2019 Preakness Stakes Field Preview & Poll

Thirteen horses will be contending for the second jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday: get a preview of the field, and make sure you vote in our poll for your favorite!

The 2016 Preakness Stakes. Flickr/Maryland GovPics/CC

The 144th running of the Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland. While there is no Triple Crown on the line this year, the Preakness could still be a career-shaping race for the thirteen horses who will break from the gate for the black-eyed susans.

Here’s our quick run-down of the field: get to know the contenders, and then vote in our poll for your favorite!

Post Position 1: War of Will (4-1)
Bay colt by War Front, bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Limited
Owned by Gary Barber
Trained by Mark Casse
Ridden by Tyler Gafflione
Claims to fame: winner of the G2 Risen Star Stakes and G3 LeComte Stakes, second in the G1 Summer Stakes

War of Will finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby, and was one of the horses affected in the controversial move by Maximum Security.

Post Position 2: Bourbon War (12-1)
Bay colt by Tapit, bred in Kentucky by Conquest Stables
Owned by Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable
Trained by Mark A. Hennig
Ridden by Irad Ortiz
Claims to fame: second in the G2 Fountain of Youth

Bourbon War has yet to win a stakes race; his last start was a fourth-place finish in the Florida Derby.

Post Position 3: Warrior’s Charge (12-1)
Dark bay/brown colt by Munnings, bred in Florida by Al Shaquab Racing
Owned by Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables
Trained by Brad Cox
Ridden by Javier Castellano
Claims to fame: has never run in a stakes

This is a massive step up in class for Warrior’s Charge, but stranger things have happened… or have they?

Post Position 4: Improbable (5-2)
Chestnut colt by City Zip, bred in Kentucky by St. George Farm LLC & G. Watts Humphrey Jr.
Owned by WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International Ltd and Starlight Racing
Trained by Bob Baffert
Ridden by Mike Smith
Claims to fame: winner of the G1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity, second in the G1 Arkansas Derby and G2 Rebel Stakes

Improbable, with his all-star connections (the same combination of trainer, owner and jockey as Justify… just sayin’) is the easy morning line favorite. He finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, becoming officially fourth with the disqualification of Maximum Security.

Post Position 5: Owendale (10-1)
Bay colt by Into Mischief, bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Owned by Rupp Racing
Trained by Brad Cox
Ridden by Florent Geroux
Claims to fame: winner of the G3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes

Owendale’s last start was his win in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. He is Brad Cox’ second trainee in this race.

Post Position 6: Market King (30-1)
Bay colt by Into Mischief, bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Limited
Owned by Robert Baker and William Mack
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas
Ridden by Jon Kenton Court
Claims to fame: third in the G2 Rebel Stakes

Market King had a disappointing run in his most recent start, the Blue Grass Stakes, while he was a bit stronger in the Rebel Stakes.

Post Position 7: Alwaysmining (8-1)
Dark bay/brown colt, bred in Maryland by Avla Pitts
Owned by Runnymede Racing
Trained by Kelly Rubley
Ridden by Daniel Centeno
Claims to fame: black type stakes winner

Alwaysmining is an accomplished black type stakes winner, with 12 starts and seven wins already under his belt. A win at Pimlico for a Maryland-bred would be a hometown success story.

Post Position 8: Signalman (30-1)
Bay colt by General Quarters, bred in Kentucky by Monticule
Owned by Tommie M. Lewis, Steve Crabtree, Dean Demaree, David Bernsen, Jim Chambers, Magdalena Racing
Trained by Ken McPeek
Ridden by Brian Hernandez
Claims to fame: winner of the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, second in the G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and G2 Blue Grass Stakes

While Signalman doesn’t have the major wins of some of the other contenders, he’s certainly clashed with them before and come away respectably.

Post Position 9: Bodexpress (20-1)
Bay colt by Bodemeister, bred in Kentucky by Martha Jane Mulholland
Owned by Top Racing LLC, Global Thoroughbred, GDS Racing Stable
Trained by Gustavo Delgado
Ridden by John Velazquez
Claims to fame: second in the G1 Florida Derby

Bodexpress finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby, and is back for redemption, looking to improve on his second place in the Florida Derby. He’s never won a race.

Post Position 10: Everfast (50-1)
Bay colt by Take Charge Indy, bred in Kentucky by Extern Developments
Owned by Calumet Farm
Trained by Dale Romans
Ridden by Joel Rosario
Claims to fame: second in the G2 Holy Bull Stakes

Everfast has certainly given stakes races a good shot, but his recent performances have been fairly poor. He’s the long shot.

Post Position 11: Laughing Fox (20-1)
Chestnut colt by Union Rags, bred in Kentucky by Chester and Anne Prince
Owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong
Trained by Steve Asmussen
Ridden by Ricardo Santana
Claims to fame: black type stakes winner

Laughing Fox has never placed better than fourth in a graded stakes, but his most recent start was a win in the Oaklawn Invitational.

Post Position 12: Anothertwistafate (6-1)
Dark bay/brown colt by Scat Daddy, bred in Kentucky by Pursuit of Success
Owned by Peter Redekop
Trained by Blaine Wright
Ridden by Jose Ortiz
Claims to fame: second in the G3 Sunland Park Derby and Stonestreet Lexington Stakes

Anothertwistafate did not qualify for the Kentucky Derby, but his recent form has been improving in graded stakes.

Post Position 13: Win Win Win (15-1)
Dark bay/brown colt by Hat Trick, bred in Florida by Live Oak Stud
Owned by Live Oak Plantation
Trained by Michael Trombetta
Ridden by Julian Pimental
Claims to fame: second in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes, third in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby

Win Win Win was a fan favorite for the Kentucky Derby where he finished 10th (placing ninth).