Kentucky Derby winner Mage was made the 8-5 morning-line favorite during Monday’s draw for Saturday’s $1.65 million, Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
Post time for the Preakness is 7:01 p.m., and the race will be televised by NBC.
Mage, trained by Gustavo Delgado, did not race as a 2-year-old and is 2-1-0 in four starts this year after winning the Kentucky Derby by a length over Two Phil’s. Mage, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano, drew the No. 3 post position in the field of eight.
Louisville trainer Brad Cox has the second choice in the morning line with First Mission, who is 5-2 after winning the Grade 3 Lexington on April 15 at Keeneland. In a notable return, trainer Bob Baffert is back in a Triple Crown race for the first time since the 2021 Preakness. His horse, National Treasure, is the third choice in the morning line at 4-1 odds.
The eight-horse field is the smallest for the Preakness since 2018, when Justify won in an eight-horse field on his way to winning the Triple Crown.
2023 Preakness post position, horse, trainer, jockey, morning-line odds
1. National Treasure, Bob Baffert, John Velazquez, 4-1
2. Chase the Chaos, Ed Moger Jr., Sheldon Russell, 50-1
3. Mage, Gustavo Delgado, Javier Castellano, 8-5
4. Coffeewithchris, John Salzman Jr., Jaime Rodriguez, 20-1
5. Red Route One, Steve Asmussen, Joel Rosario, 10-1
6. Perform, Shug McGaughey, Feargal Lynch, 15-1
7. Blazing Sevens, Chad Brown, Irad Ortiz Jr., 6-1
8. First Mission, Brad Cox, Luis Saez, 5-2
Reach reporter Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com; follow on Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.