the son of Quality Road, who is owned by SF Racing LLC and partners.

"Bob will give Johnny the instructions. As long as we lead him over there in good health; it's not like drawing the one-hole at Churchill," assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said. "It's a big difference."

Baffert is tied with Robert Wyndham Walton for most Preakness victories among trainers.

Trainer Chad Brown will seek his third Preakness success with Rodeo Creek Racing LLC's Blazing Sevens, who most recently finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. The son of Good Magic, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., drew Post 7 and was rated at 6-1.

Brown saddled Cloud Computing (2017) and Early Voting (2022) for Preakness victories after both bypassed the Kentucky Derby.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will also be in search of his third success in the Preakness, having won the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown with Curlin (2007) and Rachel Alexandra (2009). Asmussen is represented in the field by Red Route One, who is rated at 10-1 and drew Post 5.

Red Route One, who will be ridden by Joel Rosario for Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, is coming off a triumph in the Bath House Row Stakes, a win-and-in Preakness qualifier at Oaklawn Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will saddle Perform for a start in the Preakness, for which he drew Post 6. The son of Good Magic, who will be ridden by Feargal Lynch, is rated at 15-1 on the morning line.

Maryland-based Coffeewithchris drew Post 4 and was rated at 20-1 on the morning line. The John Salzman Jr.-trained son of Ride On Curlin is a multiple-stakes winner owned by John Salzman Sr., Fred Wasserloos, and Anthony Geruso. Jaime Rodriguez has the mount.

"It's fine. We've got enough natural speed. Post position I don't think made a difference to me here. The good part is if they double load I'll be late to load. I don't want to stand in the gate long," Salzman Jr. said of post-position draw. "With these kind of horses it's usually not a problem. Hopefully, he'll get off good and get a good position into the first turn."

Bill Dory and Adam Ferrence's Chase the Chaos, who win the win-and-in El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, drew Post 2 and is rated at 50-1. Sheldon Russell has the riding assignment aboard the son of Astern.

The 148th Preakness Stakes (G1), the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, will run at the legendary Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, May 20.

The 2023 Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing and took place on Saturday, May 6 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. Mage, the winner of the 2023 Derby, will most likely be a strong favorite in the Preakness.

148th Preakness Stakes Likely Next Start for Kentucky Derby Winner Mage

May 7 - As long as everything continues to go well, OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH's Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage will make his next start in the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) Saturday, May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

"He's awesome. He's really happy and alert and looks good, and he's feeling good in the stall," Restrepo said Sunday morning from Churchill Downs. "If all remains as is, we're going to Preakness."

Trainer Gustavo Delgado, nicknamed Puma because of his thick mane of silver hair, said that Mage came out of his stretch-running length victory over Two Phil's in "very good" condition.

The 1 1/4-mile Derby, for which Mage went off at 15-1 odds, was his first start away from Gulfstream Park. Mage won his debut Jan. 28, was fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) won by champion Forte, then closed from last of 12 to take second by a length, again behind Forte, in the Florida Derby (G1). A son of Good Magic, Mage became the 25th Kentucky Derby winner to come out of the Florida Derby, extending its status as the most productive prep race.

Jockey Javier Castellano has won the Preakness Stakes twice, coincidentally both with unraced 2-year-olds: Bernardini in 2006 and Cloud Computing in 2017. Castellano, who like the Delgados is from Venezuela, rode Mage for the second time in the Kentucky Derby, having previously been aboard in the Fountain of Youth. The Derby victory was the Hall of Fame jockey's first in his 16th attempt.

In the Preakness, Mage very likely will get a rematch with Forte, last year's 2-year-old champion and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner who was scratched the morning of the Derby with a foot bruise. Forte won Gulfstream Park's Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) in his only two starts this year, races in which Mage came in fourth and second, respectively.

Trainer Todd Pletcher termed Forte's foot as "good" Sunday morning and said the champion should have a timed workout in the next few days. Both Forte and Pletcher will stay in Kentucky for the near future, with Pletcher having a division at Churchill Downs. Forte, who galloped Saturday morning before being withdrawn from the Derby, did not train Sunday but will go back to the track Monday, Pletcher said.

The Hall of Fame trainer has never won the Preakness. He generally skips it with his Derby horses unless they win the race, preferring to target the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) at his home track of Belmont Park in New York to running back in two weeks. Pletcher's two Derby winners, Always Dreaming in 2017 and Super Saver in 2010, both finished eighth at Pimlico.

Pletcher said Forte deserves the opportunity to try to win a Triple Crown race. However, if Forte doesn't make the Preakness, he said the colt likely will be pointed for the Travers (G1) in August at Saratoga rather than the Triple Crown finale.

UPDATE: May 8 - Forte, the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby who was scratched the morning of the race, was placed on a 14-day veterinarian's list due to the scratch and, as a result, will be unable to start in the Preakness Stakes on May 20.

Kentucky Derby Favorite Forte Favored in Inaugural Preakness Future Wager

Multiple Grade 1-winning champion Forte, riding a five-race win streak and the morning-line favorite for the 2023 Kentucky Derby, has been installed as the 4-1 favorite to open the Maryland Jockey Club's (MJC) inaugural Preakness Future Wager.

MJC linemaker Keith Feustle compiled a list of 28 individual horses for the Preakness Future Wager, a new and exciting opportunity for fans to select the horse they like or think will win the Preakness, which this year celebrates the 50thanniversary of Secretariat's record-setting victory. A 29th field entry of "all other 3-year-olds" opens as third choice in the new wager at odds of 8-1.

Forte was the juvenile male champion of 2022 that has won six of seven career starts, four of them in Grade 1 stakes - the Hopeful, Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 2 and Florida Derby April 1 at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start.

Tops on the leaderboard with 190 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and the race favorite, Forte won Gulfstream's Fountain of Youth (G2) March 4 in his 3-year-old debut. He is one of three horses trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher available as individual interests in the Preakness Future Wager, along with Blue Grass (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Tapit Trice, second choice at 6-1, and undefeated Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Kingsbarns, rated at 15-1.

Included among the individual horses are two that have already earned an automatic berth in the Preakness by their victories in qualifying races - Red Route One (50-1), winner of the April 22 Bath House Row at Oaklawn Park; and Chase the Chaos (99-1), winner of the Feb. 11 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

First run in 1873, the Preakness is the second oldest of the Triple Crown races, predating the Derby by two years. The Belmont Stakes had its first running in 1867.

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