The Preakness is, without getting gushy, a wonderful day in Baltimore. The 2010 edition occurs this Saturday, still at Pimlico Race Course. The Stakes this year come with a cool, hip slogan for the infield party: Get Your Preak On! How awful. Despite the vomit inducing slogan, website, and song, there’s still something at Preakness for everyone.
There’s the beauty of the horses and the race for the horse racing fans; the cruelty towards the horses and the race for the PETA/Humane Society faction; and the infield party and alcohol for people clueless to the races. Finally, there’s another group of people who care about the races not for the love of the sport, but for the gambling, or should I say, calculated wagering.
I will go through my picks, but in no way should anybody take this to the window. This will probably outline the picks you’d be smart to ignore. They will be wrong.
2010 Preakness Poll Positions and early Odds
1. Aikenite 20/1
2. Schoolyard Dreams 15/1
3. Pleasant Prince 20/1
4. Northern Giant 30/1
5. Yawanna Twist 30/1
6. Jackson Bend 12/1
7. Lookin at Lucky 3/1
8. Super Saver 5/2
9. Caracortado 10/1
10. Paddy O’Prado 9/2
11. First Dude 20/1
12. Dublin 10/1
Looking at the positions and odds, Super Saver is the earlier favorite, just in front of Lookin at Lucky, with Paddy O’Prado third in terms of lowest odds. I won’t go through race history, closers, fast starters, track length, because I figure most people don’t care about that and only want the picks. But I’ll do my best to feign some knowledge before my calculated wagers.
Let’s start with the horses that won’t finish in the money. I eliminated Aikenite, Schoolyard Dreams, Pleasant Prince, Northern Giant, and First Dude immediately. I’m also somewhat down on Jackson Bend at this length and the current odds, which leaves me with six horses.
Favorites have done very well over the past 10 years. If you exclude the Barbaro year, the favorite has won seven times, and twice finished second. This bodes well for Super Saver. I was disappointed Caracortado didn’t come on the board at around 25/1; he was going to be my long shot pick. Instead Ill go with Yawanna Twist at 30/1, who is lightly raced, and hasn’t finished worse than second. Could be good in a superfecta, if that’s what you’re thing.
I don’t make wagers until Saturday afternoon, so I can’t go over my exact exotics, but Lookin at Lucky and Super Saver should finish top four (superfecta). The other two out of Yawanna Twist, Caracortado, Paddy O’Prado and Dublin is tough for me. If you’re looking for big wins, I’d leave out Paddy at such low odds. My picks are: Looking at Lucky, Caracortado, Super Saver, Paddy O’Prado, with Yawanna Twist coming in fifth.