The 2025 Preakness Stakes odds may not feature Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, but nine of the best three-year-old horses in the country will do battle of 1 3/16th-miles at Pimlico racecourse in Baltimore.
Robert Criscola has ranked the contenders for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. See who he thinks will be wearing the blanket of Black-Eyed Susans in the Pimlico winner's circle just after 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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🐴 2025 Preakness horses
The Preakness Stakes post positions were determined by random draw on Monday, with nine horses entering. Check out our Preakness Stakes 2025 horse profiles below:
Who is running in the 2025 Preakness Stakes?
No. 2 Journalism (8-5) suffered only his second career defeat in the Kentucky Derby, but he was far from disgraced in a runner-up finish behind Sovereignty. The big question will be his ability to run back on short notice.
- Trainer: Michael McCarthy
- Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
- Earnings: $1,638,880
No. 8 Clever Again (5-1) missed nearly a year of racing after running second in his unveiling, but he came back a winner. He then earned a solid speed figure in the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn last time out.
- Trainer: Steven Asmussen
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Earnings: $198,400
No. 6 River Thames (9-2) was beaten only a neck by Sovereignty in the Fountain of Youth Stakes two-back, but disappointed with a third-place finish behind two Derby also-rans in Burnham Square and East Avenue in the Blue Grass Stakes last time out.
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Earnings: $261,900
No. 9 Gosger (20-1) graduated from the maiden ranks at second asking before edging clear late in the Lexington Stakes when last seen. He possesses tactical speed for sharp connections looking for their respective first Preakness victories.
- Trainer: Brendan Walsh
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Earnings: $292,200
No. 7 Sandman (4-1) passed some tired rivals late to pick up seventh-place honors in the Kentucky Derby. The Arkansas Derby winner came out of the race so well he convinced the hesitant connections to try their luck in the Preakness.
- Trainer: Mark Casse
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Earnings: $1,254,595
No. 1 Goal Oriented (6-1) is a perfect 2-for-2 to begin his career, including a convincing gate-to-wire score on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Trainer Bob Baffert is a seven-time winner of this race, the last coming in 2023 with National Treasure.
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Earnings: $111,960
No. 4 Heart of Honor (12-1) bypassed the Kentucky Derby despite qualifying for the race with a runner-up result in the UAE Derby. The winner of that heat, Admire Daytona, was last in the "Run for the Roses."
- Trainer: Jamie Osborne
- Jockey: Saffie Osborne
- Earnings: $340,919
No. 3 American Promise (15-1) flamed out early after chasing a fast pace in the Kentucky Derby and checked in 16th. He was well-beaten in both the Grade III Southwest and Grade II Risen Star before romping vs. softer in the Virginia Derby two-back.
- Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
- Jockey: Nik Juarez
- Earnings: $444,874
No. 5 Pay Billy (20-1) has won four of his last five races, all at Laurel, including the local prep for the Preakness in the Federico Tesio Stakes. Despite many opportunities, the last horse to pull off the Tesio-Preakness double was Deputed Testamony in 1983.
- Trainer: Michael Gorham
- Jockey: Raul Mena
- Earnings: $234,475
✅ How horses qualify for the Preakness Stakes
The Preakness is limited to 14 horses, with up to two also-eligibles. In the event more than 14 horses are entered, graded stakes earnings will be used to sort out which horses will be allowed to run. Any horse that earns purse money in the Kentucky Derby has an automatic bid to the Preakness, as does the winner of the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park.
🏇 Types of Preakness Stakes horses
The Preakness Stakes isn’t open to just any horse. The “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” is limited to thoroughbred colts and fillies racing as three-year-olds.
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred horses are predominantly used for racing, as they have a taller and slimmer build and are more athletic than standardbred horses, which are muscular and used in harness racing. Thoroughbred horses are able to sustain speeds over longer distances, with the Preakness held at a 1 3/16th-miles.
Age of horses
Three-year-old horses can be considered teenagers in terms of growth, nearly fully developed but not quite at the maturity or muscle build of the four-year-old horse. Limiting the field to three-year-old horses allows for only a handful of prep races and adds an aura of mystery to the Preakness field, serving as a coming-out party for the next generation of elite race horses.
How to pick a Preakness winner
The Preakness is a bit simpler than the Derby when it comes to picking winners, but it can still be the site of major upsets. Here are five key factors to help you separate the true contenders from the also-rans:
1. Past performance in prep races
Look at how each horse fared in major prep races like the Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby. Horses who finish strongly in these high-stakes races often carry that momentum into the Preakness, even if they bypassed the Kentucky Derby.
🔎 A Top-3 finish in a major prep race is often a strong indicator that a horse is doing well.
2. Running style and pace
Pace makes the race, even in the Preakness. Horses with tactical speed (who can stay close to the lead but avoid an early burnout) often fare best.
📉 Avoid deep closers who need a perfect setup to win — traffic jams and fast fractions don’t always cooperate.
3. Trainer and jockey experience
Proven connections matter. Trainers like Bob Baffert have consistently produced Preakness contenders, while jockeys with experience in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown know how to navigate a Pimlico course that does not see much racing action on a year-round basis.
🧠 Seasoned Preakness connections are less likely to panic if things don’t go perfectly out of the gate.
4. Post position draw
While a talented horse can overcome a bad draw, certain gates historically offer better chances. Middle posts (like 5–10) tend to offer the best combination of clean trips and strategic options.
📌 Avoid extreme inside or far outside posts unless the horse has shown adaptability in large fields.
5. Distance pedigree
The Preakness is 1 3/16th-miles — longer than most of the Derby preps. Horses bred for stamina are more likely to stay strong in the final furlongs.
🧬 A sprinter pedigree might shine early, but fade down the stretch.
Preakness Stakes horses FAQs
National Treasure won the 2023 Preakness Stakes.
Horses qualify for the Preakness Stakes by ranking among the top in graded stakes and lifetime earnings or finishing inside the Top 5 in the Kentucky Derby.
Mystik Dan won the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
Muth and Mystik Dan are the favorites to win the Preakness Stakes.
