Preakness Stakes Horses 2024: Post Position Draw, Overview of the Field, Muth Scratched

The 149th edition of the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) is upon us, and the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will indeed be in the field. Mystik Dan, who rode the rail to capture the Run for the Roses by a nose for trainer Kenny McPeek, will aim to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive against a field of seven challengers in the 1 3/16-miles Preakness Stakes. 

The Preakness is the second leg of the Triple Crown and is held at the historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD. Last year’s edition of the race saw trainer Bob Baffert saddle his record eighth winner in the middle jewel when National Treasure led every point of call. Baffert was set to have the morning-line favorite this year in Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Muth, but the colt was scratched from the race after spiking a fever.

This year’s edition of the race takes place on May 18 and Mystik Dan will be one of just three horses from the Kentucky Derby to make the two-week turnaround. Check out our Preakness Stakes betting guide, where we offer an overview and analysis of the contenders set to complete in the 2024 Preakness Stakes with post positions and odds.

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2024 Preakness Stakes Field: Post Positions, Odds, Jockeys, Trainers

Here is the field of 2024 Preakness Stakes contenders set to start, including their post positions, jockeys, trainers, and morning-line odds. The morning line was revised on May 16 following the scratch of Muth.

How Can I Bet on the Preakness Stakes?

You can bet on the 2024 Preakness Stakes using the FanDuel Racing app. FanDuel is the first and only sportsbook to offer wagering on horse racing alongside traditional online sports betting with a single account and single wallet. 

Racing fans can find betting options for the Preakness Stakes in just a few taps when they open the FanDuel app and then click the horse racing icon.

Who Is the Preakness Stakes Favorite?

With Muth out of the race, favoritism goes to Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Mystik Dan was installed as the 8-to-5 choice on the morning line when it was revised on May 16. He was originally deemed the 5-to-2 second choice from post No. 5 when the race was drawn.

Muth was set to break just inside of Mystik Dan out of post No. 4 and the latter will now move in one spot in the starting gate.

Bob Baffert-trained Muth, winner of the Arkansas Derby in March, had been deemed the 8-to-5 morning line favorite for the 2024 Preakness Stakes but it was announced on May 15 the colt will not run in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown after spiking a fever.

Muth ran a temperature of 103 after arriving at Pimlico late Tuesday night.

“We are sick about this. The horse had been doing really well,”  Baffert said. “But we have to do what’s right by the horse.”

Baffert still has a Preakness contender in Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner up Imagination.

Seventy-three favorites have won the Preakness Stakes. Since 1911, when pari-mutuel wagering first appeared at Pimlico, 28 Preakness favorites have started at odds of less than even money. 18 have won.

Get to Know the 2024 Preakness Stakes Contenders

PP: 1 Mugatu (Chestnut Colt)

• Sire: Blofeld
• Dam: Union Way, by Union Rags
• Trainer: Jeff Engler
• Owners: Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells
• Jockey: Joe Bravo
• Record and earnings: 12-1-1-3, $80,570
• ML Odds: 20-1
• Last Race: Finished fifth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes.
• Why You Should Bet Him:  Though he was no threat in the Blue Grass Stakes, trainer Jeff Engler believes dirt is the colt’s best surface and that he will thrive with added distance.
• Why You Should Save Your Money: Mugatu has lost his last seven starts with his lone career win coming over the all-weather track at Gulfstream Park last November.
• What They’re Saying: “He ran his biggest number on dirt in the Blue Grass, and he ran a good race at Gulfstream. I think he ran well on the Tapeta at Turfway,as well, but I think he’s a better horse on dirt. I brought him to Belterra Park to train him on dirt specifically for that reason, and he’s just thriving on it.” – Trainer Jeff Engler.

PP: 2  Uncle Heavy (Bay Colt)

• Sire: Social Inclusion
• Dam: Expect Wonderful, by Tiz Wonderful
• Trainer: Butch Reid Jr.
• Owners: Michael Milam and LC Racing LLC
• Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
• Record and earnings: 3-1-0-1, $147,100
• ML Odds: 20-1
• Last Race: Finished fifth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial.
• Why You Should Bet Him: Earned his lone graded win when he won the 1 1/8-miles Withers Stakes (G3) over a sealed, muddy track at Aqueduct. Could move up if rain is in the Baltimore focus on Saturday.
• Why You Should Save Your Money: Wasn’t a threat in the Wood Memorial and the form of that race is up for debate.
• What They’re Saying: “He’s very laid back. He’s got a tremendous attitude about him. He’s a big, giant guy that probably weighs over 1,200 pounds, I’m sure, but I’ve never weighed him. He’s just a big, gentle giant. Very easy to train in the morning. Doesn’t worry about anything. We’re way more worried about it than he is.” – Trainer Butch Reid.

PP: 3  Catching Freedom (Bay Colt)

• Sire: Constitution
• Dam: Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile
• Trainer: Brad Cox
• Owner: Albaugh Family Stables
• Jockey: Flavien Prat
• Record and earnings: 6-3-0-1, $1,127,350
• ML Odds: 7-2
• Last Race: Fourth in the Kentucky Derby.
• Why You Should Bet Him: He showed a good fight down the lane of the Kentucky Derby, kicking on willingly to finish fourth, where he was beaten just 1 3/4 lengths by the top three on the line. The distance cutback should play in his favor, especially if he gets an honest pace to close into. 
• Why You Should Save Your Money: Brad Cox isn’t fond of or known for wheeling back horses on short rest. It’s a sign of confidence in Catching Freedom that his trainer is going ahead with him two weeks after his Derby, but this is a move that is out of his barn’s wheelhouse. 
• What They’re Saying: “Obviously we like how he’s doing. It’s just eight days after the Derby. It’s very important to watch the horse. He has been galloping well. It basically comes down to how the horse is doing, and we’re happy with the way he’s training. Based off who we hear is running, he stacks up with that group of horses — bottom line.”- Trainer Brad Cox.

PP: 4 Muth (SCRATCHED)

PP: 5 Mystik Dan (Bay Colt)

• Sire: Goldencents
• Dam: Ma’am, by Colonel John
• Trainer: Kenny McPeek
• Owners: Lance Gasaway, 4 G racing LLC, and Valley View Farm LLC
• Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
• Record and earnings: 7-3-1-1, $3,741,360
• ML Odds: 8-5
• Last Race: Won the Kentucky Derby.
• Why You Should Bet Him: The son of Goldencents received a masterclass of a ride from Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the Kentucky Derby, saving all the needed ground as he held off Sierra Leone by a nose at the wire. He has the tactical ability necessary to put himself in an ideal position, and he is more than brave enough to come up the inside and through some tight spots.
• Why You Should Save Your Money: The worst race of his career came when he ran back two weeks after breaking his maiden, although Kenny McPeek notes the colt did emerge with a lung infection in that instance.
• What They’re Saying: “The unique thing about Mystik, is that he is a bit like a little Maserati, that you can hit a hole and cruise and then hit a hole and cruise. He placed himself in a position to win. And because he is not a deep closer, he didn’t come from way back, have to circle horses. So I’m just really, you know, proud of the colt and Brian. But Brian put him up in there.” – Trainer Kenny McPeek.

PP: 6 Seize the Grey (Grey or Roan Colt)

• Sire: Arrogate
• Dam: Smart Shopping, by Smart Strike
• Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
• Owners: MyRacehorse
• Jockey: Jaime Torres
• Record and earnings: 9-3-0-3, $619,938
• ML Odds: 12-1
• Last Race: Won the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile Stakes.
• Why You Should Bet Him: The son of Arrogate ran the best race of his life last time out, wearing down leader Vlahos in deep stretch to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths. Few in the sport are better at bringing horses back on two weeks rest than D. Wayne Lukas is, especially with a horse already at the high end of their form cycle.
• Why You Should Save Your Money: In his lone try against Grade 1 company, Seize the Grey was a well-beaten seventh in the Blue Grass Stakes.
• What They’re Saying: “I think he really fits it. I think, if he’d run that same race he just ran in a Pat Day Mile, he’ll be a factor in (the Preakness). He’s got good tactical speed. He can dictate pretty much where he wants to be in a race. And I see no reason why he won’t finish the mile and 3/16. I feel comfortable with him. I think that, having a very positive race, going into the Preakness is going to help him very much.” – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

PP: 7  Just Steel (Bay Colt)

• Sire: Justify 
• Dam: Irish Lights (AUS), by Fastnet Rock (AUS)
• Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
• Owner: BC Stables 
• Jockey: Joel Rosario 
• Record and earnings: 12-2-4-1, $724,545
• ML Odds: 12-1
• Last Race: Finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby. 
• Why You Should Bet Him: D. Wayne Lukas has saddled six Preakness winners during his legendary career, including his upset with Oxbow in 2013. When the Hall of Fame trainer puts one on the van to Baltimore, it bears heeding for that reason alone. 
• Why You Should Save Your Money: When Oxbow rebounded from a Derby loss to take the Preakness, he was coming off a solid sixth-place effort in the first leg of the Triple Crown. That is not the case with Just Steel, who faded badly after chasing the early fractions in the Kentucky Derby. 
• What They’re Saying: “What happened is that he… got roughed up a little bit (in the Kentucky Derby). And it was uncharacteristic for him, but he grabbed the bit. And by that, I mean, he got aggressive. He’s very rateable, and he got aggressive. The next thing you know, they’re throwing up :22, :46 and that just won’t work in the Kentucky Derby. He… runs three-quarters of a mile. But when you throw up those kind of fractions, those horses that were on the pace all faded. So that gave us, probably a reason to draw a line through that race.” – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

PP: 8 Tuscan Gold (Bay Colt)

• Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
• Dam: Valadorna, by Curlin
• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Owners: William Lawrence, Walmac Farm, Stonestreet Stables
• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
• Record and earnings: 3-1-0-1, $147,100
• ML Odds: 9-2
• Last Race: Third in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.
• Why You Should Bet Him: Chad Brown has won two editions of the Preakness Stakes by showing up with fresh, lightly horses making their fourth career starts — first with Cloud Computing in 2017 and again with Early Voting in 2022. The four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer follows that same formula with Tuscan Gold, who broke his maiden by 6 1/4 lengths and was third to Catching Freedom in the Louisiana Derby.
• Why You Should Save Your Money: While the Preakness field is compact, it still represents the deepest waters Tuscan Gold will be diving into as he attempts to make a big move up in form.
• What They’re Saying: “I am confident going into the race. He is fast enough on figures to win.” – Trainer Chad Brown.

PP: 9 Imagination (Bay Colt)

• Sire: Into Mischief
• Dam: Magical Feeling, by Empire Maker
• Trainer: Bob Baffert
• Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et al.
• Jockey: Frankie Dettori 
• Record and earnings: 6-2-4–0, $406,800
• ML Odds: 3-1
• Last Race: Second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
• Why You Should Bet Him: Imagination is two necks away from being undefeated in his career as both of his losses have come by that narrow margin. Was just edged by Stronghold last time out in the Santa Anita Derby after taking the San Felipe Stakes (G2) in March. 
• Why You Should Save Your Money: Some question as to how he’ll handle the 1 3/16-miles distance of the Preakness. 
• What They’re Saying: “I liked the fact that he gutted it out pretty well (in the Santa Anita Derby). He’s still learning, we’re learning more about him. Frankie (Dettori) is learning more about him. And he’s a horse that — he needs a target. And he just got out there, and that other horse that beat him, he is a nice horse. And so, they were just battling all the way down the stretch, and he came out of it really well.” – Trainer Bob Baffert.

Preakness Stakes 149 Facts and Figures

• When: May 18, 2024
• Where: Pimlico Race Course
• Post Time: 7:01 p.m. ET
• Most Preakness Wins By a Trainer: Bob Baffert (8) – 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2023
• Top Preakness Payout: Master Derby (1975); 23-1; $48.80
• Largest Preakness Win Margin: Smarty Jones (2004) 11 1/2 lengths