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Below you will find updated information regarding the 2009 Preakness Stakes. On this page we will be posting updated articles, picks, predictions, odds and race information all pertaining to the 2009 Preakness Stakes. Bookmark this page and check back often for updates.
Triple Crown Exotics Offer Astronomical Payouts
by Trevor Whenham - 05/15/2009
If you watched the incredibly unlikely Kentucky Derby win by Mine That Bird this year then you probably saw some of the huge prices that were paid at the betting windows to those who were lucky enough to have bet on the winner. The prices were not just big, they were historical - a $2 bet on Mine That Bird to win paid $103.20, he was on top of a $2 exacta that paid $2074.80, picking the top three runners in the right order (trifecta) entitled you to a $2 wager that paid $41,500.60, and the superfecta (top four horses in the right order) paid an astronomical $557,006.40.
Read more about Triple Crown Exotics
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Preakness Stakes Handicapping: Scouting the Jockeys
by Trevor Whenham - 05/14/2009
The Triple Crown races are big, crazy spectacles, and there are about a million different ways a horse can get in trouble in each of them. That means that the jockeys play a very important role in the race. To get ready to handicap the Preakness, then, you need to get a sense of the little men who will aboard the young horses. Here's a look:
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Preakness Tips: Throw Outs, Pretenders and Contenders
by Greg Melikov - 05/14/2009
There will be 13 thoroughbreds contesting the 134th Preakness. The field includes a trio that shouldn't even be at Pimlico on Saturday. The following will give some Preakness tips for who to bet on Saturday.
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2009 Preakness Stakes Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 05/13/2009
Horse racing is such a compelling and challenging sport because you are constantly faced with unique and difficult situations. Every major race provides a different puzzle to consider, and just when you think you have it all figured out the sport rises up and shows you who is boss. There is no better reminder of this than this year's Kentucky Derby.
Read more about 2009 Preakness Stakes Predictions.
Preakness Stakes Post Positions and Potential Impact
by Trevor Whenham - 05/13/2009
The horses are entered, the posts are drawn, and the morning line odds are set. The only thing that stands between us and the crowning of a Preakness winner is time. Here's how the starting gate will be loaded up on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. EST for the 134th running of the Preakness Stakes.
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Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness Stakes
by Trevor Whenham - 05/13/2009
Rachel Alexandra is the biggest story heading into the Preakness Stakes. She's also a filly. For those of you who aren't big on horse terminology that means that she is a young female horse running against young male horses. The three year olds that can run in the Preakness are, in human terms, approximately late teenagers.
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Preakness Stakes Profile: Luv Gov
by Trevor Whenham - 05/12/2009
Luv Gov had a big win on Derby day, but it was before most of the 155,000 people attending the races at Churchill Downs that day were paying attention. He won the third race, a maiden special weight for three year olds and upwards, by six and a half lengths in an impressive showing. He settled well off the pace for the first three quarters of a mile, moved up steadily around the final turn, and pulled away steadily down the stretch.
Read more about Luv Gov Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Tone It Down
by Trevor Whenham - 05/12/2009
Tone It Down finished third in the Federico Tesio at Pimlico on Derby day. He was forced to the lead early where he wasn't comfortable, failed to settle in the unfamiliar position, and faded to third down the stretch. The winner of that race, Nick Zito trained Miner's Escape, was briefly considered for the Preakness.
Read more about Tone It Down Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Friesan Fire
by Trevor Whenham - 05/12/2009
The Kentucky Derby was a disaster for Friesan Fire. Thanks to the late scratch of I Want Revenge, Friesan Fire went off as the post-time favorite in the big race. Nothing went right. He had a very rough time out of the gate, getting bumped and jostled repeatedly, and even getting cut up. He never got comfortable after that, and he never got a good spot to run. He was five wide down the backstretch, was unable to make any headway charging into the final turn, and seemed to give up soon afterwards.
Read more about Friesan Fire Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: General Quarters
by Trevor Whenham - 05/12/2009
General Quarters finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby. He managed to avoid trouble, but he was his own worst enemy. He didn't settle around the first turn, burning a lot of energy in the process. In the second turn he was forced wide and again looked unsettled. As a result, he didn't have much left when he was asked to mount a final rally in the stretch and had to settle for just maintaining his position.
Read more about General Quarters Profile and Racing History.
Racing's Soap Opera: As the Preakness Turns
by Greg Melikov - 05/11/2009
The 134th Preakness has turned into the soapiest of tearjerkers featuring Alexandra the Great and the Derby Boys.
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Preakness Stakes Profile: Pioneerof The Nile
by Trevor Whenham - 05/11/2009
Pioneerof The Nile was second in the Kentucky Derby. Passing my seats at the 1/8 pole he was in the lead and looked like he was going to win, but then Mine That Bird made his incredible move from out of nowhere. He was bumped out of the gate, and had to be held back tightly around the first turn. He settled nicely, moved well off the final turn, and then held off two horses in a tough stretch duel to narrowly finish second.
Read more about Pioneerof The Nile Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Hull
by Trevor Whenham - 05/11/2009
Hull made his stakes debut last time out in the Derby Trial on the opening day of the Churchill Downs spring meet. It was impressive. He settled off of a very fast pace, made an aggressive three-wide move around the final turn, and took over to win convincingly by four lengths. His stakes debut was supposed to be a week earlier in the Coolmore Lexington, but he drew the outside post position and was scratched.
Read more about Hull Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Betting Tips
by Trevor Whenham - 05/08/2009
The Triple Crown is captivating and seductive for so many reasons. One of those is the distinct and unique challenge presented by each race. Each race presents a different challenge - different distance, field size, track layout, and so on. The characteristics of the field for each race are also very different.
Read more about Preakness Stakes Betting Tips.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Rachel Alexandra
by Trevor Whenham - 05/08/2009
If you haven't yet seen this filly crush the field in the Kentucky Oaks then you need to head to Youtube immediately. She settled just off the pace for much of the race, made her move on the final turn, and exploded in one of the easiest and most awe-inspiring stretch runs you have ever seen. She won by more than 20 lengths, and she wasn't even trying. It was truly a tour de force - the best single performance of the year in racing.
Read more about Rachel Alexandra Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Big Drama
by Trevor Whenham - 05/08/2009
Big Drama had a good day last time out in the Swale Stakes, but it was almost a great day. He crossed the finish line first in a track-record time for seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park, but he was disqualified and dropped to second for interfering with eventual winner This Ones For Phil in the stretch.
Read more about Big Drama Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Take the Points
by Trevor Whenham - 05/08/2009
Take The Points, ideally named for all you sports bettors out there, last appeared in the Santa Anita Derby. He wound up fourth in the stacked race behind three eventual Kentucky Derby entrants - Pioneerof The Nile, Chocolate Candy, and Mr. Hot Stuff. The race was a strange one. The horses expected to set the pace were scratched, and no one wanted the lead, setting up a lethargic pace.
Read more about Take the Points Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Terrain
by Trevor Whenham - 05/08/2009
Terrain was fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland last time out. The 11-horse field was deep, so a fourth was a decent showing for the horse. He was a length out of third, and less than four lengths from the lead.
Read more about Terrain Profile and Racing History.
Early Look at 2009 Preakness Stakes
by Trevor Whenham - 05/07/2009
The Preakness field is setting up pretty much like you would expect it to be a few days after the Kentucky Derby. Or at least it was until some big news threatened to throw a giant wrench into the whole thing, but we'll get to that in a bit. First, we'll look at the horses that are confirmed entrants.
Read more about Preakness Preview.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Musket Man
by Trevor Whenham - 05/07/2009
Musket Man ran a solid third place in the Kentucky Derby. Though he obviously had no chance to beat Mine That Bird on the day, he showed all sorts of courage. He stumbled early on, but recovered to settle close to the pace. He got forced six wide on the second turn, engaged in a prolonged stretch battle, and was bumped hard with about a 16th of a mile to go, but was able to hold on for third. A lesser horse would have given up several times over.
Read more about Musket Man Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Papa Clem
by Trevor Whenham - 05/07/2009
Papa Clem finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, just being edged out in the three-way battle between Pioneerof The Nile and Musket Man. It was a positive result considering the challenges the horse faced in the race. He was bumped right out of the gate, and collided roughly with Dunkirk soon after that. Perhaps because of that contact, the horse refused to settle down, and jockey Rafael Bejarano had to forcefully restrain the horse for the middle section of the race.
Read more about Papa Clem Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Flying Private
by Trevor Whenham - 05/07/2009
Someone has to finish last in every race, and Flying Private had that dubious distinction in the Kentucky Derby. He got off to a solid start and was in good contention early, but he was forced five wide on the first turn and that was the beginning of the end. He held on for five furlongs and then appeared to quit, falling to the back of the pack and staying there. He never looked comfortable at any time in the race.
Read more about Flying Private Profile and Racing History.
Preakness Stakes Profile: Mine That Bird
by Trevor Whenham - 05/06/2009
Mine That Bird paid out more in winning the Kentucky Derby than all but one horse in the 135-year history of the event when he stunned the field at almost 51/1. His 6 3/4-length margin of victory was the biggest since Assault in 1946, and he went on to win the Triple Crown.
Read more about Mine That Bird Profile and Racing History.
Tradition! It Really Got a Late Start for Preakness
by Greg Melikov - 05/06/2009
The Preakness is two years older than the Kentucky Derby, but traditions didn't really take hold until more than three decades later.
Read more about Preakness Stakes Tradition.
Can Lightning Strike Twice for Mine That Bird?
by Trevor Whenham - 05/05/2009
If you watched the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and even remotely care about horse racing then you are still probably trying to figure out who Mine That Bird is and how the heck he managed to win the most important horse race in the world. I don't know of a single person who legitimately tabbed the horse before the race, and very few who have successfully explained how it happened afterwards.
Read more about Mine That Bird
Below you will find information on 2009 Preakness odds and tips on betting the 2009 Preakness Stakes. This page will be updated with picks and links to other Preakness Stakes articles written by our staff.
Read more about 2008 Preakness Odds.