2024 Preakness Stakes Field Preview & Poll
The second leg of the Triple Crown races will be run this Saturday. Is there a shot at a Triple Crown contender this year? Check out our field preview and let us know who you think will win the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes.
The 149th running of the Preakness Stakes is this Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The post time for the second leg of the Triple Crown is 6:50 p.m. EST. The race will be broadcast on NBC, NBC Sports and Peacock.
Nine horses were entered in the $2 million Preakness Stakes. Here’s a look at the contenders in post-position order:
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1. Mugatu
- Owner: Average Joe Racing Stables, Dan Wells
- Trainer: Jeff Engler
- Jockey: Joe Bravo
- Morning Line: 20-1
- Race Record: 12 (1-1-3)
- Earnings: $80,570
- Mugatu was bred by JSM Equine LLC in Kentucky. He is by multiple graded stakes winner Blofeld and out of Union Way, by Union Rags.
- He sold for $14,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training
- His last start was a fifth place finish in the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes behind Sierra Leone, the runner up in the Kentucky Derby.
- His only win was in a Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park in November of last year.
- His last official work was five furlongs in 59.80 seconds at Belterra Park on May 11th.
- Although Mugatu has a classic pedigree (his damsire Union Rags won the Belmont Stakes) he would have to muster a huge step up in class to win this race.
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2. Uncle Heavy
- Owner: Micheal Milam and LC Racing
- Trainer: Robert Reid Jr.
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Morning Line: 20-1
- Race Record: 5 (3-0-0)
- Earnings: $323,580
- Uncle Heavy was bred by Barbara Reid in Pennsylvania. He is by graded stakes contender Social Inclusion and out of Expect Wonderful, by Tiz Wonderful.
- His last start was a fifth-place finish in the Gr. 2 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct.
- His last win was in the Gr. 3 Withers Stakes.
- His last official workout was four furlongs in 47.34 seconds at Parx Racing on May 11th.
- If the track is wet on Saturday, Uncle Heavy has a good chance of pulling off the upset. He has run twice on wet tracks and found the winner’s circle on both occasions.
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3. Catching Freedom
- Owner: Albaugh Family Stables
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Flavien Pratt
- Morning Line: 6-1
- Race Record: 6 (3-0-1)
- Earnings: $1,127,350
- Catching Freedom was bred by WinStar Farm in Kentucky. He is by multiple graded stakes winner Constitution and out of Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof The Nile.
- He sold for $575,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
- His last start was a fourth-place finish in the Gr. 1 Kentucky Derby.
- His last win was in the Gr. 2 Louisiana Derby over Tuscan Gold, another Preakness contender.
- Catching Freedom was less than two lengths behind the three-way photo for first in the Kentucky Derby. He has a closing style which will not bode well for him if the pace of the Preakness is slow. However, he is one of the classier horses in the field so you cannot rule him out.
4. Muth
- Scratched due to fever
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5. Mystik Dan
- Owner: Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing, Daniel Hamby III, Valley View Farm
- Trainer: Ken McPeek
- Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
- Morning Line: 5-2
- Race Record: 7 (3-1-1)
- Earnings: $3,741,360
- Mystik Dan, the Kentucky Derby victor, was bred by his owners, Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby and 4G Racing, in Kentucky. He is by two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents and out of Ma’am, by Colonel John.
- We know from his performance in the Kentucky Derby that Mystik Dan likes a wet track. If the conditions are wet on Saturday and he gets a good trip, he might add a second jewel to his crown.
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6. Seize the Grey
- Owner: Myracehorse
- Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
- Jockey: Jaime Torres
- Morning Line: 15-1
- Race Record: 9 (3-0-3)
- Earnings: $619,938
- Seize the Grey was bred by Jamm, LTD in Kentucky. He is by Hall of Fame inductee Arrogate and out of Smart Shopping, by Smart Strike.
- He sold for $300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.
- In his last start, he won the Gr. 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.
- Seize the Grey is the first of two entries for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. He has won wire-to-wire on a wet track before. Going to the lead early is his preferred running style, which might hinder him here. There is a lot of speculation that he will have a hard time stretching past a mile, especially if he is in front early. But, he is an impressive horse and Lukas has won this race six times. He might be on the board Saturday.
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7. Just Steel
- Owner: BC Stables LLC, Henry Schmueckle
- Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
- Jockey: Joel Rosario
- Morning Line: 15-1
- Race Record: 12 (2-4-1)
- Earnings: $724,545
- Just Steel was bred by Summerhill Farm in Kentucky. He is by Triple Crown winner Justify and out of Irish Lights, by Fastnet Rock.
- He sold for $500,000 at the Keenelend September Yearling Sale.
- His last start was a seventeenth-place finish in the Gr. 1 Kentucky Derby.
- His last win was in the Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs in November of last year.
- Unlike his sire, Just Steel does not seem to prefer a wet track. Running with the pacesetter resulted in him fading badly in the homestretch of the Kentucky Derby. Out of the two Lukas entries, he is second best.
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8. Tuscan Gold
- Owner: William H. Lawrence, Walmac Farm, Stonestreet Stables LLC
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- Morning Line: 8-1
- Race Record: 3 (1-0-1)
- Earnings: $147,100
- Tuscan Gold was bred by his co-owner, Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, in Kentucky. He is by multiple graded stakes winner Medaglia d’Oro and out of Valadorna, by Curlin.
- He sold for $600,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
- His last start was a third place finish in the Gr. 2 Louisiana Derby behind Catching Freedom.
- His one win was in a Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park in January.
- His last official workout was four furlongs in 49.30 seconds at Belmont Park on May 11th.
- With only a maiden win on his resume, Tuscan Gold would have to make a major leap in class to get the victory on Saturday. It seems unlikely.
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9. Imagination
- Owner: Zedan Racing Stables
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Jockey: Frankie Detorri
- Morning Line: 6-1
- Race Record: 6 (2-4-0)
- Earnings: $406,800
- Imagination was bred by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds in Kentucky. He is by is by graded stakes winner Into Mischief and out of Magical Feeling, by Empire Maker.
- He sold for $1,050,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
- His last start was a second-place finish in the Gr. 1 Santa Anita Derby.
- His last win was in the Gr. 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Antia.
- His last workout was six furlongs in 1:11.80 on May 10th.
- Never worse than second, Imagination might be an emerging superstar. He is well-rested and working great. If he handled the trip from California, this is probably the horse to beat.
So who do YOU think will come out on top this year? Cast your vote below.
