Filly a big fave for Preakness Stakes
betED.com has Rachel Alexandra as a big favorite to win Saturday's Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown.
The first filly in the Preakness Stakes since 1999, Rachel Alexandra is a +110 favorite to win the $1.1 million Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. She will be ridden by Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel and will start from the far outside post.
It's anyone guess after the favorite, however, as there are several among the field of 13 horses in the +300 to +800 range in betED.com Preakness Stakes Betting Odds.
Pioneer of the Nile, at +300, is next followed by Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird at +400.
Mine That Bird will be ridden by Mike Smith, who won the 1993 Preakness with Prairie Bayou.
Kentucky Derby favorite Friesan Fire is at +500, followed by three horses at +800.
Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, Rachel Alexandra is perfect in her four starts this year. The filly has won seven of 10 career starts for $958,354. The filly is a winner of her last five starts, including the Kentucky Oaks, Fantasy Stakes, Fair Grounds Oaks and Martha Washington Stakes.
Rachel Alexandra will carry 121 pounds in the race, while her 12 rivals will each tote 126 pounds.
Owned by Double Eagle Farm and Bueno Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird is trained by Bennie Woolley. Woolley has given the riding assignment to Mike Smith, who won the 1993 Preakness with Prairie Bayou.
Mine That Bird is the winner of five of nine career starts with nearly $1.8 million in earnings. He is the only three-year-old who can snap the 31 year drought of Triple Crown winners. Affirmed was the last to sweep the Triple Crown races in 1978.
The Preakness, which along with the Derby and next month's Belmont Stakes make up the Triple Crown, is 1 3/16 miles and starts at 6:15 pm ET on NBC.
The $1 million Belmont Stakes is held at New York's Belmont Park on Saturday, June 6.
Check out betED.com for a full list of Preakness Stakes odds.
