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2025 Preakness Stakes Predictions and Recommended $100 Wager

by Spencer Toth - 5/15/2025

Preakness Stakes predictions

The second race of the Triple Crown will take place on Saturday, May 17th at 7:01 PM EST. This is one of the biggest races on the calendar, and all nine participants will feel as though they have a legitimate shot at taking home the victory. Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty will not be racing at the Preakness Stakes due to fatigue, which has catapulted Journalism to the top of the morning odds list. 

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The nine-horse field appears to be even more competitive than the previous Preakness Stakes, as all nine horses are coming in with 20-1 or shorter odds. Before we get into which three horses are worthy of your investment this weekend, we need to talk about the 8-5 favorite Journalism. I will not be laying a penny on Journalism at the Preakness Stakes, and you should not even consider betting on him either. The outright favorite hasn’t won the Preakness Stakes in six straight years, and a Kentucky Derby participant has been kept out of the winner's circle for five straight races. I am not arguing that Journalism isn’t worthy of his favorite role after a strong Kentucky Derby showing, but touching odds like these is a surefire way to tank your bankroll. We will also be staying away from the second-favorite, Sandman at 4-1, as fatigue from his less-than-impressive Kentucky Derby showing is a real concern. Instead, look to these three other horses at the 2025 edition of the Preakness Stakes. 

Clever Again: Post Position 8, 5-1 Odds

Clever Again is a horse I have been eying up for several months in preparation for this race. The inflated odds on Journalism make these 5-1 odds way longer than they should be, and is the perfect horse to attack at the Preakness Stakes. 

Clever Again won both of his previous races this year, posting an astonishing 108 speed rating in his most recent outing. Trained by Steve Asmussen, and the son of the legendary American Pharoah, Clever Again has had praise heaped on him for the last year. Asmussen has been surprised by how easy it has been to train a horse with power like this and is beyond confident that jockey Jose Ortiz will be able to manage his speed. Clever Again has the straight line speed to take an early lead in this race, but will be sure not to overexert himself in the early stages. This 1 3/16 mile race is the perfect distance for this horse, as he struggles with stamina in any race longer than this. Ten of the last 15 winners were in the top three at the half-mile mark, and Clever Again will need to be in that category if he hopes to pull off this win. The 5-1 odds still give us a tidy profit, and this is the type of horse you want to take to win, place, and show. 

Percent to win: 50%

Goal Oriented: Post Position 1, 6-1 Odds

Goal Oriented is surrounded by experienced players in the horse racing industry, and they will be looking to translate that into a victory on Saturday. Goal Oriented is trained by the legendary Bob Baffert, who has recently returned from his three-year suspension. While Baffert’s training techniques have received plenty of scrutiny, there is no denying their effectiveness. Baffert does a great job of getting the most out of his horses, and the experienced Flavian Prat will manage his speed throughout the race. He won both of his previous races this year, including an impressive victory at Churchill Downs two weeks ago. Goal Oriented is capable of jumping out to an early lead and holding onto victory, but he can also make a late dash on the outside to claim the win. His versatility could come in handy given the expected sloppy conditions that are expected, as this could be one of the messiest Preakness Stakes in recent memory. Goal Oriented is still unbeaten in his racing career, and is a bit of a wild card at this event. The 6-1 odds may be an accurate representation of Goal Oriented odds to win, but this is the textbook definition of a boom-or-bust horse. Take Goal Oriented to win, but steer clear of any place or show wagers. 

Percent to win: 40%

Gosger: Post Position 9, 20-1 Odds

Gosger is tied with Pay Billy for the longest odds at the Preakness Stakes, but this is hard to justify. Even comparing him with Pay Billy, Gosger will have the cool-headed Luis Saez on his back, has two wins in two races this year, and thrives in sloppy conditions. Trainer Brendan Walsh still has lots to prove, but this wide open field makes taking a shot with Gosger far from a donation. Gosger has an ideal racing style compared to his competitors and has yet to run a bad race in his career. He is a textbook stalker and will look to stay just off the lead through the first half of this race. His five weeks of rest combined with the fact that he looks better every time he steps onto the track make him the perfect live underdog. There is no need to take out a second mortgage with the 20-1 payout, as even a small sprinkle on Gosger will pay out a tidy profit. 

Percent to win: 10%

Preakness Stakes Recommended Wagers:

Clever Again to Win: $15

Clever Again to Place: $20

Goal Oriented to Win: $28

Gosger to Win, Place, Show: $5 on each individual wager.

Exacta, Clever Again, Goal Oriented: $7

Box Trifecta, Clever Again, Goal Oriented, Gosger: 6x $2 wager

Trifecta, Goal Oriented, Journalism, Clever Again: $8

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